Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-10-01
BILL, THE LINEMAN.
Che Friend He Found at the Top
of Il Telegraph Pole.

Che Friend He Found at the Top
of IA Telegraph Pole.
Bin was very we'll known In GER
tain quarter not the pleasnntest
quarter. either---of certain great
city He patrolled the wires OF the
Eastern Union Telegraph Company
for about half mile. along River
street "a narrow, dirty thoroughfare
lined with tall tenement houses, whose
very windows and stairways told OF
the poverty stricken condition of most
OF the families that dwelt therein.
Bill was a large, lanky fellow, with
big hands and feet and face that was
rs hard rs rock and "a brown as a
sun, wind and rain. The clothes he
wore we're not made to order, and by
the time Bin got to wearing them at
his work they were by no means new.
Upon his head 10 the summer he gen
orally wore an enormous ten-eent
straw hat, and in winter he pulled an
old cabbit-skin cap down over his ears.
His teot all the year round he encased
In monster boots, to which he strapped
his climbers. For the rest OF his attire
he usually wore heavy blue flannel
shirt and jean trousers fastened by II
broad belt that held his tools, to which
Ia cold weather he added rough pilot
cont
There really was nothing remark
able about Bill the Lineman's appear
ance and yet a keen observer might
have noticed a merry twinkle at times
in his gray eye, and kindly limos play
/ ing about his large mouth but then,
the deni1ons OF River street were not
in the habit of studying the counte-
nanccs OF those who worked In their
midst So. to them, Bill was COM
mon everyday Workman, who minded
his own business up In the cross-arms
whilo they attended To theirs in the
stores upon the street below.
Indeed. all the store keepers and
their customers were so very busy
that not one OF them remarked the
fact that thoro was certain pole IN
which BIN the Lineman stayed every
day, except Sunday, for several min
utos sometimes remaining aloft ns
long as a quarter OF IN hour-al
though the average condition Of tn,
wires, insulAtors and cross-arms a
that pole WAS as good as the rest o
them
The why and wherefore of BIZ
strange prediction for pole mum bel
"a was on this wise: The long cross
arms OF the pole in question were yer,
close to a window ON the fourth stor,
OF a shabby tenement house. Tn,
n ame OF this window was quit,
crooked and the squares of glass wer,
exceedingly small and full OF cracks
while two at least OF them hal sucl
large holes that brown paper had beer
pasted over them to keep out the win,
aud the rain,
For nearly two years the room whicl
that window dimly lighted had bee
unoccupiod. and BIN had long sine
arrived at the conclusion that it woul
never again be- rented, But Que da
towards the close Of n dreary white
he noticed that the unbroken square
OF glass had been rubbed bright an
clenn, and. looking through the win
dow, he perceived that the floor of tn
room had been well Scrubbed.
"Ah" thought Bill new neigh
. bor-, eh'' Bin always considered tn
. folks who occupied rooms near hi
poles as his own especial neighbors
, Wolf he muttered 4" pears tho
Amt fond OF dirt and I'm glad 4
, thut!'
. The very next day there was anothe
surprise IN store for Bin the Linemar
A On the sill of the crooked window wa
IA long narrow green box, and. a
! though 1t held nothing but brow
1 earth Git being too cold Yet for plants)
Bin judged that the new teuant wa
partial 20 lowers And he was gla
OF that too. Tor Bin liked flowers hin
self, because they reminded him OF Ia
: Old home 10 the Berkshire Hills.
Tho lineman WAS now anxious I
see who the new tenant might be. bt
, his curiosity in that direction WI
!, doomed TO disappointment Never, /
al Ire many times that Bill ate
wards cllmbed the tall telegraph pol,
| did he once see through the windo
D the owner of the hands that serubb,
| the lOor and cleaned the glass al
e placed the lowe~ box upon the wi
;, dow-sill.
But before very long he did see
face at the window-such a wee, W,
little face IT was, too-so pale and Y
: SO pleasing-the face of little gin
perhaps seven or eight years old. b
saw that she was a cripple. lying up'
an adjustable invalid's chair, and,
the lineman turned his head from Il
: white face with its large, sad eye