Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-10-24

| f'Nl%N 'iNAN ~ 1N3 fSAl AN& hAit hAit O4lIb1A-
raised face, had not one item in his
favor.
"Ycu are quite sure2'
"Yes, sir"
The proprietor looked at the business
manager, and that look the latter under
stood. He had seen it before. 1t meant
that the testimony was all in, the dis
triet attorneys duty over, and the mat.
te- was wholly with the judge.
"You can go back to the press-room
and 20 to work. | will look into the
mattel later" and so Charlie was dis
missed, aud the proprietor went back to
the crowd of politicians III the private
Office, aud the business manager went on
quoting rates to some big advertising
firm il Chicago.
So Charles life went on. The fore
man never forgave the ink affair, and
| Charles lines were harder than ever.
Once in a while the business manager
came into the press-roon, but he never
noticed the boy; nobody noticed him;
but what did he Gaze for that2 What
did he carel Why, he cared so much
that one day when he met the proprietor
in the alley, aud the pleaslut-faced and
/ pleasaut-yoiced man spokA to him, aud
called him "my boy" he went back to
/ his work and tears fell on tho inky roller
he was washing. There is many ten
der heart, many au appreciative and
hungry one, behind an ugly face.
A boy working about an engine, if
he has any conception or inyent,veness
about him, will soon learn the principles
upon which the machinery runs, and
Charlie was naturally bright in this d.
rection He had dreams of being a mas
ter mechanic some day, and be begaa
away down among the primaries, and
| picked up what he could. 1t was little,
fer Mr.. Williamson did not allow any
ona to fool around the press engine, an
he had threatened irnumerabe times to
use Charles red head to heat the boiler
One day the big edition of the day had
been run, the last ''ifty had been taken
from the packer, the men in the mail
room were wrapping like automatons,
aud Mr.. Williamson anc the pressmen
had disappeared, as they had way of
doing after long run.
Charlie was clearing W. lie had
piled the waste paper into the pit, turned
off the gasIights around the presses, aud
! done the hundred and one iiEsle things
that made up the sum of his dates, lie
was just ABOUT taking of his greasy
ticking apron when he noticed that there
was a smell as Of something burning. He
looked all aroutld, the gas was out ard
what a peculiar smell it was chose
who have smelel iron burning may
know what it was
His eyes instinctively vent to tie
watcr-gauges of the boiler. Trey were
all right, and showed the necessary
depth But while he was still looking,
there was a sucking sound, aud the
water went down out Of sight like a
fash. Could he believe his eyesl What
should he do in a case like thisi Call
somebody2 Where was Mr.. Williamson?
Suppose they should all rush in, aud just
that minute the boiler explode 4nd XIII
every one! The big rake stood ny the
door. He seized it, banged open the
door of the furnace, and with a mighty
sweep drew the glowing mass of red
white Goals out on to the zinc. He nevec
thought of running; he was not the kind
of boy to turn his back on danger.
Is the Goals came piling out, some Of then
solled against the apron he wore, which
touched the floor as he stopped an
apron soaked with ink and press oil aud
kerosene. IL an instant, and before he
had dropped the rake from his fingers, a
tiny flame leaped up from the hem IN
noticed Gy trc boy: wider it grew and
further up it ieoped, until in an instant
he was envcl5ped in fame from head to
foot. He had presence of mind enough
to leap into the tank and turn on the
water, but is MAS TOO late. A wreath of
fame had circlel around the neck of his
checked shirt; he had drawn a long
frightened breath and Nucked in the fire.
They found him wEen they returned
lying with his frcs half in the water, his
clothes black and dropping to pieces,
soaked with water, one p1or little claw
like hand over the side of the tank as if
appealing for help. They lifted him out
and laid him on the bench u the mail
room; the foreman wrapped his overcoat
around him; the doctor from the drug
store across the street was summoned.
He came, aud the business manager
came, and the proprietor, and the office
generally; and they crowded into the
mailing-room, all curious.
- II, I.
everything had happened-the water
guages empty, the Goals raked out in
front, the boy with his burned garments.
lie pointed it out TO the business man
ager aad to the proprietor while they
waited for the doctor to speak.
There were tears in the proprietor's
eycs-tears that he was not ashamed to
show-and the business managers face
was very white.
"Hc is not dead" the doctor said,
but he has evidently swallowed the
flame. If so, he cannot live.
They wiped the smoke from his face,
and pushed back the red hair from his
forehead. Oaly the ends had been
crisped by the licking flame. Several
times the thin eyelids slightly moved,
once the full underllp moved, and lit.
tie short sigh was heard, and that was
all. The pressmen looked at each other
with sad faces. The proprietor spread
his handkerchief over the small, quiet
face.
As he turned to go he said to the men:
"This boy was brave lad; he came
here aud worked in order to let his
brother come to school, His mother is
a widow and poor, and Charlie was will
ing to give up all hope Of future, other
than that of mechanic, for her sake and
the sake of the brother. | have known
this from the first; Ihave watched him
fight his way; l have seen how he
has had to content himself with many
things. have let it go on, knowing it
would make him stronger for the battle
he would have to fight with the world in
after years and rs he bore himself, so in
like manner did intend to reward him
when the time came that l could help