The Washington times., 1938-03-17

THE BEST you could say fc
l. a good man once.
He had come, a tall, thin, gang
ling man with gray in his hair
into Mixes twelve years ago when
the place was speakeasy. He
had money the day he came, a lot
Of it.
He had so much that it took
him five weeks to drink it up, what
with prices being what they were
He never left the place. He would
drink until he got drunk. Then
he would fall asleep on his high
stool.
NAME GEORGE"
"What's your name, Mister?"
George" the man chriStened
himself. "You know. George, the
waiter. Go away and let me
alone"
When his roll was gone he said:
Listen, Mike. Could you use
lobbygow if he'd work for nothing
except a drink or two a day?"
mo-" Mike said. Because he'd
be a rummy and you can't trust
. rummy around a bar"
FUNDS ALL GONE
'T see," George said. well,
&Rt,s too bad because I figured
Fiat when I'd spent that $489, I'd
keep right on at the bar in which
I'd spent it. And there won't
be any more where that came
from"
"Why won't there?" Mike asked.
Because it's what was left of
my wife's insurance money after I
paid the doctor and the hospital
and the undertaken" George said.
YEAH" Mike said. But you got
TO so on living. And you got to
work to live"
''Why?" George asked.
why" Mike echoed. II don't
know. All 1 know is that we all
got to do it."
"No, we DON'T" George argued.
eve got to go on living unless we
bump ourselves off. But we don't
have to work. And I've decided
I'll never work again. I mean for
money"
Mike said absently, "Have an
other drink. Are you really on
the level about working around
here for nothing? There's plenty
to do for good man. But I can't
0fford another bartender
MIGHT STEAL A DRINK
"I'm on the level, all right,
but I'm honest. I wouldn't take a
penny from any man. might steal
q drink, I'm warning you. But it
would take less than a quart to get
me drunk. and that's all you'll be
fisking."
You're hired" Mike grinned.
"And let's have a drink on the
strength Of it. I'm afraid I feel
my sickness coming on. And if
you're not here when I come out
Of it, God help you and me and
the bar"
I'm through drinking until you
do" George said.
Mike got plastered, but he didn't
close his speak" He kept it open
--or George did-and when he
came out Of his alcoholic mist il
was to find a lot of money in the
till and George back Of the bal
and couple of new customers
and good Spenders-in the place
What ought to do," Mike
said, "iS hire you. But I can't af
ford it, George"
III you could wouldn't have
the job in the first place." George
told him.
Take over from here. I brought
or I took in $8S while you were
out. I'll take my rake-off now. It
will be couple Of drinks"
Help yourself, George" Mike
told him.
you SERVE ME"
mo-" George refused. "You
serve me. It looks better and il
keeps me honest"
Mixes place proSpered.
George really took the place
over. It began to breathe with
Georges personality. He told a
good story. He knew which Gus
toner had a sick wife and which
one was doing pretty fair in busl
ness and which one wasn't.
George joined the bartender's
union on money he asked Mike
for. He told him he had always
been q union man and he wanted
to keep on being one until he died
HELP YOURSELF
Listen" Mike said to him or
that occasion. Whenever yor
need any money, don't come ask
ing me for it. Take it yourself
cut Of the till
"AIl right" George said. 'I1