West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-08-29
THE YELLOW WHEELS.


Joe JefTus drove coal team, a great
numbering two-horse coal team, and every
day of his life, Sundays excepted, :"
perched high above his business, he thun-
dered with his dusky load through tie
streets of the busy town. One large con-
cern used quantities Of soft coal, and Joe
had found out that the easiest haul there
and back was along the fine broad avenue
where those who owned trotters speedcd
them, and those who did not sat upon the
fences and made disparaging remarks.
But of all those who flew past Joe as he
labored along the road, not one excited
his ire half so much as a man with s.yel-
low wheels"
Sometimes il was horse of one color
and sometimes OF another, but always
'yellow wheels" Joe just hated the
very sight of him lie was so we'll
dressed, he was SO self-contained, his
'team" was so spick and span, and he
drove so well, that TO himself Joe had
wasted upon him all the choice epithets
that he had learned in the army.
Joe Jeffus had driven a team of some
kind ever since he could remember, and IL
was therefore most natural that he and
the war maturing about the same time, he
should enlist as WAGNER and become a
driver of mule team.
He saved his bounties and his pay and
at the close of the unpleasantness CON
cluded to settle down and go to work.
But he missed being under orders, and
looking about him, wooed and won his
next-door neighbor, a fragile little
light-haired factory girl, and swore
allegiance TO her for life.
His hands and face were not black and
grimy then, aud his dark curly hair
crowned a head of youthful, manly
beauty.
Youth had long since gone from Joe.
the little light-haired girl had become a
delicate, ailing woman, and his heart
sank many and many time rs he climbed
up the dingy stairs TO his attic home.
The little woman, tho, had proved on
the whole, good investment. Every
month little from his pay went into the
great stone savings bank in the center of
the town.
Wouldn't the time ever come, " the
little woman kept asking, "wben they
could buy the little corner lot they could
see from their windows, and over which
the soft summer breezes coming up from
the river kept the grass and trees so
green7"
And then Joe would light his pipe and
go down and sit upon the door step, and
think, always think about the "yellow
wheels" 4"
Now this feeling was not so very
strange after all, for into everybody's life
at some time or other, in some way or
another, there enters something very.
very nearly akin 10 the man with Wyel-
low wheels" And so IL came TO pass
that one day succeeding the time-worn
wish from his tired wife, that, thunder.
ing along the avenue, he csnght sight Of
his enemy.
He had pulled up toward the sidewalk
TO sec man. A line Of heavy wagons
was coming in the opposite direction
Joe kept bearing closer and closer down
upon the ''yellow wheels" away from
the approaching teams; he had taken in
the situation at a glance. The yellow
wheels could be rasped and cut into by
the end Of his clanking whihie-trce, II
the man didn't pull out literally upon the
sidewalk. Now Joe could clear him lust
as we'll as not IL be wanted to; but ne
didn't.
Unconscious Of al this, the owner Of
the yellow wheels" laughed and talked
with his friend on the sidewalk. On and
on came Joe, his face blacSer than usual.
threatenings and slaughter in his heart
and evil in his eye In less time than II
takes to tell II the heavy whifle tree was
playing hide-and seek among the yellow
spokes; the horse had jumped and
backed, almost thrown out the man
knocked his hat of in the mud and put
one foot squarely upon IL, while Joe, un
concerncdly, face 10 the front, was clank-
ing along the road Very soon Joe
knew the man was coming for him; he
heard the horses hoofs nearer and near
er, and now the yellow wheels" were
ahead Of his team.
'T say said the man, "what did vou
do that for}'
"Go long" answered Joe, apparently
10 bis horses, really 70 the man.
81 say, repeated the man, "what did
you DO that fort"
And then Joe, using the most f0rcible
expression he had learned iu his army
days, asked him II he Thought that he
and his - yellow wheels owned the
whole street.
The man with the yellow wheels
kept his place alongside, but seemed bur.
led 10 thought.