, 1897-11-01
A MAN AT HIS WORK

VI "a 41o w
1t Vas long past shutdown when
camped On the roadside in the Rogue
river valley, and the sky was full OF
the afterglow, and the Siskyou range
was cleaning. Other tramps had used
the nearer wood, but l scraped up enough
to light q fire and boil some water for
tea. l had q little mutton ard some
bread to eat, and l gulped it down mis-
erably. What was l doing i'll such q
place? And what was my place in the
universe? l yearned terribly for some
one to speak to. Even a common tramp
of the usual order would have helped
me in my mood that night.
But as the afterglow faded and the
stars arose from the LIST and the crests
of the Siskyor.s became mere sharp
mountcin forms against the sky the
silence was oppressive. 1t was warm
and very still. and the subdued hum Of
the unseen insect world accumulated the
depth Of silence OH the human earth.
My nerves were on edge. The howl of
. chained dog On u distant farm made
me start from a waking dream. l threw
O wood on my fire, and, unrolling
my blankets, I lay down.
Perhaps l had been asleep no more
than q few minutes when l awoke sud
denly, finding that l had rolled over
with my back to the blazing logs. But
l was conscious ever then that l was
not alone, and, with the instinct Of sus-
picion alight in me, I slid my hand to
the butt Of my pistol and rolled oven as
though still asleep. / saw a man sitting
on the opposite side Of my fire with his
hands locked round his knees. He was
staring into the embers with a faroff
look in his cleaning eyes. No more ut
terly melancholy face had ever fronted
mine. I watched for more than a min.
ute before he became conscious that ]
was awake.
81 hope I haven't disturbed you, part.
ner," he said alphabetically, ''but it
was chilly, and I hadn't any matches,
and I'm getting old, getting old"
He murmured the last words to him
self.
THAT'S all right, sonny" l an
swered. you're welcome to 30 much
II was going to borrow a lighted
stick and make a fire for myself. I've
scraped up some wood just yonder."
bring it here, then," said !. "One
big fire is better than two small ones. >"
And the old chap rose. He was long
and thin and haggard, with the bowed
shoulders of ancient and continued toll.
He walked us though greatly %fatigued.
He came back in a minute with his
arms full of sticks, and, putting some of
them on the embers, he sat down again,
/ was wide awake now and got up
"Don't''- he Logan, but I stopped
him.
my tongues rusty. I want to talk.
You struck a had streak Of luck some
time Ago., old man, eh?"
~ did, partner. I'm an accurscd
man."
All, then, he wal mad. But that's
not an odd thing i'll the United States
standing army of tramps-not odd Mt
all. Is it strange that toll and want and
misery should drive some Of those crazy
who have not the strength to meet the
bitter, newer order Of civilization, who
are crushed by competition and the good
law that yields Beelzebub his tribute of
laggards and weaklings.
l heated up the tea again. He drank
the warm infusion of this commercial
herb, which knew not China or Ceylon,
with great eagerness and thanked me
most humbly. ! felt encouraged, for l
was not so low down, and, suppressing
my anxiety us to the morrow, l kindly
bestowed upon him the remains of "
sheep bone and Il crust. There are many
orders among outcasts.
"You ..r. a sood scrt," he told me.
I denied it savagely.
"I'm nothing Of the kind, old man.
Don't give me any such slush, Or you
can shift your camp. Good! Why, I'd
like to cut the threats Of some men,"
He shrank down ~ though i had
struck him.
Don't" he said. 81 felt that way
myself once, but I repent"
"Did you do it?"
'.Do what, partnerf"
"Cut any mans throat?"
He shook his head and smiled wanly.
81 think / did worse. partner. May
tell you? l like to tell Il sometimes"
"Wait till fill my pipe" / answer
ed. "Have you oue?"
He produced a clay and lighted it.
"But perhaps you want 10 sleep?"
Ishook my head.
Fire away, sounyi"
But at first he could not tall, He be-
eap whiting . stck and muttered to
himself. Perhaps he imagined that he
was speaking aloud, for when / did