Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-09-20
PUMPER JIM.

Pipe Lines Company in body that repre-
sented the oil producers of the entire Har
ford region, and demanding that their oi
tanks be relieved. Failing to obtain thi
concession, the producers meant to taxi
possession of the lines aud run them toI
their selfprotection or destroy them
1t was a beautiful May day, soft anC
warm, and Jim Croffut felt indolent, as he
sat outside of the pump station listening
to the monotonous strokes of the big en-
gine sending the petroleum with a musical
click into the main line. He had smoked
his pipe so lazily that it had gone out, but
he still held the stem between his teeth
A cheerful laugh reused him from his
revere, aud he swung forward, dropping
the chair on its four feet
well, l declare, Jim, you aIe the sleep
lest man on the Tuna You never can
keep your pipe going"
How dye do, Mrs. Stearnsi VIII you
sit2"
NO, thank you; I'm on my way to the
store"
"Will you 'blige me by bringing me a
plug of smoking tobaccy2 I'm about ont
of that consolation"
Certainly, Jim; but | do think you
about the most easily eonsoled man | ever
saw. Good-morning."
Good mornin'."
He watched her tripping lightly over the
ground for a few moments, and then, re
suming his seat, muttered Perhaps not
so easily consoled as you think, Widow
Stearns, when none but you can do it; and
yit | can't tell you, for it would seem like
fergitting Bill Stearns, and me and him
was pards too long for that"
Knowing that he would soon have new
supply of tobacco, he knocked the ashes
out of his pipe and filled the bowl, packing
it well with the crumbs which he picked
from his coat pocket with thumb and fore
finger The coat was still lying over his
knees, but he seemingly forgot to tumble
in it for a match, while he rested his ell
bows on it. Again his preoccupation was
broken by a voice, likewise familiar to
him. This time the shed was between
him and the speaker. who exclaimed
''Whoa, boysl don't kick, or Wen all be
in kingdom come in two shakes of a cats
tail"
Jim jumped to his feet and ran around
the she'd Before him lay torpedo man,
thrown from his box by the breaking of an
axle, and holding to the lines that guided
his team. The horses instinctively stood
still, aad Jim hastened to unhitch them
lest they should become restless and kick
informed him, was loaded. When the
horses were tied to tree at a short dis
tance from the wreck, Jim went to the tor
pedo man and helped him to his feet
Il got bad twist Pumper Jim; but I'm
thankful that was all"
'.Well, you are under obligashuns to be
glad, for you come mighty near being a
passenger on the sky-high route. How
did you get tied up that way, anyhow"
Making a shortcut. ! was going gen
tie enough, bit the wheel got twisted
somehow on the big pipe, and the axle
snapped. | dropped on the pipe, and hurt
"You torpedo men are all durn fools,
anyhow, Jake Burdin, and it's a wonder
there amt more of you knocked into the
tree tops"
BY that time Jake was comfortable as
he could be made on the rude lounge Jim
had constructed with a plank and two
chairs
I'm look for somebody to send Rogers
word, said Jim; and he went out to the
main road, where he met a detachment of
producers on their way to Hartford.
Say" he called, there's a man hurt
down to the pump statiOn-Jake Burdin.
win one of you men be kind enough to tell
Rogersl''
Very much like string of oaths con
demning all sorts of monopolies was the
sentence hurled back at him by the man
nearest him.
''Monoplies amt got nothing to do with
a man being human. have they7" You tell
Rogers to send doctor out here, and then
you can call yourself man"
Jim guessed the errand of the men, for
he had heard the mutterings of the storm
that was to break that day, but he made no
allusion to the discomfort which had at last
developed into violence.
''We're coming back to see you, mebbe
and we'll fetch doctor with us"
''You will find me at home when you
come, but if there's IA man in that crowd
he'll go straight to Rogers's Office when he
gets to Hartford, and let 'em know there
that one of their mems laid up here with a
bad hurt"
That being the case, wen all call on
Rogers right off, for we're all men, and de
mand a mans rights"
Much Obliged" Jim called and then
hastened to Jake.
Take it easy as you can, Burdin Rog
ers will send for you soon"
He was right, for in a short time one of
Rogers's teams dashed up to the pump sta
ton, and the driver leaped To the ground
Jake was lifted into the buggy, and the
driver took up the lines to go, when Jim
asked what was going on in Hartford
Nothing but the producers; they're GO
ing Oh big. and there's likely to sbe some
thing smashed fore night"
Likely Jim commented, and then
nodded good-hy to Jake
An extra man, who had come with the
buggy, mounted one of the horses Jake
had driven, and leading the other, was
soon out oi sight. The broken wagon,
with It's load of explosive, lay on its side
Jim contemplated it few minutes and
then remarked: 'If there's to be any
smashin' goin' on, that stuff in there might
he useful. I'll just conGscate it, as they
used to say in the army"
He lifted the lid off the box, and looked
at the cans. They were all small each
containing a quart of nitro-glycerine.
Good" he muttered. They'll make
good bombs. could throw one of them
about one hundred feet | reckon, on n
pinch.
He took them carefully out of the box,
and carried them into the shed, as he call
ed the little house that covered the pump
ing engines. When done with that, he
looked around for pipe, and finally found
it half full of tobaeeo. Lighting it, he sat
down to resume the meditation that had
been twice interrupted that day. Finding
that his thoughts were inclined to wander,