Evening star., 1918-06-16
The Man Who Sold Himself 4 By GQUvERMEUR MORRIS

SSS
Increase his output for the tenth
time since his marriage):,
There was nobody to tell John Paul
that he must not do business with
builders on the strength of their own
representation. You must make
hard and fast contract with them. or
kick them downstairs. But John feu1
in spite Of much definite knowledge
to the contrary. could never get over
his dep,orable habit of trusting peo-
pie and believing what they said.
The village builder had white hair
and beard, childiike blue eyes and the
imaginable. He was a charming old
fellow. For doing over the house
$500 was the outside figure. He was
to supervise every inch OF the work,
and for SO doing and for saving lit
tie here and there, he was to receive
q commission of 10 per cent
Well, he went to work on John
PauFs house and called for $500. for
$1,000, for $500.
Now" said John Paul to his wife
overtime), that's the last payment,
and the house is promised for the first
of next month"
The young people became radiantly
excited. They went forth into the city
and bought chintZes and wall papers
anu Sonic DeuS anu tNiHSS. ~ pdy n
for them John Paul hammered out
some extra love stories and could
not sleep at night for love of the
new house. and the fact that his
overtired brain would not stop work.
ing.
He telegraphed to the village
builder:
a win the house e, be finished on the
hrst as promised?'
The answer was from the builders
son:
impossible finish before seventh"
The next day another telegram:
Owing to fathers illness work has
been beer ;. delayed. kindly send check for
John Paul rushed out to the coun-
try. The builder himself was too
i'll to be seen or to be consulted
about business; the son did not know
tast how the account stood. but he
quired.
Il haven't got It," said John Paul
The mems wages aren't paid up"
said the builders son. They're going
to stop work"
Very well" said John Paul, sTn
find the Eve hundred. But that must
cent"
Then he drove out from the village
to have look at his new house and
his heart fell. 1t did not look as il
1t would ever be finished Gt never
was); but the builders Son and the
carpenter-they all had frank, honest.
blue eyes-reassured him.
This long story must be made short
John Paurs home cost him not $4,000,
but $4,000. And he had no redress.
He consulted a lawyer.
Did you have anything in the
nature of a written contract?"
He has letters of mine in which /
state definitely that $4,000 is all that
can or will raise"
Has he?" said the lawyer. and he
smiled.
T will fight" said John Paul.
Don't" said the lawyer. "Pay.
Always pay"
But it's cheat. a steal"
What" exclaimed the lawyer,
convince the court that respected,
white-haired old man, a grandfather
many times, just risen from a sick
bed, has cheated a healthy young
man who wears smart clothes and
belongs to the stratum of society
which is commonly supposed to have
plenty Of money, 1t will be cheaper
for you to pay. Verdicts in such cases
no writing. The man was your agent.
You have to stand for what he has
spent"
But" said John Paul. ''he has done
expensive things that I told him not
to do, and he has left undone mex
pensive things that were necessary.
The house isn't house. It's a mess.
The beastly blank old blank has gone
and put eolored glass in the front
door"
THE proof Of these things?"
Are in my letters to him."
You can produce them?"
"He can
ASK the July fireplace to give back
the Christmas log" said the lawyer.
Your advice" said John Paul,
doesn't even comfort me. but I sup
pose it will cost nothing"
1T WILL" said the lawyer, "but
when I think how much / am saving
you. feel glad that this should be so'
That night John Paul walked the
streets of New York until daylight
For the FIRST time in his life he was III
genuine despair and felt that he had
failed in everything and must go on
failing. Night after night he thrashed
about in his bed and could not sleep.
Everything that he had ever known,
thought about or touched rose up in
his mind to make him unhappy.
loved and who had loved him. He had
had to work too hard; he had had no
time for them: they had fallen be-
was that high ideal that he had set
for himself Of prose narrative?
Buried with Stevenson on the Samoan
What of the truth that he
was going to seek aud speak? Was
IN hA 80