The Washington herald., 1914-04-19
THE ELEVATOR BOY
He Tells of Faithless Father

When old Mr. Wasson. the patent pad
! lock agent, first took rooms in this build
ing. he was very kind to me. Hearing
that l was a fatherless boy. he offered
| To be a father TO me- and learning that
was struggling to pay off gigantic
mortgage on the family home he Clipped
in a dollar. For two or three weeks he
vas fatherly enough. but then he began
to cool OF. I threw out several hints
from time to time. but he was indiher-
ent. One day after / had spoken Of the
mortgage. he turned on me with:
''Sammis. / have gone out Of the
fstherly business and the mortgage busi-
| ness. and l don't want TO be bothered
any more"
That was enough for me. When any
tenant Of this building objects to being
my adopted father l haven't a word to
say. 1t was just the same with old Mr..
Parker. the patent right man. He took
to me at first. and he was always pat
ting me on the head and praising my
smartness. but he finally cooled of until
he would hardly speak to me. 1t is a
dangerous thing to adopt an elevator boy
as a son and then give him the cold
snake without reasonable excuses II is
far better not to know him at all
didn't let on either of the tenants
that my feelings were hurt. but went
into ambush and bided my time. l was
taking Mr. Wasson down one day when
Mr. Parker jingled the bell He had TO
wait three or four minutes. and when l
got up to his floor he yelled at me:
Boy. are you hired to run the elevator
or to walk around the Streets
Il was taking Mr.. wasson down. sir ."
And who is Mr. Wasson that We must
all wait for him.
Hes the paddock man. and he said II
you was in hurry you could Walk. MI.
Wasson is down on old mashers.
What. What shouted Mr.. Parker
''Old WassOn says | can walk. Calls me
an old masher' Fly the great horn
spoon. but Ill make his heels break his
neck. He must be the bow-baCked old
sneak whom have seen prowling around
on my floor several times Of late Just
let me get my hands on him once
An hour later Mr. WassOn went up
with me. and happened to be alone again.
and / felt II my duty TO say:
"If / were YOU l wouldn't have no TOW
with Mr. Parker He saws you are an
old humh-back sneak. but he isn't worth
minding.
What Old Parker calls me- names
never even spoke to him. but / always
hated hin from the FIRST sight. Calls me
p-barked sneak. does he Well. |
want To see him for about tw" minutes
''Rut / wouldn't have no row. SIT"
oh. there won hc any ROW, SamTis
I'll just punch him dizzy in about ten
seconds / shant GO hunting for him.
but the FIRST time he sets in my way III
swing for his jaw"
IL was the next afternoon AT O'Clock
when the tragedy took place. l was talk
ing Mr.. Parker down alone when Mr..
Wasson got into I elevator. Both men
gave a snort as ~ Clared at each
other Between the sixth and seventh
floors ! stopped car and let il hans.
You old scoundrNl. but I've heen look
ing for you said Mr.. WassOn. as his
face got red.
And I've been looking for YOU. you
old reprobate ~ wheels" shouted Mr.
Parker as ne shook his list.
You called me an old hump-sacked
sneak
And you rall-d me N old masher:"
Don't you svit AT me-
And don't YOU put your fist under my
nose
1t IS the DUTY Of an elevator boy TO
act as mediator between tenants ! Of
fered my services. but il was too late.
Those excited I'D men thew themselves
upon each ntaer and began 70 bite and
scratch and "ell. and ! climbed on the
seat TO give EN- room. In minute o.
two the bells E"re ringing on every floor.
hut as the car MS stuck" | let EN- ring.
The tight LASTED ten minutes by that
time both men had lost most Of Their
clothes and ~ th"ir breath and had
drawn apart. I ran the car up and let
them out. and as each went to his #