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Show ! TUB IJHBAKBIL In tppeomnot b wtt tbont a com-raonpiee com-raonpiee aa other ptoplo a rflWdle-aged rflWdle-aged ratn, iBcllned to portllnta. A I tb train moved on lit dlttntted com- j moti place anblectt wllb me In a com monpltct) way. I ikMbl not have bean iwrd to have been told that no waa a e'oikbroktr or aolltltor or list he was en gaged in Ike tea trade. In Ihe course of our chat something happenej to be snld about curious oo- I rupatluns "Well ' tald my companion, "I do not aupnoae that there I any more curious occupation than my own, I u a break'." II bad not at all the appearance of a nan ueed to horttt, but I tag-cited, tag-cited, "A horta-breaker, m mean?" "No," he atld. "Just a plain breaker. A itian who break thing, break anything any-thing that require to be broken; gU hit living by breaking." ' I ftlaRrwt nervously at the communicator, communi-cator, though he looked even lea like a lunatic than lie did like a liorae-breakef liorae-breakef "I tee," he tald. smiling, "that I mutt etplaln When I left CainUrlilo with n elotalcal degree, no protpaat and no Influence, I looked about for A profeetlon I found everything ever crotded, beeldet, none of the prof-Ion prof-Ion ippetled to me l all I like to travtl about a little, tnd 1 enjoy eoel.il life I like talking-talking to any nne I hate work nf any kind. Thh being tho case, J looked about me lo tee If there was not a chance for (on new profemlon. If nnionp; our million wants there waa not ono that was not supplied The Idea came to mo by accident I wa stopplnc at my tintlo'a hour when he received n n present from hi wife' brother n aln-gularly aln-gularly ugly but very valuable pair of oriental risen. Ills wife' brother wa frequently In my uncle's house, and therefor thete abomination had lo I bo displayed I heard him grumbling about this, t suggested that ho should sell litem The Idea was, ot course, absurd, he told ma no. Nor, he sold, could be break them himself, far hi wife's brother would never forgive him, nor could ho ask hi wlfoto break them, because, although ha had been married fifteen year, he felt that he did not know her well enough; nor could ho ask the servants to break tlitni, for that would encourage euro-leesnew euro-leesnew and thrlftlsesucM Thnt la all right.' I said 1 rote from my place and smashed the vase one after the other on the floor 8orry I waa so clumsy,' I said, 'you had better rlnn and have this rubbish cleared away,' Ha rang, and told tho servant I had broken them accidentally. When ilia had gone ha tald without a smile, 'It teem rather a pity' I said, 'I am very short ot ready money. Could you tend me Ave pounder lla wrote ma a check for twenty, and said that I wai a useful man In know of Then I oak!, I 'Ilecommend me to your friend, or already I a the possibilities of my futur) profession He mentioned tae to some halfdotin people ho knew, some ot whom I had never seen la I my life before Tbcy sent mi Invlla- mm BMASIini) Till'. VA8I13. tlona lu their houses, and they Indicated Indi-cated the object an which I was to operate In my first week I broke, 1 remember, n lamp shaped like an owl, an oil painting, a tea servlco and n dining-room tabic." "Hut an oil painting," I ald. "IIuw does one break an oil painting!" . "It I almple enough." he Mid. "I first ot all undid the wire to th&t tb picture fell, then In picking It up I put my foot through the face. It wss n portrait ot my boat' wife's aunt. It wa more difficult to break the dining-room table t recollect that It became be-came ncMntary for the purpose to in vent a somewhat boUterou form ',( round gamo. Ilen then wa had to play It for thrco evening before the I leg canto off. When 1 left this Louse I my boat handed me n check and prom . lied tn recommend me to other people I I never ailvtrtlte, and I hava more , 1 ranking tu do than I eon potaibit bnd time for. It I could find a young 1 man with plenty of tact I would take him aa sn nsalstant " "It mutt need torn tact," I U(. I Kitted "It dot. It so often happens that I nil employed by the husband without the knowledge of the wtft. or by me wife without the knowledge ot tku hUibMd. Hven with the utmost tact one gttt oBtttlf disliked, but that 1 iut put up with Tba other diy une at my client asked tae to ronte to a Is haute to break a dinner service I dlntd there and Made myself a pltatant at I could tad bald several good itorlea. Hut then I nlen broke the dinner service, or matt of It. and It waa ono to which ray host w much altirhed Rho sou) to blm afterward, after-ward, 'I will never haft that brats to my hous again" " "And what dfd lie fV i -V ld, 'I mny with yau, my dear. Tn the best at my Mitt the msa wa drank If lw had not been Ihe son ot tn old cottage frlead, 1 shoul.l never have atkad Mm at til.' That wis n little mean; bnt then It i wa neeeteary for him to oovar him-aelf him-aelf in soma way, and aa I never break I a dinner service under twenty-rive pound. I received tome eolatlam for i the indignity" . j Have you got any engagement at pr i-m lit"' I asked ' Ye," he said, "I am going to one now hut It Is a trifling thing rrqulring no uri t all Had I to aialstant I aim ild have sent him. I am to go (he day utter a wedding reception, win n Ihe preaent s-e being packed Tho-n hi li from iht'r ugllm-si or worth e 'ins. are not worth packing up and sen ting to the bridegroom' distant home have been placet) nn n separate shelf I shall upset that shelf and aei Menially step on anything which la nut broken In Hit fall. The Job won't take me five minute, and I get three Holms (or It. I am doing It for tho brt li'grnom without the knowledge of the bride Men begin lo deceive women wom-en ery toon. 1 find" I have." I said, "one or two little nhjeete in my own home which" Hut at Ihl moment Ihe train entered en-tered Victoria nation, and though I managed to complete ray sentence, ami my companion said that he would be glad at any time to oblige me. In ibe ronfutlnn of our arrival 1 neglected neglect-ed tn tnko hi name and niMrcn nr to give him mine" Harry Pain. |
