The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-07-03

0aJlnR spirit. Out tnere was not the same
buoyancy. He was ambitious, as some
said, as his work proved he had a settled
purpose. He became a rapid COM.
positor before he turned his sixteenth
year. When he was seventeen he was
pitted against the fastest type-setters.
He grew up a graceful, self-contained,
self-radiant, 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 sensi-
tive.
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-fnder, and ever
after the foreman openly avowed his
friendship for the apprentice. Among
the few that had discovered how close
the bond was between Tote and his
sister none respected Totes motives
more than the foreman. All Totes
thoughts were devoted to his sister
Flo. Florence and George 10 the
outer world, the two were always Tote
and Flo to each other. Tote had an
alma clearly-defined aim. His sister
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
nine. 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 in Totes praise, was
his fondness for physic. Peters had
observed him on several occasions
emerging from the Office of the ply
stefan who was called in the day he
fell. Peters said plumply that he was
too eager to make money. This com
ing to Tom Duncan's ears, Totes en-
velope the next week held So more,
and never was diminished.
However, the change in Totes APP
pearance a month after he was his own
man, and stood proudly at his own case,
seemed to give color to Peters, insinua-
ton. 1t was plain to everybody that
Tote was working too hard.
He began with eleven thousand the
first day he was his own man, and no.
body ever saw his string" below that
notch. 1t rose gradually, until some of
his fellow-workmen wondered if there
was any limit to Totes working ca
pacity. Presently his "string" aver
aged twelve thousand day, and now
and then, when there was a pleasure,
and no one could complain how much
he made, he spurted ahead, and his
dupes showed that he had averaged
thirteen thousand a day, and did it
easily.
He did not stop there. His average
rose, until one envious printer called
to another across the room: " Heaven I!
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 false nor nervous motion
straight, easy, naturally as a child pick
ing up pebbles, Totes hand moved
from his stick " to his case.
That night an alarm of fire attracted
the workmen's attention. The clang-
ing of the engines and the multitude of
feet caused many to look out of the
windows.
The glow in the heavens indicated
serious conhagration. Everybody
paused and looked out in the direction
of the fire except Potter. One of his
companions called to him to look out at
the fire.
81 have 40 time to waste" he an
swered.
The fire was near at hand. 1t threat
ened to devastate an entire block. The
entire department was out, and in less
than fifteen minutes we began to set
" fire " copy. The copy that night
seemed to be forked right in fresh from
the fire. 1t smeled of the fire.
Presently the bell rang, and after
that the foreman's ear and mouth were
glued to the tubes. His assistant had
to mark takes while Tom Duncan
vibrated between the men at the forms
and the speaking tube.
Tote Potter paused just long enough
to carefully read startling headline he
lifted from the hook. He stood beside
his case reading those that followed.
Numbers were dead, numbers were
dying.
The fire had reached several cases { I
guns gathered from the battle-6elds
wherein the blue and gray had madly
contended for supremacy. The guns
deemed useless, were disposed of by
the government. Those who had
charge of them did not even think il
worth while to examine them ere they
passed from the possession of the gov.
eminent into the hands of the private
purchasers. The purchasers did not
dream that the cases contained death
charges rammed home on a battle
field.
The copy-box danced up and down
the elevator that night-or morning
rather-as it never moved before
Tom Duncan's desk was submerged
early. The fire copy rolled over on his
assistants, took complete possession OF
that, then spread over the proof-read-
er's tables.
The human wheels never worked SC
regularly as they worked that morning
in the indicator composing room,
Everybody mopped their heads, faces
and necks. The bell kept up din.