The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-08-07

| year older and that much harder. 81 don't
care" lie said. Il amt goin' ter lose my
| Job an git a-lickin ter home fer tn sake of
u lie. tells 'em I'm ii. an they kin 20 ter
| thunder"
Thus spoke these two free-born Ameri-
cans. future upholders Of their country's
| liberties.
The children from the city reached the
mills at quarter before Z every morning,
but Joe. knowing Jimmie usually arrived
10 minutes earlier, made il a point to rise
nail an hour earlier than was necessary in
the morning in order TO get an earlier train
and have few minutes with his beloved
friend ere working hours began. Once, On
holiday. he had gone home with Jimmie,
the two tramping all the way out from
Iwenty-third avenue to the little town
because there was not room enough in the
wagon for Joe. and Jimmie preferred
walking to leaving his chum.
Another time Jimmie had stayed 10 town
one Saturday night. going home on the
train with Joe, and they had slept for two
nights in vacant shed at the Point, there
being no room to stow away guest in ,Joe's
wretched home. These two were red-letter
days IN the boys lives and served TO date
al things else from. Joe had initiated
Jimmie INTO his duties on the morning of
ms advent into the mill and their friendship
had lasted, unbrokenly, ever since On the
morning with which our sketch deals
Jimmie, springing from the wagon to greet
his friend, was shocked to note n huge
swelling on the side of his head that nearly
closed one eye, and which was itself of that
dark, nurplsh hue that prOclaims bruise
what's got yer, Joe ?" he asked anxiouslv.
Jaw. that's nothiE' Dad was rampagin'
las night an swatted me side er
tn head l bin there a lot @
Hmes lore now, was JOe's indif-
ferent reply. Jimmie knew the propensity
OF Joe's father to rampage" whenever he
lmbibed too freely of the particular quality
OF whisky sold at the Point. so beyond Civ
Ing his TRENDS hand a sympathetic squeeze
he made no comment on the terrible bruise.
and by the time he and Joe had unhitched
old Dick and tied him to the fence in a
vacant lot near the Mills leaving beside
him the bundle OF hay on which Jimmie
had lain while coming in, and which was
intended as Dicks dinner, working hours
had begun and there was no more chance
for chat until noon.
Despite his having made light of il, how
ever Joe's head was very sore and painful.
Jimmie could not help but notice, as he
passed him several times IN the coursp of
the morning, that he looked pale and out OF
sorts. Guess his head hurts him like
blaZes," lie thought to himself, and his
small heart ached with the desire TO help his
chum. Poor Joe; everything went wrong
with him that morning. He lost count of his
sacks. He got in the way of the workers
and was pulled and pushed about and
sworn at until. between confusion and pain
and the knowledge that he would probably
be dOcked at the end of the week, he was
thoroughly sick and out of sorts when the
noon signal sounded. To be with Jimmie
somewhat revived his spirits, and as il was
the latter's week for looking after old Dick
Joe was feeling quite ike himself by the
time they had returned from giving Dick
drink and his bag of hay. Taking their
pals the two boys sat down on tie curb
beside the walk TO oat their lunch
cons and build air-rastes, as was their
wont 1t was Jce's Intention when
he should be grown to he rich man; but
whether he should acquire his wealth as
owner Of the jutemils OF as conductor on
the local train he was undecided. He knew
the proprietor was rich. but he seldom came
about the mills to do any business whereas
the conductor was an autocrat indeed, the
weight of whose authority Joe had often
felt when suddenly called upon to stop
scu1iing on the train platform and take a
seat within the car. He had no doubt but
that the conductor was also rich.
Tell you wot It's, Jim" said Joe, be
tween huge mouthfuls of rye bread. II
hain't never g0in' ter eat this stuff when
Pm rich"
"Ner me this" Jimmie said, with con-
temptuOus wave OF the cold potato, which
hunger was compelling him to make way
goin' every day."
"WorlI yer have. Jim9 Les tell" and
joe, saving finished the last crumb OF his
bread, settled back to enjoy a Barmecide
a L.
The little fellow thought for a long time.
his eyes sparkling at the visions of CASTRO
nomic wealth that arose before him. "TeH
yer wot tits, joe" he said at last. heaVing a
deep sigh and smacking his lips in cpl
curean anticip atiOn. I'm have ham"
Joe gave a snort Of dSdaiu. Nav yer
won't" lie said scornfully. Ham amt
nuthin', wOt yer wants haddies Finnan
haddies. they calls 'em ] had some oncet
an yer betcher life when 1 get rich I'm er
goin' ter have haddies every day" jim
ME was deeply hurt. He knew not
what haddies might be. but he did
know that the greatest luxury of life was
ham. He had IL but rarely and he had bad
eggs with Ii, bnt that was year ago. before
his father died. and he got no such feasts
now, but when he was man be meant TO
have them every day. and he repeated his
intention TO Joe, with an infection bv no
means hattering TO the others taste. Poor
Joe's head had begun to ache again and he
felt cross. Jimmie'S insistence irritated
him inexpressbly. "PShawY' he said, yer
don't know nOthin', country m0ke like
you kin live on ham II yer wants ter, but
Amt no sech fool"
Jimmie flushed with rage Joe had never
spoken TO him so before in all their ac-
quaiBtance, and he wouldn't stand IL. H.
stinctively his fists clenched and he spraDg
10 his feet. Yer call me fool again." lie
SAID, IAN III knock yer down" Joe was
up III an in slant aud faced him. ''Yer be a
What might have happened il is impossible
to say, but just then the shriIl whistle blew,
announcing the end Of the noon hour, and
the two boys hurried back to work.
1t was heartbIeaking afternoon for
both OF them. Joe was filed with wrath at
Jimmies lin peTeBce," as he styled il, to
himself, while Jimmie's rage boiled afresh
at every recollection OF the epithet Joe had
applied TO HIM. The long hours wore
away until closing time came, and Jimmie
fastened with a heavy heart TO bring up
old Dick. As he was leading the horse
toward the wagon he saw Joe trudging
of toward the station to take the
train, and his heart thT0bbed heavily
with grief and pain. He and Joe never
parted without shaking hands and saying
goodnight. 1t seemed more than he could
bear. He looked after the retreatng
figure. Joe was walking alone and swing
ing his dinner-pail glOomily. lie looked
pale and tired. and even at that distance