Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-03-14
SLUG NUMBER ELEVEN

never Doon III pruning ONCE DE-
fore, suppose. What woman's picture
Is that over that case, you ask? Why
that's Nan. She was Slug H. Oh, no
Slug II wasn't her nickname. Twas
her number. See here is a slug eleven
Printers use their slug numbers to mark
their matter; else how could they make
up their strings? A string? Oh, we
paste all our dupes together. and that
makes string that shows what we've
done. Here's my string for the day
regular rope, amt it?
''Want to know about Nan, eh? Well
she was the only female typesetter we
had, and she was hummer. She could
talk longer and on occasions louder
and truth compels me to say broader
than-weil, than some girls. Pretty :!
Not exactly, just $3.50. Slender, lively,
hair the color of canned salmon, teeth
pretty well justified, and eyes that were
usually blue, but liable TO turn green il
she got mad. Boys used to say that il
Nan was going to paradise she ID be late
getting there; but never saw nothing
bad about her except, once in while,
her tongue. Mister, don't you get it
into your head that because a girl sets
type or works in factory among a lot
OF men she can't be good.
10 resume my yarn. One day there
came along a handsome young fellow
that we dubbed Mr. Kokuk, because he
came from the town of Kokuk. Nan
took quite fancy to him. He and The
Rat were about the only persons in the
office that Nan did notice. We called
him The Rat because he went back on
us once when we struck. We took him
back out Of pity, but no one loved him.
Iank, cadavereus, pock-marked, thin
Tipped fellow, with eyes like two holes
burnt in blanket.
well, Nan and Mr.. Kokuk went to
two or three dances and a circus or two
We used to get plenty Of comps to such
things then-and first we knew they
were engaged. The very next week we
went on a strike again all except Nan
and The Rat. He SAID his wife was dy-
ing, and he had to earn what he could
1t WASH t much, because he was a regu-
lar blacksmith. We call poor printer
q blacksmith. Mans eyes turned green
as she said she wouldn't go because she
didn't want to, so there = About a
week after the strike began Mr.. Kokuk
and | were In a saloon opposite the
block where The Rats folks roomed,
and we saw Nan come in at the family
entrance and buy a flask of whisky.
end Of the strike. All went back next
day and late in the evening, when
only Mr.. kokuk, Nan and / were left in
the office heard him 60 over and tell
Nan he must break off the engagement
because she had gone back ON the strik-
ers. but more particularly for the rea-
son that he would never marry wom-
an that bought whisky by the flask at a
saloon. Mr.. KokuK was kind of
goody-goody fellow, you see. Nan
wheeled about on her stool, her eyes
snapped till the lashes iairly cracked,
and she said: You are little plaster
of paris god, amt you? Be careful you
don't tip over, or you'll break in two.
You ought to 90 as missionary to the
cannibals. You wouldn't be good eat
ing, but they amt very particular Mr.
kokuk put on lis coat and went away,
but after he had gone | went 10 lift a
handful Of type out of the form that
stood near Mans case and [ Saw that
Der eyes were sweating. Tears as
big as rain drops fell down over
her case. She kept on throwing in type.
She tossed AIS into the 'e' box, and
commas over among the periods, and
caps down among the lower case let
tiers In a reckless manner. Every stick
full Of type she set up the next day was
so lousy the foreman threatened to dis
charge her. What do [ mean by lousy :?
Why, full of mistakes, to be snre. I
knew the reason. and corrected some of
her galleys to help her out. At the
next meeting of our union some one
said that it had been proposed to raise a
fund to bury The Rats two children
that had just died that day of scarlet
fever, both on the same day, mind YOU
He had buried his wife the week be-
fore. He ought to be able to bury his
own dead, he's been at work right
II Il oil
grOwled assent.
"'Who started the movement to raise
the fund p asked /.
/" Man, answered the fellow who had
proposed the matter. She headed the
list. She's about the only friend the
family had. Sat up nights to help take
care of Rats wife, who was a mighty
sweet little woman. Bought whisky
for her when that was all that would
keep the poor woman alive
you ought to have seen the express
sion of Mr.. Kokuk' S face when he heard
this explanation as to why Nan went to
the saloon to get bottle of whisky.
And when Rats wife died. continued
the speaker. and his two children fell
sick, she cared for them. Worked all
day and sat up nearly all night with
them. | tell you, boys, printing offices
have heir devils, but now and then an
gels drop down into them, and
= Before he could say any more Mr..
Kokuk sprang up and move d that each
member be assessed 81 to defray the
funeral expenses of Rats children, and
that as many of the boys as could hire
subs should attend the funeral. Did we
carry the motion? Well, rather.
. Nan was the only woman mourner,
and she looked handsome in cheap
dress of black she had got for the occa-
sion. Next day SIC was back at her
case, and at evening, while she was dis
tributing type, Mr.. Kokuk crept up to
her case looking like whipped spaniel.
and SAID: Nan, do you know what |
think Of you?'
- o;and what's more, [ don't care !
snapped Nan.
"'Wen, think you are saint upon
earth
q DO you know what / think of your
said Nan, knocking about half handful
of matter into pi. Il don't think any