Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-06


move in shortly.
Want you to drive over and see
what you think of it, he remarks to
Mr.. Robert. once when Old Hickory
happens to be out. only a few plas-
terers and plumbers and painters still
hanging on. How about next Satur-
day? I've got to be there about 2
o'clock. What say?"
Il shall be very glad to-" says Mr..
Robert. who's always plannin' out
ways of revisin' his own place.
If it hadn't been for some Western
correspondence that needed code re-
plies by wire I expect 1 should have
| missed out on this tour of inspection
| to the double-breastedn new Tyler man
sion. AS it was Mr.. Robert tells me
i to take the code book and my hat and
come along with him in the Limousine.
So by the time we struck Jamaica /!
was ready to file the messages and
enjoy the rest of the drive.
| We finds old H. Il already on the
ground, unloadin' a morning crouch
on landscape architect.
! BE with you in minute, Robert.
says he. Just wander in and look
around"
| That wasn't so easy as it sounded.
| for all through the big rooms was
| scaffolds and ladders and dozen or
| more original members of the Overalls
Club splashin' mortar and paint around
I was glancin' at these horny-handed
I
a sudden l spots one guy in a we'll
daubed suit Of near-white ducks who
| looks strangely familiar. Walkin' up
to the step ladder for closer view
| has to stop and let out chuckle
It's Hartley.
We'll, Welt" says I. $50 you did
have to crawl back, eh?"
"Eh?" says he. almost droppin' a
pail pal of white paint. Why hello
! IT sec yo,,,re uorkinp for a real
boss now" says l.
Who do you mean?" says he.
The old man" says I. grinnin:"
Not much" says Hartley. Hes
bossing he can do on this job. I'm
working for McNibbs. the contractor"
"You-you mean you're reglar
painter" says I. gawpin'
Got to be, or I couldn't handle a
brush here" says Hartley. This is a
union job
But how long has this been going
on. Hartley" l asks.
I've held my card for nearly three
months now" says he. No, havent
fact. l came here only this morning.
The president of our local shifted me
down here for-for reasons. I'm real
painter though"
You look it. I must say" says l.
Like it better than being in the bond
room?"
"Oh. I'm not crazy about it," says
he. Rather smelly work. But it pays
well. Dollar an hour, you know, and
time and a half for overtime. l man
! Then I get something for being secre-
| tary of the union.'
HUH" says ]. Secretary. are you ?
| How'd you work up to that so quick"
| ''Oh, they found I could write fairly
good English and was quick at fig
| ures." says he. Besides, I'm always
| foreman of the gang. Do all the color
! mixing. you know. That's where my
art school experience comes in handy.
That ought to tickle the old man."
says /. Seen him YETI"
NO" says Hartley, but l want to.
Is he here?"
Sure" says l. Hes just outside.
He'll be in soon.
Fine" says Hartley. Say. Torchy.
stick around if you want to be enter
tanned / have a message for him"
I'll be on hand" says I. Here he
comes now"
AS old a. K stalks in, still red in the
ears from his debate outside, Hartley
climbs down off the stepladder. For
a minute of 50 the old man don't seem
to see him any more'n he does any of
the other workmen that he's had to
dodge around. Not until Hartley steps
right up to him and remarks: Mr..
Tyler / believer" does L. X. stop and
let out gasp
Huh" he snorts. Hartley. eh?
Well. what does this mean-a mas
querade?"
mot at ALL" says Hartley. This is
my regular work.
''Oh. it is, eh?" says he. We'll. keep
at it then. Why do you knock off to
talk to me-
Because I have something to say
to you. sir" says Hartley. You sent
couple of non-union plumbers down
here the other day didn't Won? ?"
What if I did," demands z. K.
Got to get the work finished some
how. haven't -"
you'll never get it finished with
You have tried that before. haven't
youo Well. this is final. Send those
plumbers off at once OF I will call out
every other man on the job"
"Wh-a-a-at.' gasps H. X. You
will. What in thunder have you got
to do with it,
I've been authorized by the presi-
dent of our local to strike the job
that's ALL" says Hartley. Il am the
secretary Here are my credentials
Bah" snorts u. X. you impudent
young shrimp / don't believe a word
of it. And let me tell you, young man,
that I'll send whoever 1 please to do
Very WE'LL" says Hartley. With
that he turns and calls out: Lay off,
men. Pass the word on"
And say. inside of two minutes there
isn't lick of work being done any
where about the place. Plasterers
drop their trowels and smoothing
boards. painters come down off the
ladders. and all hands begin sheddin
their work clothes. And while Il. X.
is still sputterin' and fumin' the men
begin to file out with their tools un-
der their arm. Meanwhile Hartley has
stepped over into corner and is
leisurely peelin' Off his paint-spattered
ducks.
;. See here. you young hound" shouts
this house early next month. 1--we
simply got to-"
The prospects aren't good" says
Well, they had it back and forth like
2. X. starts to calm down bit. He's
foxy old pirate, and he hates to quit,
but he's wise enough to know when
he's beaten.
back at me this way" he observes
smilin sort Of grim. Learned a few
things, haven't you. since you've been
knocking around?"
''oh, 1 was bound to-" says Hartley
Got to be quite man, too-among
painters, Ell? adds 2. X.
Hartley shrugs his shoulders.
Gould you call all those fellows
back as easily as you sent them off?'
demands Tyler.
"Quite," says Hartley. II wouldn't
though, until you had fired those scab
plumbers"
Il see" says z. K. And if I did
fire 'em. do you think you have In.
fiuence enough to get a full crew of
union men to finish this job by next
saturday."
I'Oh. yes" says Hartley. II could
put fifty men at work here Monday
morning-if / wanted to-