George was a plumber by trade and a striker by occupation. He did his
plumbing in his holidays, when he was not busy. He liked plumbing, as it
gave his throat a rest. He was really the Champion Long Distance Plumber of
the World and had gained the R.S.V.P.'s gold medal for doing the back-in-a-
minute-to-get-your-tools in more than two hours. And his heart was as
tender as his feet. If he heard a clock strike he longed to strike in
sympathy, so that hard-hearted employers who knew George's weakness always
kept their time-pieces muffled.
The bursting of our water-pipe was the means of bringing me into touch with
George. He joined our bathing-party in the front hall, and said simply, "I
am the plumber." Just like that. He then said that he would swim home for
his tools, as he had forgotten the can-opener. When he got back Auntie was
drowned.
He did not stay long, as he had to go on sympathetic strike with the
graziers. He was not really a grazier as well as a plumber, but his heart
was so tender that he couldn't keep on plumbing so as to give satisfaction,
he said, as long as the graziers were not grazing, so to speak. It didn't
really matter. Nothing matters nowadays. I just went out and sold the house
as it stood for an enormous sum and emigrated on the proceeds to Tooting
Bec.
But this tract deals with George and his conversion, and has been written
specially to be put into the hands of young plumbers. Let us see then how
George gave up his sinful ways and how his heart was changed.
It began with his tooth--an old, old tooth. It had done some work in its
time, but it decided to strike. And strike it did. George gave it
beer--Government beer--and it hit George back, good and hard. George then
began to talk to it. He asked if it knew what it was doing of. He
threatened it with more Government beer if it didn't get on with its work
more quiet-like. The tooth sat up then and bit George.
"All right, young fellow my lad," said George; "you come out along o' me,
and come quiet. You're going to the dentist's, you are, and he'll
Bolshevise you proper, he will."
The tooth stopped aching at once; it was a wisdom tooth. But George knew it
was only just lying low, to break out into sympathetic strike on Monday
morning. So out he rushed with it and took it to the dentist. I was the
dentist.
I led George gently by the hand to my nice little chair and told him what
beautiful weather we were having for the time of the year. I said, "Open,
please," and George opened. I then took my nice little steel whangee,
beautifully polished, and tickled the delinquent. A gentle tickle and no
more. I didn't really go far--not farther than his back collar-stud--but
George said things as if I were a capitalist.
I then said coldly, "It doesn't hurt!" I am what is known in the profession
as a painless dentist and rarely feel much pain.
I capped his repartee by remarking, "Keep open, please." That always shuts
'em up. George kept open. I then spilt some cotton-wool in his tooth and
put up some scaffolding in the entrance of his mouth, and said nonchalantly
(I always charge extra for this), "I have forgotten my niblick; keep open.
I shall be back anon." I then went out and had lunch.
When I came back George was still keeping open, but he looked at me very
wicked with his blue eyes and asked me from under the cotton-wool if I ever
intended to finish my ruddy little job.
I said, "Dear brother and oppressed fellow-striker, I regret that I cannot.
I see by _The Dentists' Daily_ that our Union has declared a sympathetic
strike with the Amalgamated Excavators and Theological Students. You have
my sympathy. I can no more."
George tried to persuade me as we went downstairs together, bumping our
heads on each step in turn, but it was of no avail.
I do not however regret my pious invention, as I hear that George is a
changed man. Being intelligent, he thought things over for himself, instead
of letting a man in a red tie do it for him, and after six weeks came to
the conclusion that a strike is a game that more than one can play at. He
strikes now only in his holidays. He never now forgets his tools or leaves
taps running. He does a good day's plumb for a good day's pay. And he sings
while he works. Strange to say that little tooth of his has given up
striking too.
But yet it is not strange, for, as I told you, it was a wisdom tooth.
* * * * *
"£3 10s. HUSBANDS.