Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-07-19
SLUG SEYEN'S SUB"
BY EMMA LYNDON.

He came into the composing-room
one afternoon, nearly exhausted from
q long walk of twenty five miles since
morning. and wet and cold with the
dismal rain and sleet that was falling
outside.
He did not present an attractive ap.
! pearance-a face that needed both
shaving and was hing, Drowned by
constant exposure-and pair OF
great eyes that looked hungrily
around the strange rooms as il in
search OF something he never found; q
coat that might once have graced the
form of a gentleman of leisure-prob-
ably contributed by some dude"
printer in philanthropic mood, but
which had long since lost the last trace
of respectability-an old SLOUGH hat,
battered by wind and wheather, and
hard usage, like its owner.
No one could have told, or even
guessed with any degree OF accuracy,
the man's age. He may have been fiji.
ty or thirty-fve years old. No mat
ter-no one cared sufficiently TO in
| quire or wonder. He walked slowly
across the room, stopping at last to
watch dreamily the dett fingers OF one
OF the printers who was distributing
his case for the nights work.
The worker glanced over his Shout
der at another man who sat behind
him, saying indiffierently:
Here you are, slug seven"
Slug seven, who had evidently been
longing for a "sub," threw himself
carelessly of his stool, depositing a
dozen lines of type on the stone,
and turning to the stranger, said:
want to work? Jump on to that
case"
The tramp hesitated-only a second
-murmuring something about being
tired; then YEARLY took off his shabby
coat, exposing to view shirt which
had no original color, and vest
equally grImy and dilapidatel. But
when once at work, sending the type
hither and thither in the process OF
distribution, the weary look on his
face grew trifle less perceptible, and
an occasional smile lurked in the cor.
ner OF his mouth at the Jokes that
went around the room.
Outside, the November sleet beat
against windows, and the streets wee
almost deserted. Within the com.
posing-room all was life and fun and
laughter; merry talk mixed with tbs
click, click OF type from hundred
fingers.
: Thoughtless, light-hearted workers
} earning their money deity and swift
ly, and managing to be dead broke
each week as payday came around.
Where did you work last?" asked
a young fellow who stood beside the
tramp.
"In Philadelphia" he answered
, stopping his work for a moment
But that was two weeks ago, haven
had any work since"
'ThaU's hard luck" carelessly.
ave fellows are used to that" will
/ a little bitter langh.
; pretty tired, aren't your" sale
''slug seven" walking up and noticini
the weary look In his subs" face.
Eyes; and | have pain between
I my shoulders that cut like knife.
must work tonight, though" turnint
away to pick up Il handful OF type.
A tall, heavy-built man stalked in
to the room at this juncture. HI
glanced sharply at the new man, tax
ing in his general outside appearance
J in one swift look, from the brown. un
shaven face to the shabby shoes tina
scarcely concealed his feet. A suddel
hush fell upon the noisy crowd. Tn
business manager of the concern wa
not inclined to encourage levity. III
walked over to the foreman's table
I whispered something in his ear ana re
8 Ceived the answer.
) He's all right; little rough-look
, ing, but printer is printer we
three frames short tonight"
The business manager walked out
. after which the Jokes and general free
r dom OF speech were resumed.
2 Six o'clock sounded from the differ
| emit city shop.bells, the Whistles blew
the old composing-room clock cIauge,
out six sharp notes. The office wa
, nearly deserted. The tramp fingered
looking with true compositor'
pride at the heaped up case out @
which he might "pull q good string.
9 If he were not so tired, and that oil,
u pain in his shoulders were not quit
+ so sharp, though almost taking hi
q breath at times.
a at looks as if would have to Wi
!. till lunch-time for my supper, but it.
u long time till IL O'Clock tonight,
q he SAID to himself, as he walked owe
u to the sink to wash up. No one ha,
seemed to notice that he must nee
food-that he would be obliged t.
N bunk under his case-in tn
>. waste-box, or press-room-anywh
:, for want of little none
: to procure a lodging outside. Non
" of the smart young printers who he'll
D regular cases on that enterprisin
n sheet could be expected to take t.
). their respectable boarding places
"a man SO dirty and uncouth-looking a
! this tramp. Even il their heart
= prompted any such action, the fear Z
% being snubbed by their Iandladies 70
10 the generous deed overruled a.
~ thoupht la that direction