United labor bulletin., 1913-08-30
How MEALY GOT EVEN
BY ARTHUR PRESTON.

| Probably he mad anOIner name, DuI
IL SO no one around the shop had
ever heard it, or would have renem-
bered it If they had. He was freck-
led faced youth with watery blue syes
and a tangled mass of reddish yellow
hair. What his age may have been ts
only conjecture, but, seated on the
tallest office stool, supplemented by a
discarded copy of Websters Un-
abridged, he could, by dint Of much
stretching, just reach the upper case
"a"
1t was election morning and a red
hot campaign of municipal reform vas
on. The gang" realizing that they
were up against it in earnest, had tig-
ured out the wards they needed and
were confining their operations to
them. Sparks, the owner, and Mealy
were alone in the office, all the print
ers having been let off for the day,
when the door opened and in walked
Grogan.
"Hullo, Jim," he said.
Morning, Grogan; how are things
coming?"
Its going to be hot one. we have
got to keep moving. Say, have you
any old tickets on hand? Any kind
will do"
I'll see," said Sparks. He arose
and went to the rear Of the shop
where, from under a case he extract
ed dust covered package.
Here's lot of tickets that were or
dered for niger rattle and never
called for. How will they do?"
Just the thing. How many are
there?"
"a thousand" answerd Sparks.
Good" returned Grogan; that will
be just about what we need"
What are you going to do with
them?" queried Sparks.
WELL" answered Grogan. you
know that they have closed up every
saloon tighter than a drum today, but
we'll fool 'em. We have got lot OF
kegs down in Murphy's barn, and each
one of these tickets will entitle the
bearer to a nip, and no questions ask
ed. We will put them around where
they will do the most good. Clever
scheme, eh?"
The two men chuckled together a
few moments in self-congratulation.
well, l must run along" said Gro
gan. You'll be out after awhile?"
Sure"
Sparks, after working awhile, took
down his coat and hat. IF anyone
calls, Mealy,' he said. II won't be in
again before dinner. You can look
after the shop, there won't be any.
thing doing"
Left alone, Mealy stolidly continued
throwing in the type on which he was
working, but rage burned within him
Why should he alone, of all the shop
force, be compelled to stay cooped up
at work when there was fun to be had
outside? He thought of his compan.
ions, probably at this moment playing
''knuckle down" for keeps or shooting
craps for pennies. 1t was tough luck,
and he turned his head and spat vi
ciously from between his teeth. AS
he did SO his glance rested on small
red pasteboard. He gazed at 1t with
unfriendly eye for some time, when,
suddenly, his countenance Frightened
and he slid from the stool, pying a
stickful of type and tumbling the die
tionary to the floor as he went.
He picked up the bit of pasteboard
and carried it over to the stock rack
from which, after a careful compari.
son, he drew several sheets. These
he cut into small squares and, after q
busy half hour at the case and on
the makeup slab, set the press go
ing.
At 10, with a snug package under
his arm, Mealy left the shop and, aft,
er boiling a huge piece Of pie and
gulping down a mug Of coffee at o
nearby lunch counter, betook himself
down a familiar alley to secluded
corner where the street gamins we're
wont to spend the noon hour Call.
ing aside two of his special cronies.
there ensued an animated converse,
tion, following which the package was
transferred to one of the twain, who
promptly departed. Mealy returned
to the shop, mounted his stool and
worked industriously, whistling cheer.
lily the while.
About three o'clock Sparks came In
| and graciously dismissed Mealy for
the rest OF the day, permission which
he accepted with alacrity. Perhaps a
couple of hours later the door was
pushed violently open and Grogan
rushed in.
For heavens sake. JIM" he shout
ed, 'how many of those tickets did
you give me?"
"a thousand" answered Sparks.
i hINhatiu 40
Matter! All Hades to pay" re-
turned Grogan, excitedly. 1--WE have
honored twice that many, and they
still are pouring in. Our stuff is all
gone, and we can't get more, the work.
men we gave the tickets to are just
coming to the polls. They swear II
is trick, and have passed the word
to vote for the other fellows. The
ward will 90 against ug sure az shoOt,