Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1914-11-11
The
Doves Street
House
How 1t Came by Its
Repairs
By LENORE E. CLANCY
By LENORE E. CLANCY
Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co.

While Glider bent eagerly over the
quarterly report his agent sat back
and watched him uneasily.
He was a big man-this agent-fault-
1essly dressed and bearing an air of
ease and conscious we'll being very
soothing to the senses. Faultless. too.
was his manner toward his superiors-
suave. deterrent. but not too deterrent
All, that is a very great thing-to
acquire a manner like that. If Glider
smiled. Burson radiated pleasure; if
Glider froWned. Burson breathed
deprecating regret, and yet he never
reused the savage desire to kick that
more suppliant and cringing servant
might have done.
For Burson respected himself, in a
very modest and unobtrusive way, and
thus begat respect in his betters. But
for all that he often experienced trOu-
blesOme days. and one glance at Mr..
elders lean face had conveyed clear
ly to BursOn that this was going to be
one of the most troublesome Of them
all.
"Ahem." Glider shut his spectacle
case with Il snap and glared at lis
agent. Il see profits far below normal
again, sir. l notice in the BOwes
street house alone the bill for plumbing
is over $500 for the past year."
II have been wanting to speak to you
about the Bowes street place. began
Burson, extracting a letter from the
file at his elbow. You see. Mr.. Glider,
the Bowes street plumbing is in pref
ty bad condition.; there's been quite
little agitation recently in some Of
the papers about an epidemic of
typhoid down there, and this morning
I got this letter from the head Of the
social settlement in the district
Lot Of nonsense" was elders only
comment as he tossed the letter down
half read.
But you see they threaten health
board investigation"
You ought to know as well as any
body, Burson. how little we have to
fear from the board Of health"
Eyes, l know they have been very
kind"
1.-The point is what are you going to
do to bring up this credit balance? At
the present rate of decline another year
or two may see the balance on the
other side altogether" said Glider.
BursOn faced himself for a battle,
though his manner was as suave, as
gracious as ever.
Il am sorry to say, Mr.. Glider, that
or0't Of clio JoA
leak unless you are prepared to spend
lump sum on new plumbing. In the
BoWes street place alone a thousand
dollars ought to be spent Immediately.
4 great many of the tenements remain
empty simply because they are not hab-
liable, even for the sort of people who
live in that section. We cannot re-
duce the rents without establishing "a
very bad precedent, and of course
could not put in any very extensive re-
pairs without consulting you
"E1tensiye repairs" calculated Gill
der, now thoroughly aroused. For
heavens sake, BursOn, one would
imagine you were letting on Fifth ave
nue. instead Of slum tenements. You
are dealing with a class that has no
plain scum. demanding new and up
to date plumbing in it's dens.'
''Of course what you say is true, ~
agreed Burson, but times are chang
ing everywhere, and l can assure you,
sir. the people in the tenements now
are not the sort we had there ten years
ago. 1t grows increasingly difficult to
deal with them, and in this BoWes
street house especially we've had nc
end of trouble.
Zone Of my men was pitched down
the steps only last week by a burly
giant who declared he wouldn't pay his
rent until the leak from the floor above
was stopped. Of course we set hin
out. but it's had very bad effect OF
the others. especially as the typhoid il
very bad in the house. and the settle
ment workers have led them to believ,
it's entirely due to the pipes
more likely it's due to their owl
dirt and filth.' snapped Glider. pacins
wrathfully up and down. But lool
to you. Burson. to straighten this out
That's what l pay you for. and 1 ex
pect you to do it"
IT have been doing my best 1 in
tend to go down there myself thi
afternoon and look the house over.
am having plumber meet me there t
submit estimates"
At the word estimates a sudde
CLEAN of suspicion lit in elders eyes
"Estimates-graft. Aha"'
81 think I'll just go down with yor
Burson. and We'll look it over tt
gether."
Burson's dismay was evident.
''Oh. Mr.. Glider. I'm sure 70
wouldn't like that! You've no ide
how filthy and vile the streets and pee
pie are down there. 1t wouldn't do a
all to go in your car. in the presen
state of things. and I'm sure 20
wouldn't relish the ride on the stree
cars"