The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-08-25


tically all young men feel that they
arc going 20 help themselves along
IN business by joining two or three
lodges and being very prominent In
the affairs OF that lodge. a long.
tough career. Skinner. has convinced
me that most men join lodges for
publicity or because the professional
lodge hounds nag them until they
yield. During youth and the upward
climb 10 a good job. the lodge sup
plies a distinct social delight for the
Joiner. but after he passes 81 and
begins 10 realize that every time the
sun pops over the hills 20 the East
n Is time for him 10 prepare 70 wrap
his fingers IN = competitors hair and
swing on him for 10 hours. this lodge
business begins 70 pail The victim
now knows that n be IL a wise man
he will conserve his bodily and meD
tai strength for his private affairs,
that there are new toiners always In
the offIng. eager 10 do the lodge
work free gratis. and that as a sane
citizen who has graduated from the
period o. madness. II Is up 10 him 70
make room for the eager ones.
"oace I had boy working FOR me.
His name was Homer Phiilpot and
gave him a Job because his old man
would insist on climbing around in
my saw-mill machinery arraycd IN a
long denim Jumper. All the safety
appliances in the works couldn't
save Homer's dad. and sure enough
one day he got snagged IN the main
driving belt on the pony side and
frescoed my mill until II looked Ike
post-impressionlstic painting. ]
should have known enough 20 steer
I clear Of the off spring Of such man.
but ! didn't Homer had managed
10 collect some sort OF sheepskin
from a business college. so ! stuck
him on the books. He was not a
conspicuous success and was always
striking the chief clerk for raise
he hadn't earned. Finally one day
he tackled me for H. so 7 sent for
/ the chief clerk and asked him what
reason. II any. existed why Homer
should not get a raise.
Wen, Skinner. It appears there
were reasons enough. Altho Homer
was far from being dull boy-altho
he wrote a beautiful hand and was
fast and accurate at figures. and had
a pleasing personality. he was dead
! on his feet. He was late TO work
every morning and always the first
TO hear the o'clock whistle: he Was
always overdrawn on his salary and
he didn't have any time for posting
into his ledger because somebody was
always ringing him up on some lodge
business Upon inquiry discovered
that Homer was a professional join
er. He belonged 10 the Native Sons
| Of the Golden West and was engaged
I in the job Of going thru the chairs
IN time he would be worthy past
president. 50 for the present he SIM
ply had to 20 10 lodge on Monday
nights. on Tuesday, he drilled with
a wooden ak on the drill team OF the
/ Woodmen Of the World and on Wed
nesday night he drilled with gun
in the national guard. On Thursday
night he buckled on a sword and
/ drilled with the drill team OF the 3.
p. o. f. and on Friday night the Odd
Fellows claimed him. On Saturday
night he generally worked in an
amateur show for lodge benefit and
on Sunday he posted up the books
OF the Eagles. he being financial sec
rotary OF that order. So as soon as
discovered that he needed raise
TO keep pace with his lodge dues and
assessment, ] canned him without a
reference, for the good OF his I'M
mortal soul. He was out of job so
long that he managed to get an I'M
obstructed view OF friendship. loyalty
and fraternity. upon which most OF
his lodges had been founded. When
he couldn't pay his dues they fired
him out and finally poor Homer cali
cd around to see me and wcpt on my
shoulder and gave him back his
Job. The way he ate il up was a
marvel, so. seeing that he had an
humble and contrite heart. ! pro-
ceeded to make real lurnbef man out
of him. He graduated in five years
and made him manager OF retail
yard owned by competitor of ours
My competitor took him on my
hearty recommendation.
well. Skinner, years passed and
finally one bright day 1t occurred to
me to put in a retail yard in tina.
same town. had forgotten all about
Homer by this time. In fact, l had
forgotten that Homer had ever lived
and been in the Kicks employ. When
saw the profit and loss account OF
that new yard OF mine the second
year, however, just naturally had
the manager up and asked him how
II happened that the business he was
managing favored so much red ink
Mr.. Kicks he replied. there is
but one reason, and its name Is
Homer Phillpot. He's too fast for
me. l cannot get my share of the
business. because Homer, Phillpot
wants 1t all and somehow he Just
gets most Of it
We'll. sir. I remembered Homer
then. But I also remembered his
weakness. 1t was latent, but / as
sumed he still had ii, so l told my
manager how TO take advantage OF
Homer. skinner. my recipe worked
like charm. The first thing I knew
my yard manager had gotten behind
Homer's campaign to be president Of
the local Chamber of Commerce.
Homer was elected and somehow.
whenever committee on civic az
fairs was to be appointed we saw to
1t that Homers name appeared in
the local paper and that the dear
people clamored to have Homer head
the committee. We kept that bird
swelled up with his own Importance
and gave him world of boost and
publicity and had him wearing HIM
self out on civic affairs instead OF
devoting all of his energy to man.
aging the lumber yard he was paid
to manage. We were always showing
him forward, appealing TO his civic
pride and superior ability and keep
Ing his mind off his ioh The firsa