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Of Interest to the Trade

FOR LABOR, THE GODS GIVE ALL GOOD THINGS.

FATTY AS FINANCIER

“8

By GRACE BOTELER SANDERS.

HERE'S no use to paint unless we can make something!" declared Fatty convincingly. "Every place we worked this summer we've furnished the best of materials, done our best work and paid out the biggest part of what we made. Instead of making a reputation as we believed, we've only cheated ourselves. We've coated up them houses so good that the paint'll last until the kingdom come and by that time we'll be through painting houses, I hope. I say, the rest of this summer, let's go in to make all the money we can. What do you think?"

Slim, who was as lean and lank as his companion was fat and short, squinted one gray-green eye and put his hand to his best ear. He had heard only a few of the last words and shouted derisively, "Money to can! I don't get enough to live on, let alone saving any thing. My wife howls all the time because I'm such a poor provider."

his

"That's just what I'm talking about!" shouted Fatty laying his hand on friend's shoulder and screaming frantically into Slim's best ear, "I say we must make more money, use cheaper material-dope-do you understand?"

A comical grin spread over Slim's lean brown face. He slapped his paint-plastered overalls enthusiastically. "You're all right, Fatty," he declared admiringly. "Here I've been nearly beating my brains out all summer a-trying to study up some way out and didn't find nothing either. Lo and behold you bob up and without so much as batting your eye show a way out. You are a wonder."

"A fellow was a-showing me a new kind of shingle stain," continued Fatty, modestly disclaiming the compliment. "Their ain't an ounce of oil in it but it

makes as nice a show as anything that you ever saw and it only costs half the money. If we use that on the Lincoln Avenue job we'll clear half at least."

Slim scratched his head a little doubtfully. "I'm always shaky about these patent preparations," he said slowly. "I want to know what I'm putting on. I say the stuff must last one season anyhow or the folks'll kick and make us do our work over."

"It will last," declared Fatty confidently. "Meller, the new fellow down to The City Paint and Varnish Co. was telling me about it. Let's go down and have a look at the stuff.”

Still wearing the soiled garments of service the partners walked briskly off down the street. They found Meller arranging the front window. He pulled off his wide straw hat that he might mop his moist brow and at the same time he nodded encouragingly at the two who entered.

"Good morning fellows," he began amiably as he descended from his perch, "warm morning, mighty warm but I guess it's what the country needs. The farmer needs hot weather and what he needs we all must have; for he's the fellow who makes all other kinds of business prosper. How's everything?"

"Pretty good," answered Fatty promptly, "only we ain't making money enough. We come down to see that Penetrating stain you was telling about."

"Mr. Robinson is out but I can show you the samples," offered Meller going over to a valise and taking out several small cans. "There it is and if it don't cover just as much ground and look just as well when you get it on, as the stain that costs twice as much, I'll give you back every cent you paid for it. What color did you want?"

"Green!" beamed Fatty hopefully. "We haven't it in stock but I can order it and have it on the job tomorrow morning if that will suit," beamed Meller, "and being that you're the first purchaser in the city I'll make you a special price." He figured busily for a moment and with a sly wink handed the paper to Fatty. "Not a word to the old man," he cautioned, "he'd take my head off; he's so close. But I believe in giving good customers like yourselves the advantage. Shall I order?"

Twelve minutes later the order was down, the two painters gone, the proprietor of the store at his desk and the salesman in the window busily engaged in making up an attractive window from brushes and paint cans. Twelve hours later the paint was at the door. The driver looked doubtfully first at one house and then at the other.

There were no numbers. The houses were exactly alike. Both stood back from the street on a pretty lawn which was ornamented by flowers and fringed by cedars. The windows, doors, trimmings, even the curtains were exactly the same. "I declare, I don't know which place to go to," he mused as he climbed from the wagon and was immediately pounced upon by the two conspirators. In exactly ten minutes he was gone and the partners were at work.

"It spreads well!" panted Fatty from his end of the scaffold.

"It's a pretty color," agreed Slim. "I'll tell you I think we were mighty lucky to get hold of the stuff. Won't we fool some of these smart painters. We'll have money left, believe me!"

