The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-31
THE ONE HUNDREDTH MAN.

SNOW see here, nv friend" said John
Proctor, his honest eyes looking gravely
into the tramp's face as he balanced
a dime on the tip of his finger, "I'm
not going to read you hOmily on the
subject of labor, but want to present
for your consideration little matter OF
that the Territory is swarming with
men of your class. No less than six.
begging for money, have stopped me
on the streets to day; while down there
at the yard d'-indicating with his hand
a row of tall lumber piles surrounding
q small building in the distance-''we
haven't had three applications for work
In a month"
Try me-"
<'Do you imagine you would work If
you had the chance? | have had a lit
lie experience with fellows of your sort.
You have such remarkable appetitesr'
He addressed him genericaily, as the
representative Of race. ''You work
half an hour then come around with
fhe plea that you can't labor on an
empty stomach, draw an advance of
half dollar on your wages and that is
the last we ever see of you"
The man retorted so sharply that one
could almost have fancied the poor
remnant of spirit still abiding in him
stirred to something resembling wrath
That's always the way" he NUT
tered. Say we won't work; then
won't give us show know we're a
pretty low-dOwn lot, but some of us
start out square enough. If a man
once gets down, there's no getting up
again
There was something almost pathetic
in his very sullennesS as he shuffied
away, his rags Tapping in the breeze,
and ill-mated shoes Gathering an ac-
compartment to his gait.
f'COme back here, will you?"
John Proctor S voice was stern and
decisive. The tramp halted, hesitated,
looked away, then shutfied back again
"Come down to the yard this after
noon and Eli give you job. But take
the half dollar first and get filed up
first.
He had exchanged the dime for
larger coin and held it in his out
stretched palm. The man did not i'm
mediately extend his hand to take it.
In the moment or two that elapsed the
young lumberman thought that he de-
tected trace of something allied to
rescntful pride in his bearing. But the
Illusion vanished as a grimy hand
closed greedily upon the silver, and the
fellow disappeared without even troub-
ling himself to make any formal ex-
expression of his gratitude.
John Proctor looked after him with
n quizzical smile. Five minutes later
he knew his own name would be the
toast of a drunken crowd of lOafers in
the saloon around the corner. 1t was
not his first experience of the kind To
be sure it would help to advance a GER
tain QuiXOtic reputation which had at
tached itself to him since his first ad
vent in this little New Mexican town.
But he had steadily adhered to his
creed: Granted that ninety-nine out
of hundred of this floating population
were thieves and mendicants, he was
wont to say, he preferred to Ee victim
lied by the ninety and nine, rather
than miss that hundredth man.
Arrived at the Park, strip of land
running through the heart of the place.
the title to which was adispute between
the railroad company, a handful of de-
termlned squatters and the Govern
ment, John brought down the wire
fence this noon with one vigorous kick.
Kicking down this wire fence was one
OF the legitimate paStimes of the inhab-
ltantS, who could not afford to make a de-
tour of mile or more 10 reach their
places of business, nor vet hazard gar
&c nv
ments on the part of the citizens had
once been resisted with warlike demon
strations, but now as Proctor stepped
through the gap a patient-looking,
round-shOuldered little man advanced,
trundling wheelbarrow laden with
huge coil of barb wire, and, politely
greeting the trespasSer, set about re-
pairing the fence. Parsons was in the
employ of the road and scrupulously
obeyed his instructions, but a CLEAN of
humor in his eye told that he sympa-
thized with the transgressors.
AS John Proctor took his way down
through the Park in the direction of his
Office, he seemed to throw of the rin-
pleasant reflections which had been an
moving him. with one shruc of his
powerful shoulders. The Young mans
eye fell cheerily upon the somewhat in
eongruous array of buildings which
constituted the town. He gloried in
the homely little edifices, squatted over
the ground in varions directions. Had
not every foot of lumber been supplied
from his own yard, and did not this |
avalanche of trade mean-Anuiep |
Nothing could be mean or poor which |
brought these weary years of waiting
10 an end. He was practical man, |
little given to enthusiasm of any sort.
but for her sake he looked with glow |
ing vision upon the turreted mountain |
tops IN the distance, with their purple |
shadows and golden lights. How She |
would rejoice over them. that quiet lit |
fie denizen of Western prairies who had |
lived among the monotonous levels of |
central Illinois all her life.
The thought lent cheerful energy to |
ms voice as he entered the ward and |
gave some directions to Maxon. his |
Rard-worked book-keeper and general |
factotum. Proctor was deenly en-
CROSSED in making out an order for sew
Seral carloads of finishing lumber. when |
3 shadow darkened the door. and the |
tramp stood before him. He could NOT
repress an exclamation of surprise. |
The vagabond observed and his face