The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-03-05
CHATTER ~.
Prom the Isottoru I'm

Prom the Bottom Up
McRse did nothing out mark time
until he found himself a plain citizen
once mor-.
But he spent the time prufitabiy
at that. and In January he took pas
sage for Vancouver with a certain
plan weaving itself to form in his
mind-a plan which promised action
and money and other desirable re
suits II he could carry II thru.
With a basic knowledge to start
from. any reasonably clever man can
digest an enormous amount OF infor'
nation about any given industry In
very brief time. Jack Mcitar spent
three weeks in Vancouver as n one.
man commission. self appointed. to
inquire into the fresh salmon trade
lie talked TO men who caught salmon
and TO men who sold them. both
wholeaal. and retail lie learned
that no man could prositably buy
salmon unless h. had a cast.irou
agreement either with a canncry OF
big wholesaler. Mcfias soon saw
that the wholesaler stood fik. a wall
between the fisherman and those
who ate fish.
Therefore the ultimate consumer
paid 10 cents per pound for Eprins
salmon that a fisherman had TO take
~ cents for. As for tho salmon
packers. no one knew their profits
Their pack was all exported.
McRae. however. was chiefly con
c~rned with the local trade In fresh
salmon His plan didnt look quite
50 promising as when he mulied over
Il at Sauitty Cove IL looked like an
alright proposition But he said
to himself. anything Alright could
be puncfured. so he keEs on hooking
about. asking casual question: List
eninx
Incidentally 10 en5Dv~d hfmssR
Rae met fellows he knew. He had .
record In two squadron He need~d
no press agenting when he met an.
other r. A. y. man SO he found
himself invited to homes, the inside
Of which he would otherwise newer
have seen. Chance and his social
gaddinx gave him his opening.
To be explicit. he happened To Be
one OF an Informal supper dance In
the Granada--a place where one can
see everybody that IL anybody II he
fingers long enough And almost the
first man he met was a rudy faced
youngstsr about his own are. They
had flown In the same squadron IN
"a "Stubby- Abbott Was invaded
home.
stubby fen upon Jack McTtae and
hailed him straight 10 a table where
two women were sitting,
Mother he said TO plump.
uiddle-aged woman. here's Silent
John McRae"
Her eyes liz up Pleasantly.
1--WE heard Of you" she said. MY
daughter. MFR. Mcflae."
Nelly Abbott took possession Of
Jack McRas as naturally a. II she
had known him. for years. They
irifted away in a dance.
-TeH me-" she said abruptly. did
you know Norman Cover overseasT''
sHs was an officer In the battalion
1 went over with" McRae replied.
Il went over in the ranks. you see.
SO I couldn't very well know him
And I never met him after I trans
ferred To the air service"
II Just wondered. Nelly went on.
Il see his sister over there. Betty IL
dear. girl That's she talking 10
stubby. Come over and meet her. 4"
MacRae couldn't very well avoid It
without seeming rude. SO ne per.
force went with Nelly Abbott and
was duly presented to Miss Elizabeth
Cover. And he had the next dance
With her, also for conventions sake.
While they stood chatting a mo
ment. the four OF them. Stubby said
70 Macfsae:
who are you with, Jack7"
"The Roobin-steeles."
IF don't get a chance TO talk 10
you again, come out 10 the house 10.
morrow" Stubby said. THE mater
said so. and I want to talk to you
about something"
Next morning Jack rode out 10 the
Abbott home. Stubby permitted Mac
Rae a few minutes exchange Of
please ntries with his mother and sis
ter, before he led the way upstairs
into a small cheerful room lined with
bookshelves.
stubby pushed two chairs up 10
the fire. waved Jack 10 one. and ex-
tended his own feet TO the blaze.
"I'ye seen the inside Of n good
many homes In town lately" MacRae
observed This Ii the homiest one
yet"
"I'n say II is stubby agreed
How'd you like TO be born and grow
up In a house that your father built
with a vision OF future generations
Of his blood growing up in and come
home crippled and find you stood
fat chance Of losing III"
II wouldn't like II much" MacRae
answered. but he did n6t say he had
already undergone Just such an eX-
perience. He waited for Stubby 10
go on.
well. it's n possibility Stubby
continued. quite cheerfulIy. however.
II don't propose To allow II to hap
pen. Hang II, I wouldn't blat this
10 any one but you. Jack. The mater
has only n hazy idea OF how things
stand. and Nelly and the Infant
you haven't met the Infant yet
don't know anything about II. I
don't mean 10 say that the poorhouse
stares us In the face. you know, but
unless a certain amount OF revenue
ia forthcoming. we simply can't NJ.
ford 10 peep up this plnce. And ia
damn well like to keen II going"