TOD SLOAN 



the laths, and we would eat and drink what sister had 

 put up for us. Sometimes I'd pull Cash's leg : 



" That fellow working over there is a goer ; he's 

 put up two laths to your one." 



Then Cash would set his teeth, take a pull at his belt, 

 fill his mouth with a fresh lot of tacks, slap at the laths 

 and would look round every now and then to see how 

 his rival was getting on. He'd nod to me, for he 

 couldn't speak on account of the tacks, as if to say, 

 " What do you know about him ? I'm beating him ; 

 in fact I'm leaving him standing still." 



The other fellows would see the joke and they never 

 hurried, for there was no piece work about the job, and 

 it made no difference to their pay, however many 

 laths they hammered on during the day. But Cash 

 couldn't think of that : he was always ready to sweat 

 and always out to beat the other guys. Cash, in fact, 

 was some worker, and at week-ends, as there was a 

 great rush time at the barber's, he got a job for several 

 hours on Saturday night and for four hours on Sunday, 

 shaving. He got five dollars for that. Of course little 

 Tod couldn't be out of it, and he used to go with him 

 and lather the customers. I would give them five 

 minutes of it sometimes while waiting for Cash to come 

 along with the razor. I had to stand on a stool to 

 get at their faces with the brush, and I used to put in 

 some fine fancy work. My, it was funny ! I used to 

 laugh then, and I laugh still more so now when I think 

 of it. 



80 



