The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-17

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d.ad father a Socialist house painter.
The Girl would be so grateful to learn
,rv npiuiuu -wooid I look ut 1t? The
,rospfct was anything but alluring. So
,ialism did not attract me, neither did
tho literary output of an out at elbows
sg,tator. besides my own tragic COLL
,rs tine search for humor--left ME I'M
.rillins and pessimistic. But weak
minded ever. | said Yes; told them to
.,pd the stun in. lugged that heavy tin
boy up,iairs to my den. lifted the lid.
p,ck,d up chapter |. with yawn that
was half groan, and found l had
struck gold
"a master hand drew the curtain
ABIDE and there was | In the big de-
Gavin. house, in company OF the
number the plasterer, the carpenter,
the painter. watching the hasty scamp
ing Of Nh, work. listening to their din
uer hour talk, the natural, unvarnished
conversation of a gang Of workmen.
unsuspicious Of the presence OF an
eayesdropp.r This was the real thing!
This was ifr rough and vivid-and the
rold ran right through that unwieldy
bulk " manuscript--in streaks certainly
I'll find publisher
, "The first hesitated. immensely inter
ested but warily doubtful. The matter
hung in the balance for a few weeks
the manuscript was impossible as It
s,ood-it wanted editing What task!
Three hundred thousand words to he cut
down los half. and to be cut down with
the sympathetic discrimination of an
enthusiast Finally the tin box came
back and was fired point blank at MIR.
Grant Richards. He didn't reel at the
blow. u fact he Rugged the projcctile
90 hiS bosom and said: I'll publish
this book The recoil came with the
suggestion that | should be the editor.
= ! Quail.d. he CuaXed. and--weal< minded
ever | said Yes II took me two solid
months. read the thing through four
times first for b.rdseye view, then
for the scissors. then for the pen, and
lastly for the proofs.
THAT is the story of Robert Tressall's
book, a. FAR as | am concerned"
The book was published in England
= q few weeks ago under the title of "The
Ragged Trousered Philanthropsts" and
Immediately created sensation. A
"a
American publishers, Frederick A.
stokes Company. who at once secured
the American rights by cable. They
viii issue the book next Friday, the
I'D inst. Some extracts from Mr.. Tres
sails work follow:
Tho house was named "The Cave.
II was large old fashioned three
.sioried building, standing In about ar
acre OF ground. mile outside the towI
OF Mugsborough. 1t had been unoccu.
pied FOR many years, and was now be.
Ing altered and renovated for Its new
owner by the firm OF Rushton & Co.
builders and decorators.
Altogether about twenty-five men
were working there-carpenters, plumb
efs' plasierers, br!cklayers and painters
besides several unslilled laborers. They
were putting new floors where the old
ones were decayed, and making two
rooms into one 10y demolishing the part
Ing wall and substituting an iron cir.
DER They were replacing window frames
and sdshes, replastcring cracked ceilings
ana walls, cutting openings and fitting
doors where no doors had ever been be.
fore They were taking down broken
chimney pots and fixing new ones In
their places. They were washing tn,
, Old Whitewash Off the ceilings anc
scrap!ng the old paper off the walls. TIL,
ar was full Of the sounds of hammer.
ing ana saving, the ringing of trowels
'he rattle or pals, the spashng oil
water brushes and the scraping OF the
stripping knives. 1t was also heayil,
laden with dust and disease germs. pow.
dered mortar lime, plaster and the dir
that mad been accommodating within tn,
Old house for years. In brief thos,
7 employed there might he said to be llv.
Ing in Tariff Reform Paradise-the,
mad Plenty OF Work.
Al IL o'clock Bob Grass. the painter.
foreman, blew prolonged blast upon
whistle and all hands assembled in tn,
kitchen where Bert, the apprentice, haC
Already prepared the tea in the larg,
galvanized iron pail placed in the mid
d!e or the floor BY the side of tn,
PAL were number OF old Jam Jars
mugs dilapdated teacups. and one Of
Two empty condensed milk tins. Eacl
man on the lob" paid Bert threepenc.
a week for the tea and sugar-they dl,
not have milk-and although they hat
sea al breakfast time as well as at din
Nor, the lad was generally considered
10 Do making a fortune.
TWO pairs of steps laid sideways II
'front.' or the fire at distance of abou
eisnt feet with a plank placed across
several upturned pals, and the drawers
belonging to the dresser formed the seat
ing accommodation. The floor was Gov
cred with all manner OF debris, dust
arr, fragments OF old mortar and plas
Ter. A sack Of cement was leaninJ
against one OF the walls. and a buckle
containing some stale whitewash stoo,
IN ono corner.
Az each man came in ne filled hi
cup Jam jar or condensed milk tin will
YEA from the steamlng pail before sit
Ting down. Most of them brought thei
1000 In little wicker baskets, which the,
ned on their laps or placed on the foo
bes,de them.
AZ first there was no attempt at con
versation and nothing was heard bu
me sounds OF eating and drinking an
the frizzling Of the bloater whic
Easton, one Of tho painters, was toast
ing on tho end Of q pointed stick at tn
fire.
i don't think much Of this blood,
'ea, suddenly remarked Sawkins. on
OF the laborers.
We'll, It oughter DO all right" retorte,
bert Its bin bilin' ever since ar
past IL