Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-07-03
SLUG NUMBER ELEVEN

tnaG over tllat CdSe, you dSA! w NY
that's Nan. She was Slug II. Oh, no.
Slug IL wasn't her nickname. Twas
her number. Sect here is slug eleven.
Printers use their slug numbers to mark
their matter: else how could they make
up their strings? A string? Oh, we
paste all our dupes together, and that
makes a string that shows what we've
done. Here's my string for the day
regular rope, amt it?
want to know about Nan, eh? Well,
she was the only female typesetter we
had, and she was hummer. She could
talk longer, and on occasions louder,
and truth compels me to say broader,
than-well than some girls. Pretty
Not exactly, just so so. Slender, lively.
hair the color of canned salmon, teeth
pretty well justified, and eyes that were
usually blue, but liable to turn green if
she got mad. Boys used to say that If
Nan was going to Paradise she'd be late
getting there; but | never saw nothing
bad about her except, once IN a while,
her tongue. Mister, dom you get it into
your head that because a girl sets type or
works in a factory among lot of men
she cant be good
ITO resume my yarn. One day there
came along n handsome young fellow
that we dubbed Mr.. Kokuk, because he
came from the town Of kokuk. Nan
took quite a fancy to him. He and The
Rat were about the only persons in the
office that Nan did notice. We called
him The Rat because he went back on
us when we struck. We took him back
out of pity, but no one loved Kim. Iank,
cadavcrous, peck marked, thin Tipped
fellow. with eyes like two holes burnt in
O blank t.
"Wcll, Nan and Mr.. Kokull went to
two or three dances and circus or two
we used to get plenty of comps to
such things thcn--and first we know
they were engaged. The very next week
we went on a strike again. all except
Nan and The Eat. lie said his wife was
dying, and lac had to earn what he could
1t wasn't much, because he was II rcgu-
lar blacksmith. We call poor printer
a blacksmith. Mans eyes turned green
as she said she wouldn't go because she
didn't want to, $50 theret About Il
week after the strike began Mr.. Kobul
and | were in a saloon opposite the block
where The Rats folks roomed, and we
saw Nan come in at the family entrance
and buy flask of whisky. We were in
there celebrating the end of the strike.
All went back next day, and late in the
evening, when only Mr.. kokuk, Nan
and | were left in the office. | heard him
90 over and tell Nan he must break off
the engagement because she Mad gone
| back ON the strikers, but more partictl-
lnrly for the reason that he would never
marry woman that bought whisky
by the flask at saloon. Mr. Kolluk
was kind of goody goody fellow,
you see. Nan wheeled about ON her
stool her eyes snapped till the lashea
fairly cracked and she said: You are a
little plaster of paris god, amt you? BE
careful You don't tip over or you II break
In two. You ought to 20 as missionary
to the canuibdls. You wouldn't be good
eating, but they amt very particular.
Mr.. kokuk put ON his coat and went
away, but after he had gone | went tC
lift handful of type out of a form that
stood near Mans case, and | saw that
her eyes were sweating. Tears as big us
rain drops fell down over her case. She
kept ON throwing i'll type She tossed
| 'a's' into the 'e' box and commas oven
among the periods and caps down
among the lower case letters in a reck'
less manner. Every stickful of type
she set up next day was SO lousy the
foreman threatened to discharge her
What do mean by lousy? Why, full OF
mistakes, to be sure. | knew the reason
and corrected some of her galleys to hell
her out. At the next meeting of ou
union some one said it had been proposed
to raise fund To bury The Rats two
children that had just died that day Of
scarlet fever, both on the same day
mind you. lie had buried his wife the
=. 4 L. III Il,
bury his own dead; he's been at worl
right along. said some one, and nearly
all growled assent.
"'Who started the movement to raise
the fund.- asked |.
"'&au, answered the follow who had
proposed the matter. She headed the
list. She's about the only friend tn,
family had. Sat up nights to help take
care of Rats wife, who was a mighty
sweet little woman. Bought whisky fol
her when that was all that would keel
! the poor woman alive.
"You ought to have seen the expires
sion of Mr.. kokuk' S face when he heare
this explanation as to why Nan went t
the saloon to get Il bottle of whisky
And when Rats wife died, continue
the speaker, and his two children fel
sick, She cared for them. Worked al
day and sat up nearly all night viii
them. tell YOU, boys, printing Offices
have their devils, but now and thel
angels drop down into them, and
"Before he could say any more Mr.
Koluk sprang up and moved that eacl
member be assessed So to defray the fu
neral expenses of Rats children, ans
that as many of the boys as could hir,
subs should attend the funeral. Did w,
carry the motion2 Well, rather.
Nan was the only woman mourner
and she looked handsome ON cheaI
dress OF black she had got for the occa
sion. Next day she was back ut her case
and at evening, while she was distributing
type, Mr.. Kokuk crept up to her east
looking like whipped spaniel, and said
Nan, do you know what | think Of
you?
"'No; and what's more, l don't care!
"fWell, think you are saint upoI
earth
"'Do you know what think of yout
said Nan, knocking about half a handful
of matter into pi. i don't think any
thing
Then how Mr.. Kokuk did plead 70
forgiveness Nan said not word for I
long time, but finally she turned abou
with half sheer on her face and said
, IN JEFF to see WHO pays for the tickets t.
the theatre tonight. 70 jeff is to pla'
, game with type Mr. Kokuk got stucl
for the tickets. and | tell you he wa
A., tickled. They went; but they only saw
part of the play. As they were walking
along to the theatre they passed a par