Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-03

tides of traffic flowed steadily past his open doors Miss
CHECKER had more and time to devote to Ouda and
the three mechanics having furnished and polished up
the to the last brass rod took refuge penuchle
game to while away their sixty-cent hours
GRADUALLY it was borne in upon the embryo COM
mercial genius that while he nervously waiting
for Opportunity rattle his electric bell it behooved
him to daily again with the Muse and present an
eager public another "song hit that would in the deli
cate and expressive phrase of his profession tear the
town wide open. Having arrived at this decision, he
lost time in hunting up his most dependable little
sistant composer and installing him in the back
of the garage with of blank music paper and in
ave got to put something over, old boy, he said
unkindly, "and you'll have to do your best It's been
case of all going out and nothing coming in since
opened this shack, and it kind of put crmp in my
roll But I'll sell these yet, all right. You watch!
The days continued to slip by, however, and every
one in the Hammond auto emporium was Tremendously
abored with the song hit, the mechanics polished
up the handles of the and drew their wages the
pretty typst sobbed with her heroines and the cash
drawer yawned repeatedly Only the genius of the es
tablishment paced the oily floor and waited for
thing to turn up preferably something with big wad
OF money and yearnng for secondhand car
ON rainy afternoon when the deadlock had con-
- tnued for three weeks Hammond appeared at his
garage with look of determination in each eve. He
had faced much playful badinage from the boys around
the clubs and cafes anent the sackness of the trade
and he was wrought up considerably
d 10
away he announced to his respectful staff of assistants
"If anybody blows in here today he'll take car away
if I've got to strap him to the seat and the
engine!"
The helpful assistant composer drew him aside for a
conference II think you better Morriss
office and let this melody for you," he sug
gested. "You might want to make two changes
in it before you turn it in.
"Not your life!' the musical genius declared "Im
going to make SALE and want to be right the job
if anybody comes III.
And in less than hour there tremendous excite
ment in the establishment A prospective customer
drifted in out of the rain
Hammond descended upon him like bee on a full
blown rose, signaling to of the soed mechanics
edge around toward the door and stand guard with
monkey wrench. Miss CHECKER dropped her novel and
began to rattle out imaginary letters at record speed
and the Junior composer gave Gelike imitation of
other customer carefully examining in distant
corner of the shop.
Something in the line of used carp" the composer
suggested pleasantly as he came forward.
eyes, am sort of looking around for a car, if
get bargain" the visitor admitted "bu of these
second hand are such lot of junk
tell what he's going up against.
"That is true of the average establishment have
doubt Hammond said glbly; "but careful
in purchases and our workmen expert in
pairs that you getting practically when
you buy one here.
"Um-hum," said the stranger, @that's what they all
saw"
Hammond, slightly nonplussed by this chilling re-