Fatty stood back, brush in hand and complacently admired his work. "There's some class to that all right," he declared enthusiastically.

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All through the long hot summer day they energetically plied their brushes. Encouraged by the hope of making money than usual they worked unusually hard and when quitting time came, fully half of their task was done. "We'll get here early tomorrow, being its Saturday," suggested Slim his gray-green eyes gleaming. "If we get the first coat done we can draw half the money tomorrow night."

Both agreed on this. Both agreed that they would meet at the corner of Lincoln next morning, promptly at four. The rose of dawn was painting the sky and purpling the housetops when the two swung their ladders. Late Saturday evening they presented themselves at the banker's office and received their pay.

They stopped on the way and while there indulged so freely that there was only enough to pay the paint bill, when they met watchful Meller on the corner. They wakened Sunday morning with acheing heads and empty pocket books. Both kept quiet about the money they had drawn. Both consoled themselves with the thought of the money which was yet to come.

"We've got our paint bill paid and even then, after all we spent, we'll have money left," chuckled Fatty when they talked it over. "There's nothing like scheming." All the way to the corner they talked of the fun Saturday night and of their wisdom but when they turned into Lincoln avenue they stopped with wide open, astonished eyes.

Saturday night there had been two houses, a white and a green. Now two white houses stood on the self-same place. Fatty rubbed his eyes dazedly and grabbed Slim by the shoulder. "Am I dreaming, Slim, or not?" he gasped. "It looks to me like there's two white houses on the hill."

"That's the way I see it," frowned Slim, "are we crazy?"

"Which house did we paint?" queried Fatty in an awed whisper.

"The one on the right-hand side." "Which is the right hand side? O me, the stuff's gone to my head," groaned Slim. "Both houses look alike to me. Ask that boy and see what he says."

Without a moment's hesitation Fatty strode after the barefoot boy, caught him by the shoulders and whirled him swiftly round. "Young man, what color is that house?" he demanded.

"It's wh-i-white, sir," stammered the boy, his teeth chattering as if he had a chill. "Lemme go. I ain't done nothin'." "And what color is this?" asked Fatty whirling the boy around and pointing to the other house with his shaking, fat forefinger. "What color is that?"

"It's wh- white too, sir," answered the boy tremblingly.

With a cry of rage and fear, frightened Fatty released the more frightened boy and made for the long line of trees which bounded the eastern sky. And when Slim saw that his companion was really gone he thought for a moment, then he too, fled, but in an opposite direction.

Disheveled, panting, as white as the freshly-ironed over-alls which he wore, Slim appeared thirty minutes later at the door of the City Paint and Varnish Company. Meller stood before the window. Before he recognized the newcomer, a paint

How our decorative department helps. the painter to do better and more profitable work

The Following Letter from Cook & Carter, Painesville, Ohio, tells the Story:

COVER

THE EARTH

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The Sherwin-Williams Co.,

Cleveland, Ohio.

Gentlemen:-It is now about one year since your Mr. Geo. Dube called our attention to your Decorative Department and invited us to come to Cleveland and see for ourselves the possibilities of the Flat-tone System for decoration. As a result of this visit, followed by your instructions and specifications for each job, we have been enabled to do a grade of work that we have never done before. Every contract has turned out perfectly and will bring more work. As the business that your Decorative Department has made possible, is in addition to our regular trade our shop has not been idle a single day.

From our experience we believe there is a chance in every town, no matter how small, for a live painter to improve himself and increase his income by getting in touch with your Decorative Department. By following your specifications, he cannot go wrong no matter how large the job or how difficult it may seem.

While we have been too busy to write before, we have always felt grateful for your help. Respectfully yours,

Cook & Carter.

THE SHERWIN-WILLIAMS CO.

608 CANAL ROAD, N. W.
CLEVELAND, OHIO

spotted fist was thrust into his face and a hoarse voice shouted:

"You rascal, what do you mean by selling me that penetrating stain what penetrates so far that it goes clear into the wood? What do you mean I say?" You guaranteed it; give me back my money!"

By this time Meller had recovered his self-possession. "You are excited, Slim," he said smoothly, "cool down a little and try to tell me what has gone wrong."

