Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-20
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g. RED MOUSE
By
WILLIAM
HAMILTON
OSBORNE
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"W1sat for?' asked the voice inside
Challoner replied firmly:
Because Eve done the work of
more than two men," He was paid
at the rate Of 81 a day.
Now he was allowed to have one of
the corners all to himself for his con-
trivance. They laid Off two men.
Challoner was doing the work OF three
men.
The boss was jubilant.
Gee! 1 guess Well get this Job
done on time after all. thought the
old man was in for few fines sure"
Nobody else tried Challoner's device
nobody else knew how to use it. He
found that in his eagerness he labored
three times as hard as before. Be-
sides, he was even better at the work
than the Italians who knew it, had
become accustomed to it and who
were better fitted for 1t. And yet there
was nothing wonderful in this con-
trivance Of his. But Challoner was
convinced that IL some time he could
induce the boss to put it into constant
operation it would save that gentle
man great deal Of money. Nor did
it ever enter Challoner's head to have
it patented. Its principle was that of
the lever, and, of course, even II he
had tried, he could not have obtained
patent. In no way was there dol
lar in it.
But" he told himself. a"if ever go
into this concrete business / shall in
Sist upon its use. AS business" he
went on, "what can be more profitable
than concrete? 1t produces wall as
solid as rock and as indestructible
as brick. Bricklayers receive SIS and
Sc day, and brick costs money. But
this sand. cement, stone and unskilled
labor Challoner could see millions
in it.
Meanwhile he was useful at two and
a half dollars a day. Now they deter.
mined to put his brain to work for
them. 1t became his duty to direct
the mixing gang at his end of the new
store.
Don't forget, now; watch out" said
the superintendent, taking him aside
80 many barrels of cement, so many
barrels of sand and so much stone"
The very first day that he watched
the mixing process he discovered that
the mixer had put in too much rock
and too much sand and too little &C.
ment.
Look here" cried Challoner, you've
made mistake! Two more barrels of
cement go in there"
But the mixer merely grinned.
1.-TWO more barrels OF cement, told
you," persisted Challoner. The head
superintendent had given him his in
structions.. and Challoner meant to see
that they were properly carried out.
The mixer grinned again. Challoner
leaped up on the platform and stood
over the mixer. At that the man
waved his arm. His signal brought
not the head superintendent, but the
general foreman of the work.
whats the trouble?" he demanded.
Challoner explained in few words.
"You blamed IDIOT" burst out the
raging foreman. "You leave the man
alone! Do you think that he doesn't
know how to mix concrete?H
But Challoner now was not man
to be SO easily turned from his orders,
and again he insisted:
1.-TWO more barrels Of cement, told
your
A knot Of laborers gathered around
them to await the result. The fore
man saw that the head superintendent
was coming toward them.
"AH right, then," he conceded re-
luctantly; make it two more barrels
Of cement"
But that same afternoon the fore
man singled Challoner out and paid
him. Then he lunged out, and, strik-
ing Challoner on the shoulder, he ex-
claimed:
'sThere, you internal jackass, you're
dischargedr'
"Dischargedv' The exclamation fell
from his lips before Challoner could
check it, and, Notwithstanding his
great disappointment, he turned on his
heel and left. He brought his case
before the head superintendent, who
said:
III Perkins discharged you / can't
help It. I won't interfere"
"But what was discharged for?'
"Oh, come now!" cried the superin-
tendent. You must know that you
were discharged for stealing cementy'
Stunned for moment, Challoner
said not word. Then slowly he be-
gan to understand. Graft! Yes, that
was the solution Of the matter.
After this incident Challoner cult
waited a habit Of strolling into the Of
fees Of the various dealers in the
city.
What are the proper concrete pro-
portions?" was his request in all of
them.
Charts were taken out and consulted.
There was no difference Of opinion.
All agreed that the head superintend-
ent's figures were out Of the way, and
by one barrel Of cement.
Graft! There was no doubt about it
in his mind, and he proceeded to figure
out just where the trouble lay. On
that department store job there were
several mixers. On every mixing the
head superintendent made one barrel
Of cement. There were several fore
men. On every individual mixing the
tOremen severally made two barrels