The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-06
THE QUITTING OF Johnson.
How the Swedish Lumberman An
nOunced the FOreman's Fate.
From the New York sun.

y u
From the New York Sun.
johnson had been gang foreman for
big Port Blakely lumber company for ten
years, when the accident from which he
had escaped so many times that he had
almost come to believe he bore charmed
existence befell him at last and he went
out, quietly and without demonstration
Of any sort, as bents a gang foreman who
has faced death many times on the booms
and just as often escaped unscathed by
reason of the virtue that was in him.
This particular Johnson-there are
swarms of them among the lumbermen on
the Pacific coast-was Swede. as are
most of his fellows. You didn't need, 10
hear his name to know his nationality. He
had the big, wide-open, light blue eyes
and tow hair of his race and he was as
broad shoudered and brawny as any
Norseman who ever sailed on a Shiny
whaler or heaved his heart out on the
bunt Of lower topsail trying to pay Pad
dy Doyle for his boots.
He was born without fear. II trouble
came in the shape of an angry man he
looked his antagonist squarely between
the eyes and his two brawny fists FOL
lowed fast and followed faster" until out
of the thick fog of the fighting Johnson
doomed UP alone, nnrufiied and undated,
satisfied to have done two-handed mans
work in astwo-handed mans way. IL the
trouble came on the boom johnson was
Just as sure. His eyes were keen, his
blow certain and mighty and his foot
sure. But to the best of them there come
difficulties that bring great dangers and
sooner or later the boom opens In place
where no opening should be and the gang
loses a member. Many narrow squeaks
had not taught Johnson caution. His
courage was as fine as his frame was big
and when the jam was too much for the
men. the giant foreman would send them
all away and go In alone 10 hustle the
obstreperous logs.
When the last season opened there
came to work in Johnson's gang brand
nsw Swede who found almost as much
DIFFICULTY with the great logs as he did
with the quirks and twists of the English
tongue. He had been at work only a. few
weeks, and Johnson was only just begin
ming to get him licked into shape when
the accident came. They were working
on a tremendous boom, sorting logs of q
particular size for O particular kind OF
| lumber on a special contract. 1t was the
hardest kind of wood and Johnson was
driving his men as much as he could. The
new Swede got into tight place and
johnson started to help him. A treach'
erous log rolled; the boom opened for a
second Just enough to let the big fore
| man smash through; there was a little
/ splash as he sank; then the boom closed
! and johnson was gone. The other mer
Of the gang were far away and had moi
seen the accident Work went on just
as usual.
The new swede watched the place wher'
the big foreman went out Of sight bu
johnson did not come back He waited al
hour. and still the foreman was missing
| He had been taught In a hard school th'
| hard lesson that what Johnson did wal
right, whatever II might be, and he argued
| to himself that IL the foreman chose TO div'
/ under the boom and come UP somewhere
| else that was the foremnn's business ant
not his. But after another hour light be
gan to dawn on him. He looked at the
| Mace where johnson went through for q
| long time and scratched his white head as
| II puzzling over difficult proposition AZ
last he dropped his work and started slow
ly across the boom toward the superin'
| tendents office. A few minutes later inc
| busy superintendent was astonished at be-
! ing interrupted In his work by the new
| swede and hearing him say;
NVaeu | tank Yonson qYit' ei"
The superintendent looked up In amaze
ment and exclaimed:
whats the matter with you? Johnson
| all right. a.. IL,
English yer GUIDE. Venn cantspik English
yer guide. den maybe tell 1t better, den
| tank Yonson he qvit
why. OF course, Johnson hasn't quit.
declared the superintendent, irrationaily
but humanity beginning TO get angry at
the ,oRger's stupidity. johnson has been
with us for ten years. OF course he hash
! quit. He's gone away somewhere. What
do you want2"
''Den l tank he quit, answered the i'm
perturable Swede.
The superintendent stood up.
81 not spik English yer guide" began
the swede. but the superintendent inter
rupted brusquely;
"Where is Johnson2' he said.
II show YOU" replied the logger.
With the Swede leading the two mer
scrambled over the boom. The superin
] tendent had the agility Of experience, an'