The Western outlook. [volume] (San Francisco, Cal.) 1894-1928, 1915-10-23
MR. PLACYs PLACE
Glimpse Into the Future Would
Have Increased loans
Interest.

"You might know said Mrs. Gran
ger to her daughter Joan as they sat
eating a late breakfast on one sum-
mer holiday, "that there were no wom-
en- in that family. If there were
Mrs. Placy she would have made the
builders hurry. Men are so help
less"
Joan and her mother had for the
mast nine months been watching with
neighborly interest the building of the
house next door. There had always
been a vacant lot there. Mrs. Placy
died when Mr.. Placy bought the place
and It was not until his children had
finished their education that he had
decided to build-to give up hotel life
in the city for the security and quiet
of the suburbs.
"Mr. Placy has a promising SON"
said Mrs Granger "They we're talk
ing about him at my bridge club yes
terday. He has just finished his art
in Paris and is on one Of the big
magazines now. They say he has
studio OH the nerth side of the house
with a skylight. | do wish we could
see the house before they move In.
Having no women in the family and
we having no men makes 1t so dill
cult for us to see 1t especially
the upstairs part" Mrs. Granger
sighed mournfully.
"But I suppose you can manage so
that young Mr.. Placy will CALL" she
went on. cit would be only natural
il he was a good boy and not too
spoiled by his years in Paris 1t would
be rather nice. You could have him
in your evening bridge club. l don't
believe anyone else would know him
first and you being neighbours sup
pose he is very continental and for
eign, which / think is rather better
than the rough and tumble American
manners. / do wish they would get
in. The house is done and all that is
needed is to have the lawn fixed up
and they could come out from the city.
It is so hard to get workmen to do
anything"
her mothers breakfast monologue.
She was thinking in an aimless way
of young Placy and wondering what
continental manners would be like at
close range.
Il suppose thy will always have
Granger went on. "You must be
careful, Joan, not to let them see you
working in our garden patch too
much. They will really think we can't
afford to have things DONE"
Joan was watching the future home
of the Placys from over the top of her
coffee cup. There is workman out
there now" she said. HE is straight
ening things up. Poor thing, to have
to work on holiday"
Joan watched the young man In
overalls. He was carrying toilfully
pile of boards that lay on the front
lawn to the back of the place and was
apparently getting the lawn ready for
seed. His khaki shirt was open at
the throat and he had on a pair of
faded overalls and occasionally he
mopped his sunburned face.
"Poor thing" murmured Joan, ito
have to work in this broiling SUM-
Joan went about the house, doing
various puttering pieces of work that
would keep her on the side toward
the new house, with her mind still pre-
occupied with the continental Mr..
Placy. Meantime she would look out
occasionally to see how the work was
progressing and wondered whether
the Placys would be able to move In
next week. At twelve o'clock Joan saw
the workman lay down his spade with
which he had been leveling the front
lawn. He produced a box of lunch
that he had brought with him and
retired to the GOODNESS of the shade of
the trees behind the house for his
MONDAY meal. Joan watched him
from a window
Joan hurried to the kitchen and
with deft fingers prepared a cooling
drink of lemons and grapejuice. Poor
thing" she thought. Perhaps If /
give him a cool drink like this he
won't be tempted to go off to saloon.
He is so young and decent looking"
Then Joan got a thick glass that
wouldn't matter If 1t broke and put
the cooling beverage with ice that
made 1t tinkle delightfully."- into an
earthen pitcher. Then with two pat
ty cakes that the cook had just made
she hurried to the back yard to the
hedge that grew between the lots.
She clapped her hands to attract
the workman's attention and he
jumped to his feet and ran toward
her. He smiled gratefully at the
sound of the ice.
81 thought you looked very hot" she
said 1T is too bad to have to work
on a holiday" Joan said this in her
college-settlement manner, that com
bined perfect cordiality and yet in.
finite reserve.
There wasn't anyone else to do it, .
replied the workman. Besides, II
isn't hard work
Not compared with the work you
are accustomed to-" said Joan, and the
workman first looked surprised and
then smiled knowingly.
You don't know how much / ap
lpreciate this" he said, taking the
, pitcher and glass and cakes. Il viii
, Bring them back as soon as / an
through"
|, Joan told the workman that she
, would De In the garden picking flow
arc and that when he was finished