Disheveled, panting Slim clad in the garments of toil looked wonderingly up at calm, collected immaculate Meller. He noticed the costly white vest on which the fine gold watch chain lay at correct angles. He saw the suit, finer than any he had ever owned, the nobby shoes with their butterfly bows and the fat face lighted by two keen brown eyes. He even noticed the mop of fluffy blonde hair which had been so carefully arranged. "What is the matter," repeated Meller suavely.

Again Slim was a raging torrent. "Why that stain I bought of you and paid out my good money for," he shouted shaking his fist again in Meller's face, "you guaranteed it to be a good color and to spread well."

"Didn't it?" asked Meller carelessly flecking a bit of dirt from his shining shoes.

"With a savage growl Slim started for his tormentor who was stinging him as indifferently as a horse-fly stings its huge victim. "It was too darned penetrating!" he howled. "Me and Fatty put in two days hard work at six dollars a day a-putting on that stain and when we went back this morning the house was whiter than when we begun. It had all faded out. You give me that money back or I'll sue the company."

Meller edged smilingly from the doorway and out of reach of angry Slim. The fact that no blue-coat was near made him calmer yet.

"You can do as you like with the Company," he said easily, "it won't worry me in the least."

Slim stopped in his ranting and prancing. "I have nothing to do with the Company or they with me," continued Meller as he crossed the street. "Thank you so much Mister Slim-What's your name? I did guarantee the color to be good and spread well. I did not say that it was fadeless. See. Give my regards to your partBye bye."

ner.

Without waiting for the traction car, which was trailing through the street, to slacken its speed, Meller swung onto the platform and with the car disappeared around the corner.

And when astonished Slim standing on the steps of the City Paint and Varnish Company really realized that his man and his money was gone, he gave a wild yell which sent the gray haired proprietor flying to the door in surprise. "Thieves, beggars, murderers!" shouted Slim jumping wildly up and down, every red hair on his head flying, "thieves, beggars, murderers, help, help!"

Before the old man recognized the dancing figure he caught frantic Slim by the arm. "What do you mean sir?" he demanded turning him round and added severely, "Slim, are you drunk or crazy?" "I want my money back. That stain warn't no good," shouted Slim swinging his long arms like flails and almost taking Mr. Robinson off his feet. "It was a dirty wicked fraud."

The proprietor of the store lost his composure. He grabbed the man and thrust him within the swinging door. "You'd better not tell me that anything we sold you was a fraud," he said threateningly. "You know as well as I do that the City Paint and Varnish Company are absolutely reliable. Sometimes we may get a case of worthless goods but we are always ready to make good any transaction which is not satisfactory. Why do you stand out there in the street and hollow like a crazy man and injure us in the bargain. Sit down in that chair and tell me all about your trouble. We'll make it right."

Slim scratched his carroty poll and took the chair which was offered. With dramatic snap and many pauses he told his story from the beginning. The old man listened patiently.

"Meller has no connection with us," he said severely when Slim had finished. "If you don't want to be cheated you should buy your goods of a reputable dealer. And another thing, don't you know that you can be prosecuted for injuring our reputation?"

Slim's scarlet face suddenly paled as he thought of a damage suit and further trouble. He thought too of the money which they had squandered on that ever to be remembered Saturday night. And Meller was not with the company. This awful fact came to him with awful signifi

cance.

"He was standing in your doorway when I first saw him," stammered Slim,

"and when I came to look at the stain he was trimming your window."

"I repeat that this fellow had no connection with the Paint Co.," repeated Mr. Robinson. "He claimed to be working for our Western house and offered to trim the window. I suppose that is how he happened to wait on you. You have been swindled, Slim, there is no doubt of that, but not by our company. You ought to know that no company such as ours would sell you fake goods. I pity you, am so sorry that I will sell you the paint for your house and give you thirty days time on the bill. There is nothing for you to do but buy new materials and go to work just as if the house had never been touched. What shall we send you?"

It took a long time for the awful fact to soak into Slim's head but when it did, he scratched that offending member viciously. "If I only could get hold of that fellow!" he muttered vindictively.

"There is no danger of him coming to this town very soon for he has probably swindled others," said Mr. Robinson. "The best thing you can do is to go to work and saw wood, forget it until some other man tries to do you. What will you have?"

