The Russellville Democrat., 1889-07-18
BOSS DARLIN'.'
A Lions Heart That Was Hidden
 Under Efeminate Manners


 You can't always tell what's in a bundle by the look of the wrapper.
 The old man had found a seat on a fallen tree that lay upon a sunny hill- s.de, and was carefully smoothing and shaping a cane he had cut near by He held it up as he spoke. and let his eye run along it's length as if to discover its irregularities; but his gaze wander ed quite beyond the stick to the valley and river below. where stood the great mill, with its tall, blackened chimneys and massive walls.
 No, sir you can't always tell by the looks Of a bundle whats inside it, " he repeated, more emphatically. And if folks would only understand it, and stop tryin', twould save deal of trou- ble Now there's the Darlin'-n
 ''Darlin'?" the visitor repeated ln- certainly.
 Tho keen eyes under the old mans shaggy brows twinkled, and his gray mustache twitched
 
 workman, like puddler, or mailer, or such; it's just name that's his We give it when he first come here, twelve years and more ago. Things had been going pretty bad at the mill then--stops and hitches Of one kind or nother- and times gettin worse for the men all the while
 "Mismanagement most of it was. or, leastways, We thought so. Old Kes- wick--he was the overseer here-was one of the short-sighted. savin' kind, that would lose a dollar in tryiu' to keep a penny He'd pinch and screw and 'conomize, as he called it, and let things go that ought to be tended to, till at last some big break would sweep of in day all his stinginess had saved in year. Then he'd think expenses was so high that wages ought to be cut little lower
 T don't need to tell you that there wasn't any love wasted between him and the men, The'd got discouraged and bitter. and sort of reckless-like when all of a sudden one day keswick dropped down in dead faint in the mill, and had to be carried home. That was the beginnin' of a long sickness that ended his work at the mill
 ''The rest of the company bought out his interest and he went of to Europe. We didn't know who would be sent to take charge then. but we sort of hoped twould be left in Jim Bryce's hands, He'd been here the longest of any of the men. and knew a deal about the busi- ness in a practical kind of way
 There wasn't much reason to expect it. of course, but he was the man we wanted Naturally after the way things had been goin' we thought one of ourselves, who'd feel some interest in his old mates would be an improve ment Then, one day, down in the mornin' train comes one of the com pany. bringin' with him young feller looked younger than he was, with his white skin, blue eyes and light curly hair like a girls; that kind always does-that he said was the new super intendent
 Superintendent says Tom Clark son. as they passed by where we was workin That chap never super intended nothin' heftier than band- box in his born days
 Well. he didn't look like it, that's a fact But the company owned the mill, you see, and this Teller was one Of their sort and so into the place he goes, fine clos. curly hair, white hands and alL l b ieve them white hands made the boys madder than any thing else They was strong enough lookin, too, but white as a lady's.
 Look at 'em.' said Tom, holding up his own rough, black paws to show the difference. .lf tho company 8 bound to give him somethin' to do. why don't they buy him a pretty little pianner, and set him to playin' 1t? That's all he's lt for He ought to be safe at home, mammy's darlin'"
 -So that was the name we got to eanln' him The Dsrlln'.' Not to his face, bless you. mol Them blue eyes could turn steel-bue now md then, and flash out sharp of sudden like 8 kniie-blade.
 After awhile we found there was some experiments to be made-sdme invention Of his and that was one reason why he d come here. We didn't ike him any better after we heard that, can tell you, for we thought the company'd sink a lot more money in such nonsense. 'Twasnt our money. and so we hadn't no reason to grumble. you say? Well, there's two sides tc that There's two sides to most thing, if body'll only take the trouble tc look for 'em.
 Did you ever think how you'd feel to look down at your hands big, strong and vlllla, has helpless 10 pegYlae tqT