The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-06-01
CHAPTER 1.
A jolt for Pfddie

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Sure. I was carryin' the banner.
But say, l amt one of them kids
that gets ealluses on the hands
dom it. When I'm handed the
fresh air on payday, don't choke
to death over il. l goes out and
rustles for another job. And
takes my pick, too. Why not? It's
just as easy.
This time it's a case of comm
up, up" with me. Sure as ever!
Amt | in with the Corrugated
Trust? Two moves more and I'll
be first vicie president. There's
only his door, and the general
managers, and then me.
I'm behind the brass rail, next
to the spring water. When you
push through the plate glass. you
see me first. II likes your looks,
and your card reads right, maybe
gives you a peek at Mr.. Piddfe.
Anyone that gets past Piddie's a
bird.
He draws down salary for bein'
confidential secretary to the G..
NJ; but Con. Sec. don't half cover
it. He keeps the run of every
thing. from what the last quar-
terly dividend was down to how
many tubs of pins is used by the
office force every month.
I'D never made good with Pid-
die in a month of Yom Kippure Il
IT hadn't been for Old Heavy
weight, the main squeeze. Piddie
had ten of us lined up for the
elimination test, and was putin
us through the catechism and the
-TUrI To. hon I'm 1a AGF
Ellins-you know, Hickory Ell
Inns. Ever see our v. u? Say, he
uses up cloth enough in his vest
to make me a whole suit.
He runs us over without losin'
step, sticks out finger as he goes
by, and says over his shoulder,
"Piddie, take that one!"
Me, / was in range. See what
IL is to have a thirty-two candle
power thateh? He couldn't have
missed me, less'n he'd been color
blind. There's worse things can
happen to you than red hair, all
right
Piddie was sore on me from
the start. He begins with my
name. Torehy don't fit right
with him.
Maybe you'd like Reginald
better?" says /.
"But-ef-aw-is that your
baptismal name, my boy?" says
he.
"Nix." says I. I'm no Baptist.
You can call me Torchy, or
. Reginald, whichever you think of
first, and IL you be careful to say
It real nice maybe I'll come"
Every time / throws a jolt like
that into J. Heminway Piddie,
he looks kind of stunned and
goes off to chew IL over.
Most of his spare time, thong, h
he puts in tellin' me how I'm
to behave when Mr.. Robert comes
back. For the first few days / had
an idea Mr.. Robert was the pulley
that carried the big belt. got
nervous watehin' for him. Then
rounds up the fact that he's Bob
Ellins, who cuts more ice in the
society columns than he does in
the Wall Street notes.
Rule No. l on my card was new
err to let anyone through the brass
gate unless they belonged inside
or had a special permit.
Well, I'd been there over one
payday and halfway to the next,
when one morning about ten
thirty in steps a husky young
gent. swingin' one of these dinky,
leather-eovered canes, and lookfn'
like money from the mint.
He didn't make any play to
draw a card, same's they general
Iy does; but steers straight for
the brass gate, full tilt. 1 never
says a word; but just as ne
reaches over to spring the catch
and break in, q shoves my foot
out and blocks IL at the bottom,
bringin' him up all standin'.
Say, this amt no ferryhouse,"
says I.
'Helloi" says he. "A new one,
eh?"
II amt any Fourth-ove, an
tique." says |; but I'm over sew
en-. Was you wantin' to see any
one special?"
He seems to think that's a Joke
why" says he, 81 am Mr.. Ell
Inns"
"G'wani' says I. You amt