Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1889-07-04
Totes throat. He was standing M,

with dazed look, when the doctor
came. The doctor looked at him mar
rowly, and advised that he be sent home
immediately.
The next day hush fell upon the
room rs Tom Duncan raised hand, and
minute later n young woman emerged
from the stairway, and walked straight
to the foreman's desk. She WINS dressed
very simply in dark brown dress. her
hat was very becoming, Her features
we're perfect-soft in their outline and
beautiful in themselyes-bu the beauty
OF her expression was the Surprising
loneliness that surprised those who got
glimpse of Totes sister. She carried
small basket of flowers in one hand,
which she plnced on the foreman s desk,
said something in q low tone, and with
drew. She seemed vision of highland
beauty for one brief minute.
After that everybody knew that Tote
and his sister Florence lived alone.
When Tote returned to work, three DAYS
later, the compositors on the Vindicator
were resolved that he should have 'the
best show going" Always liked before,
he became prime favorite. The man
that stood in Totes way incurred the
ill-will of his fellows.
Tote was at the case year--another
boy had taken his place-when great
change came over him. He wasnot less
mirthful; there was the same play of
the features, the same imperturbable
good will, the same accommodating
spirit, but there was not the same buoy
ancy. He was ambitious, some said, as
his work proved he had settled pur-
pose. He became rapid compositor
before he turned his 10th year. When
he was II he was pitted against the fast
est typesetters.
he grew upa graceful, self contained,
telf-reliant, manly fellow. As his fell
low-workmen had opportunity to see
him with his sister, their resemblance
was remarked. Tote Potter was as
handsome as she. AS he grew older he
seemed shy certainly he was sensitive.
About this time one man discovered
that Tote Potter was "killing himself
to keep himself" In other words, he
was too greedy for money. Tom Dun
can rebuked the fault finder, and ever
after the foreman openly avowed his
friendship for the apprentice. Among
the few that had discovered how close
he bond was between Toto and his
sister, none respected Totes motives
more than the foreman. All Totes
thoughts were devoted to his sister Flo.
Florence and George to the outer world,
the two were always Tote and Flo to
each other. Tote had an alma clearly
defined aim. His sistar should have
her own home. She had stinted herself
walked miles in snow and slush with
thin-soled, leaky shoes, fighting his or
her battle before he was 8. She refused
to be separated from him. And now
there could be nothing too good in this
world for Flo.
The only drawback to Totes plans, in
the opinion of Peters, the one man that
never joined i'll Totes praise, was his
fondness for physic. Peters had OBJ
served him on several occasions emerg-
ing from the Office of the physician who
was called in the day he fell. Peters
said plumply that he was too eager to
make money. This coming to Tom
Duncan's ears, Totes envelope the next
week held 81 more, and never was dimin-
ished.
However, the change in Totes appear
ance month after lie was his own man.
and stood proudly at his own case,
seemed to give color to Peters insinu-
alton. 1t was plain to everybody that
Tote was working too hard.
He began with II 900 the first day he
was his own man, and nobody ever saw
his "string' below that notch. It
rose gradually until some of his fellow
workmen wondered if there was any
limit to Totes working capacity. Pres
emily his "string" averaged $4,000
day, and now and then, when there was
pressure, and no one could complain
how much he made, he spurted ahead,
and his "dupes showed that he had
averaged thirteen thousand day, and
did it easily.
He did not stop there. His average
rose, until one envious printer called to
another across the room Heavens
Erskine, Potter's going to set the paper
up himself. He has five thousand up,
and it's not five o'clock"
Erskine deliberately walked over and
looked at Potter, whose hands moved
with the regularity of machinery. Never
a false nor a nervous motion straight,
easy, naturally as child picking up
pebbles, Totes hand moved from his
" stick to his case.
That night an alarm of fire attracted |
the workmen's attention. The changing
of the engines and the multitude of |
feet caused many to look out of the
windows. The glow in the heavens in
Dictated a serious confagration. Every
body paused and looked out in the di-
rection of the fire except Potter. One
Of his companions called to him to look
out at the fire.
81 have no time to waste" he an
swered
The fire was near at hand. It threat
sned to devastate an entire block. The
entire department was out, and in less
han fifteen minutes we began to set
. fire " copy The copy that night
seemed to be forked right in fresh from
5he fire. 1t smelled of the fire.
Presently the bell rang, and after that
'he foreman's ear and mouth were glued
o the tubes. His assistant had to mark
axes while Tom Duncan vibrated be-
,ween the men at the forms and the
'peaking tube. Ii
. Hofo Dnkkn, ..o,,.oI ....L |