Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-03-22
HIS DUTY.
He Faithfully Performed 1t Under Trying Cir
cumSfancnS

dROs q yOuuR A4du CdLl4O A4tC hAS
whom he recognized as Richard Ogden,
assistant book keeper in Philadelphia
importing firm. Mr.. Wagner shook hands
with him heartily. He had known Ogden
since he was a boy, and liked him
thoroughly. He was keen-eyed, dog
gedly honest fellow, and, unlike most
young men, always hard at work. He
had married lately, too. Mr.. Wagner had
been at his little house and seen the wife
and baby.
"Hello, Ogden! How came you here?
In the busy season, too?"
at is not busy for me, sir" said Ogden,
grayely: l am discharged. The firm, like
ell other Philadelphia firms, found it
necessary to lessen expenses, and dis
charged one-fourth of their men. l was
the youngest bOok-keeper, and had to go
of course"
esThat is bad-bad." ct was in days
whom hard times are hardest.) "What
are you going to GO, Richard?"
81 can find nothing to do in Philadel-
phia. There aretwenty thousand men there
looking for work. came to ask You for
it."
''Me? My dear boy, our book keepers
have been with US for yearsw
Richard laughed II did not come to
GUST them from their desks, Mr. Wagner.
/ do not hope TO get any work for my
head. / must put my hands to it now.
Is there no place in the mill for me?"
:'Among the hands? You do not mean
that. Ogden~
eyes, do, coloring slightly. ga man
IS man, no matter how he earns his
bread. | can not afford to be idle week.
With the wages you pay your puddlers
or fremen, can support mary and the
boy in this village, where living is so
cheap, at least until times mend"
every we'll, my lad" said Mr.. Wagner,
after moments hesitation, "you are
right. III find place for you to-mor
row. By the way, you used to have
a good deal of knowledge of chemistry,
chr"
eyes, thought OF teaching after I left
college"
''Very good; I'll put you near Mr.. Fer
ris. He can probably give you few
hints which may be useful-son of Judge
Ferris, you know. Educated as q mining
engineer, but he has gone into the works,
like any poor lad, to work his way to a
practical Knowledge of the business. He
has charge of the converter" he added,
with tone of respect, 10 which Ogden,
never having heard of the converter, list
ened with Indifference.
The next morning Ogden. in work
mans clothes, presented himself at the
Office and Mr.. Wagner himself took him
into the mill and gave him his work, in
Producing him to Mr.. Ferris in the tone
that he would use in speaking to an
equal. The familiarity was kindly meant,
but injudicious.
"Whos that young cub old Wagner's
,,nlr IF ~ oaid lob lFoyrFn-d 70
the man at the coal heap beside him.
Dunno; one of his pets, l reckon"
Jake was one of the most drunken and
vicious men in the works. He scanned
Ogden's gentlemanly bearing and white
hands with a scowl of contempt, which
changed to a positive glare when Mr..
Wagner shook hands with him, saying:
"Good- bye, my lad, and good luck
From that time Jake set down the
young fellow as his enemy, whom he was
bound to overturn. Ogden presently
noticed that this man showed him I'M
necessarily when he passed him in the
throng, and swore at him under his
breath, hu5 supposing him to be a drunk
en- fellow, thought no more about it. His
Indifference but enraged Crawford the
more. Poor, Richard whom he met on
Sundays dressed like gentleman, gong
with his wife to church, became III his
eyes the embodiment of the 'bloateG ar
istocrat" whom he hated so heartily.
GIL fix his lordship for life!' he said
every day, and watched his chance to do
it. Ferris, on the contrary, as Mr.. Wag
per had foreseen, was attracted TO the
young man, and gave him work near him,
frequently explaining the processes to
him. Ogden's previous knowledge of
chemistry made him an intelligent
nearer.
The converter" of which Mr.. Ferris
had charge, is an enormous pot in which
the molten metal and carbon are subject
ed to The force of terrific blast by which
tbs carbon is dissipated. At the instant
when the right amount is left, the huge
vessel is overturned into pit, where It
flows into tubes prepared for it.
Ferris duty was TO watch the lurid
flames of the metal, and when, by the
change in their tint, he saw the moment
had come, to press on a lever, which, by
hydraulic machinery. overturned the vast
converter. Every time this was done,
steel to the amount of six thousand dol
lars was made. If he missed the time,
was a seconl too early or too late, the
firm were losers to that amount. The
men were not allowed to speak to aim as
the moment approached. Ogden always
stood near, deafened by the thunderous
roar of the blast, but watching Ferris
pale intent face.
After few weeks Ogden learned to
distinguish the subtle change in the
flame which marked the critical moment.
He told Ferris so one day, jokingly ad
ding: Il can take your place now, on an
emergency"
II hope ( may not have TO call on YOU"
said Ferris laughing.
Jake Crawford was behind the two men.
His cunning eyes sparkled. He followed
Ogden home in the dark, lettering about
until he saw Richards wife run down the
path to meet him.
ly.
''Better. think it's not Group, only an
ordinary cold"
''Ben's the baby? Aha!' muttered Jake.
"I've got it; I'll settle his lordship now"'
humping mis- fist on his leg and chuck
ling drupkenly.
Ogden's watch began at two o'clock the
next morning. Little Ben was coughing
and choking all night, his father sat
beside the crib Until it was time to
&c, and then started off with heavy
heart.
"What is the matter, Dick?" asked Fer
ris, passing him.
"The boy is threatened with Group.
think | could not live, Ferris. if I
should lose that child" said Ogden.
Crawford overheard, nodded and
laughed.