The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-03-29
SLUG NO ELEVEN,

oFei tiia' Cdse' you ask Why, that's
Nan, She was slug II. On, no, Slug II
wasn't her nickname. Twas her mum
Der: See! here is "a slug II. Primers use
their slug numbers TO mark their mat
ter; else how could they make up their
str'ngsr A string? Oh, we paste all our
dupes together, and that makes string
that shows what we've done. Here's nv
string Tor the day-Tegular rope, amt
Want to know about Nan, ehY Well,
sue was the 'nIy female type setter we
hau' ana she was hummer She could
Ca'k lohSer ana on some occasions loud
err ana tru compells me to say broad
er MAXWELL than some girls Pretty?
Not exactly, Just so 50. Slender. lively,
mar the color of canned salmon, teeth
pretty well justified. and ewes that were
unusually blue, but liable to turn green
u she got mad. Boys used 10 say that if
Nan was going to Paradise she'd be late
getting there; but | never saw ANYTHING
bad about her except once IN while
her tongue. Mister, don't get 1t in INTO
your head that because girl SETS TYNE
or works in factory among lot of
men she can't be good
10 resume my yarn. One day there
came 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. Lank. Ca.
daVer0us, peck marked, thin Tipped fell
| low with evps lIka t,up h,Ias knrpgJ -,
blanket.
Well, Nan aud Mr.. Kokuk went 20
Two or three dances and circus or two
we use to get plenty of comps to such
things then-and first we knew they
were engaged. The very next week we
went on strike again, all except Nan
and the Rat. He said his wife was dy-
ing, and he had to earn what he could.
1t wasn't much, because he was regular
blacksmith. We call poor printer a
blacksmith. Mans eyes turned green as
she SAID she wouldn't go because she
didn't want to, so therer And about
week after the strike began Mr. Kokuk
and l were in a saloon opposite the
block where the Rats folks roomed, and
we saw Nan come in at the family en-
trance and buy flask of whiskey. We
were in there celebrating the 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 oyer and tell Nan he must break
off the engagement because she had gone
back on the strikers, but more partiCu-
larry for the reason that he would never
marry woman that bought whiskey by
the flask at a saloon. Mr.. Kokuk was
kind of goody. fellow. you see. Nan
wheeled about on her stool, her eyes
snapped till The lashes fairly 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 go as a missiona y to the
cannibals. You wouldn't be good eat
ing, but they amt very particular Mr.,
kOkuk put on his coat and went away,
but after he had gone | went TO lift
handful of type out Of the form that
stood near Mans case and saw that her
eyes were sweating. Tears as big as rain
drops fell down over her case. She kept
on throwing in type. She tossed as into
the e box, ana commas over among
the periods, and caps down among the
lower case letters in reckless manner.
Every stickful Of type she set up the
next day was so lousy the foreman
threatened to discharge her What do |
mean by lousy! Why full of mistakes,
to be sure. | knew the reason and cor
rectPd some of her galleys to help her
out. AT the next meeting of our union
some one sara that 1t had been proposed
TO raise 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 before, He ought to be able to
bury bis own dead, he's been working
right along, said some one, and nearly
all gruwled assent.
Who started the movement to raise
the fund: asked |.
Nan, ausw cred the fellow who had
proposed the matter. She headed the
list. Sizes about the only friend the
family had. Sat up nights to help take
care of Rats wife, who was mighty
sweet little woman Bought whlskey
for her when that was all that would
keep the poor woman alive.
You ought to have seen the expression
OF Mr.. kukuk's face when he heard this
explanation as to why Nan went b. the
saloon to get bottle Of whiskey. 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 their
devils, but now ard then angels drop
down into them, and -
Before he could say any more Mr.. Ko.
kuk sprang up and moved that each
member be assessed So 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 a cheap
dress Of black size had got for the oCca-
sion, Next day she was back al her case
and at evening while she was distribut-
ing type, Mr.. Kokuk crept up to her
case looking like a whipped spaniel, and
said: Nan do you know what | think
of you:
No; and what's more, don't care!
snapped Nan.
Well, l think you are saint upon
earth.
Do YOU know what | think of you:
said Nan, knocking about half hand
full of matter into pi | don't think any
thing.
Then how Mr.. Kokuk did plead tor
| forgiveness! Nan said not word for
long time. but finally she turned about
with a half sneer on her face ard said,
I'll jeff to see who pays for the tickets
to the theatre to night. To jeff is to play
a game with type, Mr.. Kokuk got stuck
for the tickets and tell you he was
tIckled. They went: but they only saw
part of the play. As they were walking
along to the theater. they passed par
sonage, Isn't that the man that preach
ed the funeral sermon for the Rats chill
kren; asked Mr. Kokuk.
Yes. answered Nan.
Let's go in and see him, said Mr.. Ko-
kuk.
In they went, and Nan, who is usual
ly surprised at nothing, was surprised
when Mr. Kokuk asked the minister to
marry them, but she consented and they
were married. and when the minister
had reached the end of the performance
and Mr.. Kokuk took Nan in his arms
kissed her, what did she do but drop
her head on his shoulder and cry! She
SAID 1t was because she was worn out
watching with the Rats folks. but |
r. exon those tears were tinCtured with
the compound essence of Joy.
Say, do you see that kind of countrif-
ed looking fellow with a SLOUGH hat
standing over there by one of the forms
talking to the foreman That's MIR. KO.
kuk He's now editor and PROPRIETOR of