Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1894-03-23
Iglgl Santa Wheat
By FRANCIS BRET HARTR

.
some machinery and what appeared t,
be part of a small steam engine. Mid
way of the shed was a closet or cup
board fastened with large paddock
Occupying its whole length on the Other
side was work bench, and at the fur
Their end stood the workman she hai
heard.
/ He was apparently only year or two
older than herself, and clad in blue iear
overalls. blackened and smeared with
oil and coal dust. Even his youthful
face, which he turned toward her, had a
black smudge running across it and al.
most obliterating small auburn mus.
tache. The look of surprise that he gave
her, however, quickly passed. He re.
manned patiently and in half preoccu-
pied way holding his hammer in his
hand as she advanced. This was evil
IDENTIFY the young fellow who could "do
anything that could be done with wood
and iron"
she was very sorry to disturb him, but
could he tell her how long it would be be-
fore the wagon could be brought up and
mended? He could not say that until
he himself saw what was to be done.
Ii 1T was only matter of a wheel he
could fix it up in few moments; if, as
he had been told. it was case of twisted
or bent axle it would take longer, but it
would be here very soon. And then
would he let her wait here, as she was
very anxious to know at once-and it
was much cooler than in that other
shed? Certainly; he would go over and
bring her bench. But here she begged
he wouldn't trouble himself; she could
sit anywhere comfortably.
| The lower end of the work bench was
covered with clean and odorous shay
ings. She lightly brushed them aside.
and with youthful movement swung
herself to a seat upon it, supporting her
self on one hand as she leaned toward
him. She could thus see that his ewes
We're of Light yellowish brown, like
clarified honey, with singular look of
clear concentration in them, which.
however, was the same whether turned
upon his work, the surrounding grain or
upon her. This, and his sublime uncon-
seriousness of the smudge across his face
and his blackened hands, made her Won
der If the man who could do everything
with wood and iron was above doing
anything with water. She had half a
mind to tell him Of it, particularly as
she noticed also that his throat below
the line of sunburn disclosed by his open
collar was quite white and his grimv
hands well made. She was wondering
whether he would be affronted if she
said in her politest way, 81 beg your
pardon, but do you know you have quite
accidentally got something on your
face?" and offer her handkerchief, which
Of course he would decline, when her
eye fell on the steam engine.
Show odd! Do you use that on the
farm
No-he smiled here, the smudge &C.
centing it and setting off his white teeth
in Christy minstrel fashion that ex-
asperated her-no. Although it could
be used and had been. But it was his
first effort, made two years ago, when
he was younger and more inexperienced.
1t was rather rough thing, she could
see, but he had to make it at odd times
with what iron he could pick up or pay
for, and at different FORCES where he
worked.
She begged his pardon-where?-
Where he worked.
All, then he was the machinist or en-
gineer here?
No, he worked here just like the others,
only he was allowed to put up forge
while the grain was green, and have his
bench, in consideration of the odd jobs
he could do in the way of mending tools,
etc. There was a heap of mending and
welding to do-she had no idea how
quickly agricultural machines got out
of order! He had done much of his
work on the steam engine on moonlit
nights. Yes; she had no idea how per-
fectly clear and light it was here in the
valley on such nights although of course
the shadows were very dark, and when
he dropped screw or a nut it was diff
cult to find. He had worked there be-
cause it saved time and because it didn't
cost anything, and he had nobody to look
on or interfere with him. No; it was
not lonely; the coyotes and wild cats
sometimes came very near, but were al
ways more surprised and frightened
than he was, and once horseman who
had strayed off the distant road yonder
mistook him for an animal and shot at
him twice.
He told all this with such freedom |
from embarrassment and with such ap- |
parent Inconsistencies of the blue eyes |
that were following Kim and the light, |
graceful figure-which was SO near his
own that in some of his gestures his |
grimy hands almost touched its delicate |
garments-that, accustomed as she was
to certain masculine alteration in her |
presence, she was greatly amused by his |
naive acceptance of her as an equal. |
Suddenly looking frankly in her face he
said:
ell show you secret if you care to
see it."
Nothing would please her more.
He glanced hulriedly around, took |
key from his pocket and unlocked the
paddock that secured the closet she had
noticed. Then reaching within with in
finite care he brought out a small me-
model.
"There's an invention of my own. A
reaper and thrasher combined. I'm
going to have it patented and have big
one made from this model. This will
work, as you see."
He then explained to her with great
precision how as it moved over the field
the double operation was performed by
the same motive power. That it would
be a saving of certain amount of labor
and time which she could not remember.
She did not understand word of his ex-
plantations; she saw only clean and
pretty but complicated toy that, under
The manipulation of his grimy fingers,