The Grange advance., 1873-11-05
CHAPTER II.
THE IRON-CARRIER.

"You came just in the nick of time,
Axelson," said jaeger to the giant, who
quite calm unfolded his roll of tobacco
and took u big chew which suddenly
disappeared through pair of powerful
lips. L.
1.-THE people are raving mad" an
swered the giant, "when they happen
to get too much in their heads. This
isn't the first time I have seen a crowd
light upon one like flies on horse.
On the night Of Trinity Sunday last
year, I was at Uggleviken and saw a
guardsman, who alone fought with a
crowd of at least one hundred men, joun-
neymen. sailors and God knows what
kind of people. Without my assistance the
poor d would have been both
plucked and scalded. But let US go in
to this caboose where we can have lit
tie talk during the evening"
The giant, accompanied by Jager
and Dahl, marched straight toward the
door with green pane, and all three
took seats on a small brown colored
lounge, which together with some neat
er chairs and one table constituted all
the furniture in the little room.
Astonished at the friendly relation
which seemed to exist between his
friend and the new conner, Dahl regard
ed the latter with particular attention.
With the certainty Of an expert he
remarked to himself that his eyes
never before had looked upon more
powerfully built person.
He seemed to be about forty years Of
age and measured nearly seven feet in
height. Ifhis shoulder was not seven
miles broad" like that Of the gloriied
Odin:" as described by Tegner, it was
however sufficiently powerful to excite
the merited attention of the population
for seven miles around. His arms jut-
ted out from his shoulders, like the
knobby branches from a century oak.
His legs did not seem to have the
wealth of muscles in proportion to the
upper parts, which was most tried and
hardened by heavy lobor. His face
was handsome, though very much
weather beaten, and from bis brave
eyes shone judgment and feeling in the
most friendly union.
The herculean laborer was dressed in
a jacket and pantaloons of gray home
spun, but above his neck-tie of skin
was sticking out the tip of a coarse but
clean shirt collar.
The reader has no doubt, already
guessed that this person is the hero Of
our story, the Iron. Carrier.
We shall therefore be excused for
taking this opportunity Of describing
that class of laborers, to which our hero
belongs.
:. The iron-carriers, who are occupied
with weighing iron at Stockholm's iron
balance between 6 and 12@ O'Clock in
the forenoon and from 3 to 9 o'clock
in the afternoon, during spring, sum-
mer and autumn, form kind Of official
class, containing 165 men who are d.
vided into l l files, each file having their
own chief, who is elected by them,
and has under his command Is
men. We said that they are officials,
for the reason that every iron-carrier
gets his appointment from the finance
commissioners of the city of Stock
holm, for which appointment he has to
pay II rix~dollars.
-, There is always number Of appli"
cants for the above Office, because an
iron-carrier, who is industrious and can
endure his hard work, can earn his three
rix-dollars per day besides the fees
that he gets from work in moving iron
from the one 8 Post to the other with
in the" Balance The applicant must,
before He can be accepted, be subjected
. 90 calico :. test weeks" within the