Evening star., 1913-12-07

who. in his most excellent work, SAYS that
financial success comes to those who get
up early enough. | got UP at five o'clock
this morning. AT six-thirty my break
fast was over and | was reading the
big account of the establishment of Port
Hatch. At seven | was down to a contract
ing office had observed but a few days ago,
arranging for having them come up and
grade Main-st. Very liberal men they are,
Sir-very liberal, indeed! They're going to
put in Il graded road from the wharves right
up the hill too, and fix it SOS they can lay the
pavements as soon as we can-er-Show
them some additional security for their
work. | paid them five thousand dollars
down, so there would be no delay. They're
to send me contracts this morning
They are, eh?' said Burmah hopelessly.
"And YOU paid them five thousand down be-
fore the contracts were drawn, eho'
And to the Colonel's surprise he got up
and clutched his thatch of gray hair with
both hands, walked across and kicked the
unoffending waste basket with his bare foot,
then used profanity as he hoped round the
room on one leg, holding his injured big toe
in his fat hand. This exercise seemed to
steady him. He slipped into big dressing
gown and grimly sat down by his desk.
Colonel, he said bluntly, friendships
friendship, and business is business. | can
help you build up Port Hatch, and you can
help me. want you to deed me two blocks
OF that waterfront, and four blocks OF the
extension on AIain-st It's to be mine.
can't
He stopped; for there was such hurt
look on the Colonel's face that even he,
hardened as he was, could not bear it.
"Burmah," said the Colonel, at amt
what you say, but the way you say it, that
sounds mighty unkind. Gentlemen, as you
know, even though they are in financial pur-
SUITS don't bubble over trifes. You asked
for four blocks on Main-st. extension: I'm
going to give YOU six. You asked for two
blocks of waterfront: I'll give you four.
There's enough for both Miss Arabella and
me- Personally | work for her interests.
Publicly work for the promotion and uplift
of the forthcoming city which bears my
name, which has honored me by calling
itself Port Hatch. And l don't like to feel,
Burnah, that you-'
"Why, Colonel, you amt mad, are you?
/ didn't mean it that way-no, Stree!
Rather than make you offended, I'd cut off
my right leg-yes, Sir, chop her right off,
Burmah held up a chubby leg whose
roundnesS was not concealed by his paJamas.
And the truth of the matter was that he was
actually touched by this generosity. 1t
brought back something fine from his youth,
when he too had been generous, before greed
and conquest had made him the half-black-
leg he was, the sharper, the schemer, the
heartless trafficker in anything that would
bring returns.
a was about to suggest, Colonel, he said,
quickly shifting from dangerous ground,
"that we should have an office, or offices,
down in the business section of Seattle; that
we should open them today if possible.
There is goin' to be rush for Port Hatch
lands. Port Hatch must have a local head
quarters.
"TuSt what was thinking Of" asserted
the Colonel, helping himself to one of Bur
mah's cigars. Il was about to say that to
you, Sir Well do that the first thing. III
pay for fitting them up. Now about rugs.
I've always leaned towards those old Biskra
things Reds the best for offices, though.
Maybe the second office ought to have green.
Wish I'd thought to ask Mr. Hubbard about
that. Great thing to be an artist, Sir.
And thus, while Burmah Jones shaved,
bathed, and dressed, the Colonel ambled
mentally onward, devoted for the moment
to establishing offices for town that had
no buildings, and a real estate concern that
was not incorporated, and a business firm
that was not formed
CELERITY was a habit with Burmah
- Jones when wearing his warpaint, and
inasmueh as the Colonel had so kindly vol