Part 16 (2/2)
”I mean just that,” said Martin firmly.
”Oh, please!” said ”Lily” with a violent shudder. ”It is too awful!”
”There you are! You wouldn't demean yourself.”
”Not I!” said ”Lily” fervently.
”Or disgrace your friends. You want a gentleman's job. There are not enough to go round in Canada.”
”Oh, go on,” said Miss Brodie impatiently. ”'Lily,' we must ask you to not interrupt. What happens? Does he stay there?”
”Not he!” said Martin. ”From the small business he goes to bigger business. First thing you know a man wants him for a big job and off he goes. Meantime he saves his money, invests wisely. Soon he is his own boss.”
”That's fine!” cried Miss Brodie. ”Go on, Mr. Martin. Start him lower down.”
”All right,” said Martin, directing his attention solely to the young lady. ”Here's an actual case. A young fellow from Scotland found himself strapped--”
”Strapped? What DOES he mean?” said ”Lily” in an appealing voice.
”On the rocks.”
”Rocks?”
”Dear me!” cried Miss Brodie impatiently. ”You are terribly lacking in imagination. Broke, he means.”
”Oh, thanks!”
”Well, finds himself broke,” said Martin; ”gets a shovel, jumps into a cellar--”
”And why a cellar, pray?” inquires ”Lily” mildly. ”To hide himself from the public?”
”Not at all; they were digging a cellar preparatory to building a house.”
”Oh!”
”He jumps in, blisters his hands, breaks his back--but he stays with the job. In a week the boss makes him timekeeper; in three months he himself is boss of a small gang; the next year he is made foreman at a hundred a month or so.”
”A hundred a month?” cries ”Lily” in astonishment. ”Oh, Martin, please!
We are green, but a hundred pounds a month--!”
”Dollars,” said Martin shortly. ”Don't be an a.s.s! I beg pardon,” he added, turning to Mrs. Dunn, who was meantime greatly amused.
”A hundred dollars a month; that is--I am so weak in arithmetic--twenty pounds, I understand. Go on, Martin; I'm waiting for the carriage and pair.”
”That's where you get left,” said Martin. ”No carriage and pair for this chap yet awhile; overalls and slouch hat for the next five years for him. Then he begins contracting on his own.”
”I beg your pardon,” says ”Lily.”
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