Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1917 — PHILOSOPHY OF WALT MASON [ARTICLE]

PHILOSOPHY OF WALT MASON

I hired a man to work around, to groom the cow and feqjjMaSre snakes, and after seven weeks I found he wasn’t worth a brace of shakes. I’d say, "Oh, James, 1 wish you’d start and paint the fence dark blue and pink.” He’d say, '"iHave some respect for art! That combination’s rank, I think. If I should paint it red and green, the colors nicely would combine, and every passer-by, I ween, would cry, ‘Oh, chee! That fence is fine!’ ” Then I’d .reply, “I pay the mon—to have that fence the way I wish; my way I’ll surely have it done, or you will lose your job, odsfish!” Then he would quote a lot of jays, old Rembrandt, Titian and that mob, to show that artist folk would raise a clamor o’er the measly job. So we would stand in joint debate, until the sinking of the sun, and when the daylight pulled its freight, there was no job of painting done. Now, James is" poor, and always was, and always will be till he dies; he labors too much with his jaw’s to satisfy employing guys. Myj way of doing things is punk, I’m always in the wrong, I know; but when for toil I pay the plunk, I guess my way will have to go.