"Lead and oil!" thundered Slim, bringing his fist down on the counter with a thud which made the window's rattle. "Send it out right away."

A few hours later when Fatty returned from his journey he found Slim doggedly brushing away. "Hey there, Slim, how's your get-rich-quick scheme a coming?" he drawled exasperatingly. Slim never ceased in his rapid brushing. "Get a going and if you want any particulars ask old Robinson, he can tell you," he grunted, "and let me give you a little advice partner, next time you want to celebrate, get your money first. Do you know we've lost what we spent that night and the price of this confounded paint beside?"

"How we going to pay for the new batch?"

Slim turned on Fatty fiercely. "You cught to know. You're the fellow what hatched out these crocodile eggs." Fatty pulled on his overalls moodily.

"Shut up or I'll smash your face," he grunted, "I ain't the only fellow what ever got fooled. We'll pull out some way. But don't tell your wife!"

"You bet I wont," laughed Slim and the two partners suspended between earth and sky, clasped hands in token of their promise as the scaffold swayed lightly in the summer breeze.

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PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR BLEACHING WOOD

By GEORGE WHIGELT in The Painters' Magazine.

T the last convention held by the Master Car and Locomotive Painters' Association the bleaching of wood was discussed at length, which shows the importance of that question to that branch of the painting trade. The house painter is as much interested or probably more so, and the following is a suggestion for bleaching wood for all branches of refinishing or renovating of wood.

To bleach stains out of wood a number of points must be observed to make a successful job and to prevent the after effects from the bleaching materials and chemicals.

Soft wood or close grained woods, such as pine, etc., requires bleaching at times as well as hard woods, and the treatment of either of those woods is almost similar.

The stains usually required to be bleached out of wood are as follows: Weather or water stains, alkali stains, color stains, particularly aniline stains, dog and cat urine stains, iron rust stains, etc.

The hard woods which are easily affected by the weather, by alkalies, etc., and which are difficult to bleach, include all woods containing tannic acid in a larger or lesser degree and include oak, mahogany, cypress, birch, cherry, chestnut, walnut, ash, etc. All sappy or white woods are more easily bleached, such as pine, spruce, hemlock, whitewood, poplar, maple, bass, gum and similar woods.

The bleaching out of rust stains and dog's urine has been the source of a special difficulty and has so far withstood all usually employed methods, but nevertheless it is an easy matter.

As mostly all of the wood to be bleached has some kind of a finish, it is of importance to have the finish, thoroughly removed before starting the bleaching process. In the case of using a remover containing oil or wax, a final cleaning must be done with soda water or alcohol, to remove all traces of the wax and to allow the bleaching ma

terial to affect the wood and to penetrate.

As all methods for bleaching wood are based on water soluble chemicals, it is impossible to avoid the sponging up of the wood or the raising of the fiber of the wood.

To bleach small articles, as in the case of railroad work, it is advisable to have a wooden tank made of sufficient size to immerse the articles to be bleached, which also would make a more perfect job and save a good deal of the bleaching material, although this is very low priced.

The tank for this purpose must be properly joined. No nails or other iron parts should be used on it, and the joints should be bound with white lead putty or casein. A porcelain lined metal tank would also answer the purpose or a rubber coated tank would be advisable. For ordinary bleaching of surface-weather stains the fol lowing solution is sufficient: One pound oxalic acid dissolved in one to one and onehalf gallons of hot water.

For a more deep rooted stain an addition of strong white vinegar, or still better, acetic acid, is required and the bleaching liquid should be applied as hot as possible, repeating the application of same until you are sure that the bleach has gone as deep into the wood as the stain itself.

After bleaching it is required to thor oughly wash the surface and an extra sponging off with vinegar is essential.

To bleach aniline stains apply a strong solution of chloride of lime and after a while wash off with clean water after which apply the oxalic acid method as above given. If the stains do not yield to this treatment apply a solution of tartaric acid and treat afterwards as above.

For rust stains the same method is to be used, but in bad cases, instead of using tartaric acid, diluted hydrochloric acid, or a solution of citric acid will do the trick.

The chloride of lime method is to be

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