Evening star., 1944-04-07
This and That
BIZ Charles E. Trace1Uell.

Templeton Jones was telling how
David Judson Courtney built him the
most beautiful coal bin in the world.
IF coal bin can be star in a
mans crown" said Jones, "this one will
speak up for that splendid man in the
heaven where he has gone.
Il am sure Of that, and all of us who
knew Mr.. Courtney will be sure of it.
Il saw him first several years ago,
when he was building house next
door. This was the first time in my
life I ever had q grandstand seat at
house building.
ut was not an altogether unmixed
pleasure, because when the builders left
every day the neighborhood children
came in and whooped 1t up until dark.
my first sight of Mr.. Courtney was
one morning at o'clock, really o'clock.
1t was almost dark and the tempera-
ture stood at exactly 5 degrees above
zero.
"A tall figure in a dark coat, he
blended with the foundations, the only
thing done at that time.
HE was very tall. and walked on his
heels. suppose 1t was some ailment,
but 1t never made any difference when
he got to work.
HE could climb with the best of them,
although he was almost TO years old
at the time.
There was no place any carpenter
went that he couldn't go. He was a
splendid carpenter, one of the best in
the world, 1t seemed to us.
''The things he could do with an elec-
trio saw were marvellous to behold.
I will never forget the day he was
first on the ridge pole, his hat slightly
at an angle in the winters wind. When
ne was working, no matter how cold the
day, he took off his overcoat"
Templeton Jones smiled.
Mr.. Courtney built a good house
there, and I know everything about 1t
is right, because I saw all the things no
one can see after house is finished.
MI Courtney saw to that He was
that sort of man. Honest fair, up
right, with shy smile, and blue eyes,
he went about his business every day in
the way every man should go about his
business, as if it were the most important
in the world
I'VE missed him, after the house was
NSHAp1~NSA' ouo bllCil Lllc WhT came
along, and building private homes was
OIL the agenda for the duration.
Mr. Courtney had to fall back on odd
jobs around the neighborhood. OF
course, he didn't have to work, but he
couldn't stop No man can. 1t is in the
blood
I would see his car around, everv
now and then, and had him at our house
q FnIln1p l,1r+
block, myself, SO I always marveled at
the way our friend could handle any
thing, from balky window to an OBJ
streperous garage door.
"One day I asked MI. Courtney about
building me coal bin Hitherto our
coal had been put under the basement
steps. The Government at this time
wanted every one to store coal for the
winter.
"Mr. Courtney had some lumber sent
around. When l went down into the
basement to see it, I was very much
disappointed. 1t was the usual sort of
wood for such Jobs, but these boards
had been left out in the rain. and were
all olackened by mildeW.
Il asked him about it. and said
didn't like the wood He said all he
Ioulu Set no" any DetIer was knOtty
pine, but that it would double the
price
We'll, he built me my knotty pine
coal bin, probably the only one like it
anywhere. The loving care he put upon
1t was beautiful to see He was as proud
OF 1t as II it had been an entire house,
"One day, shortly before he left us,
I saw him on a bus Mr.. Courtney I
said did you ever build coal bin Of
knotty pine before? He smiled In his
shy way. I never did, he replied"