Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-29
don't show up a physical and moral

don't don't show ;! os,r up a physical and moral
oh; that pin-head!" says Lester.
| Ill show him some day"
That's what they all say, of course.
And the less useful they've turned out
mere the surer they are that if they
can get long ways from hime they'll
oeVelop into young Monte Cristos. But
as a matter of record. mighty few OF
EN- ever do any better in foreign lands
than they would If they'd stuck around
nome. Generally they drift back, if
at All. TO nick some old DESIGNATE for
hve or ten until they get job.
| so sort OF scratched Lester of.
On, yes, he'd promised to drop us
post card when he landed and let us
know how ne was gettin' on. But
| they seldom do. Lester didn't. And
in two months If you'd asked me did
l know party by the name of Nudge
you'd had me rubin my ear. That's
the way 1t goes
| Must have been nearly a year later
that Plddie got SO excited over a little
| STOCK deal he'd been rung in on. Seems
a TREND OF his was interested in a
| new tire company with a plant over in
New Jersey. The concern had started
out with "A big boom, and the stock
which was originally issued to sell at
about 70 had jumped to above so. The
friend told Piddie it was bound to
| reach par inside of three months. he
| showed him pictures of the factory
and copies of advance orders that
| would keep 'em workin' double shifts
all winter. SO piddie plunged to the
| extent of four or five hundred. and
| then proceeded to lie awake nights
worrying over It,
He's a born piker. Piddie is. He'd
| like to speculate big IL somebody
put up his capital. And when his tire
stock not only fails to jump but slips
| back a few points. he gets beady on the
forehead and calls up his friend
panicky. Oh. he's handed a perfectly
good alib. It's simply a matter Of
| gettin' hold of enough crude rubber to
| fill the orders. There's a temporary
shortage due to various troubles.
| Bound to be over soon. But mean
while the factory is runnin' on part
| time.
Piddie tells me the whole sad tale
and asks me what he shall do.
Why" says ]. IF it was me l
| should just sit tight and try to grin.
| Or you might contribute a few pairs
of storm rubbers and a box of elastic
| bands
"But-but if I should lose all my
| investment" means Piddie.
You'd be out of luck. that's ALL"
| says 1. Maybe you'd make it up
next time"
Il shall never risk any of my
savings again. says Piddie. Never"
And it amt half an hour later, as
I'm watching him pace nervous up
and down the general office, that this
| fancy dressed young gent blows in
| through the brass gate. First off,
| judging by the pongee silk suit and
| the wide brimmed Panama hat and
| the bamboo walkin' stick, 1 thought it
| might be some planters son from
| Brazil who'd strayed in lookin' for
! the coffee importin' firm on the floor
| below. And then I gets glimpse
| of that half-portion chin and the
| beady black eyes.
Lester Nudge"
Right you are, Torchy." says he.
''How's tricks"
Listen, Lester" says I. you don't
| coupons for a dog-day's OUTFIT"
but this is only part Of what l
got"
"Honest?" says I. what else to
| boot?"
only five tons of crude rubber"
says he.
| "Eh?" says I. starin' at him bug
eyed. "Ah, feed it to me easy. Les
| ter. What's the joker"
| But Lester amt trying to be hum
| orous. It's long tale too. He
didn't fall in love with his tally clerk
job down in British Guiana, and the
boss there didn't appreciate Lester
any more'n Piddie did here. At the
end of three weeks Lester got the
sack. 1t was poor place to be
| handed the fresh air, too. Only a