Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-02-28
PU MPER JIM.

of the entire Hartford region and demanding
That their oil tanks be relieved. Failing to
obtain this concession the producers meant
10 take possession of the lines and run them
for their self protection or destroy them.
1t was a beautiful May day, soft and warm,
md Jim Crofui felt indolcut as ho sat out
side Of the pump station listening to the mo-
rotouou, strokes of the big engine sending
'Nr 1otroeum with musical clink into the
.,..,r lne lie had smoked his pipe so lazly
4, had gone out. but he still held the
AetVecn his teeth.
.ueerful laugh aroused him from hisrev
.., aud he swung forward, dropping the
rs.ll on its -four feet.
"Wcl. | declare jim, you are the slrpiest
man on the Tuna. Nou never can keep your
pipe gong
''fIow dye 90, Mrs. Stearnel VIII you
sit?"
"No, thank you; I'm on my way to the
store"
''WiIl you 'biige by brinrin' me a plug of
snollin tcbaccyl I'm about out of that con-
ISOLATION"
Certainly, Jim: but do think you about
the most easily consoled man / ever saw.
Good morning"
Good Inornin."
he watched her tripping lightly over the
ground for few moments, and then, reSuu-
ing his seat muttered. Perhaps notso easily
consoled as You shink, Widow Stearns, when
none but you can do it; and yit cunt tell
you, for it would seem like fergittin' Bill
Stearrs and me and him paryis too long
for that"
Knowing that he would soon have new
supply of tobacco he knocked the ashes out
of his pipe and filed the bowl, packing it
well with the crumbs, which he picked from
his coat pocket with thumb and fore4inTer.
The coat was still lying over his knees, but he
seemingly forgot TO tumble in it for match,
while be rested his elbow on it. Again his
prescription was broken by voice, like
wise familiar to him. This time the shed was
between hun and the speaker, who exclaimed,
whoa bows! don't kick, or wen all he in
kingdom come in two shakes of a cats tail"
jim jumped to his feet and ran around the
shed. Before him lay torpedo man. thrown
from his box by the breaking of an axle and
boldinr to the lines that guided his team.
Tho horses instinctivoly stood STILL and Jim
hastcucd to unhitch them lest they should be
come restless and licl. the wagon, which the
to:rclo man .rimv told HIM was loaded.
When the horses were tied TO n tree at a
5. yrt distance from the wreck, Jim went to
ta. torpedo man and helped ilm to his feet.
- -u' % bad twist, Iumper Jim; but I'm
than ui that was al'.'
"Ua,l. Won are unlor oblisoshuns to lie
gl"l, f.r you come mighty nes,r hcin' pas
seu-,r on the Sky high rout" How did you
get tjcj up that way anyhow
.'Hasiu a short cut. ! was coiu gentle
cuoa.a, hut ,Ur wheel got twisted somehow
on tire hig pipe, and The axle snnppcl |
dropped oa tire pipe and hurt samclhin.'
Iou torpedo men are all dunn fools any
how, Jgl., GUrliu, and it, a wonder there
amt mareof you knocked into the tree tops"
BY that time Jake was rs comfortable as
be could ba made on the rude lounge Jim con-
structed with plank and two chairs
I'll Iool; for somebody to send Rogers
word" said Jim, and he went ont 10 the main
road. where he met a detachment Of produc-
ers on their way to Hartford.
Say" he called. "ther,-s a man hurt down
to the pump station-Jake Burdm. VIII one
of you men be kind enough TO tell Rogers"
Very much like string Of oa1lls condemn
ing all sorts of nonopJlies was The sentence
hurled bacl; at him by the man nearest him.
"Monopoles amt got nothing to do with a
man being human. have they! You tell Rog
ers to send doctor out here and then you
can call yourself a man"
Jim guessed the GRAND of the men. for he
had heard the nUtterings Of the storm tAAG
was to breai; that day but he made no allu-
sion to the discomfort which had at last de
velOped into violence.
We're comm back to see you, mebbe, and
we'll fetch doctor with US
"You'll find me at home when YOU come
but if there's man in that crowd hell 90
straight TO Rogers Office when he gets to
Hartford, and let 'em know there that one of
their mems laid up here with bad hurt"
That being the case, we'll all call on
mand a mans rights
Much obhged,n Jim called and then has
tened TO Jake.
Take it a. easy as yOu can; B1lrun; Rogers
will send for you SOON
lie was right. for in a short time one of
Rogers teams dashed upto tho pump station
and the driver leaped to the ground. Jake
was lifted into the buggy and the driver
took up the lines to go, WREN Jim asked what
was going on III Harford.
'Nothin' but the producers. They're going
on big, and there's likely to be sunethiu
smashed fore night"
Likely, ~ Jim commented, and then nodded
good-by TO Jake,
An extra man who had come with the
buggy mounted one Of the horsas Jake had
driven, and, heading the other, was soon out
of signt The broken wagon, with its load Of
explosives lay on its side
jim contemplated it few minutes and
then remarked: "If there's b. be any smashin
goin' on, that stuff in there might be useful
Ill just contiscate it, as they used TO say il
the army"
lie lifted the lid off the box and looked al
the cans They were all small each contain
ing quart Of nitro giycerlne.
Good" he mut1ered. They'll makegooC
bombs | could throw one Of them about on,
hundred feet, | reckon, on pinch
lie took them carefully out Of the box anC
carried them into the shed, as he called tn,
little house that covered the pumping en-
gines. When done with that he looked aroma
for his pipe and finally found it, half full o
tobacco. Lighting it, he sat down TO resume
the meditation that had been twice inter
rupted that day, Finding that his Thought
were inclined to wander he rose and gave the
fires a shaking up. When he threw the pokci
down he said TO himself, as if TO anothe@ per
son:
''If they get to howlin' round hcfs guos
I'll have TO let the fires 90 out, but there's NJ
Use in borrowin' trouble.n