The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-03
HIS ONE SOFT SPOT.
THE CONSTRUCTION BOSS WAS HARD
BUT He LOVED CHILDREN.

Own 10 His Weakness.
Captain Mahem was hard man with
soft spot. That soft spot was his frienC
ship for little Jimmy Gregg and date
from the winter when the child was los
In the Nevada sagebrush.
According to the point of view, the car
tain was the best man or the worst VIII
ever bossed a railroad construction camp
Ask the leading contractors and the
would tell you that he was an Al man
who could get more work out Of his ganj
than any foreman on the line Leave 10 q
the men who did the work andyou woulC
learn that he was the meanest and mos
abusive old hustler who ever gave a maj
his time for laying down his shovel q
light pipe There were ugly stories tolC
about his practice of eye gouging IN
fight, and his reputation was sufficient e
keep his camp the quietest of them all
In December the camp contained about
40 men and teams one woman and two
children. The inventory is not complete
without including one old rawboned horse
sort of camp follower, who subsistcd on
the leavings Of the work mules He was
owned by Gregg, the boarding master, who,
Mltu MS NllCt IuiuisbCItu uttlt DdtOIt
beans, potatoes, bread and coffee thrice a
day to the 40 hungry men.
At this time camp was ten miles from
water, upon dry plain carrying no vege.
taticn but sparse sagebrush and grease.
wood, Water was hauled in tank wagons
and the old horse, not getting all he need
ed in camp, had learned 70 follow the
teams TO the spring
One morning, after the gang had break
tasted and gone 10 work on the grade and
the tank wagons could be dimly seen
through their own dust on the road TO the
spring, Greggs little 3-year-old son came
out Of the mess tent and crossed over 10
the corral, where he often played The old
horse was there, nosing through the man
ger, and the child presently climbed upon
its back as it stood rubbing against a wag.
on. The horse paid no heed TO his little
rider and soon ambled off up the road aft
er the water wagons. The child held on
tightly, at first laughing, then crying, un.
til he had been carried several miles, when
he fell off and wandered away from the
road through the brush
- Jimmy was not missed until the men
came in from the grade for dinner Then
there was hurried and unavailing search
through the camp. After dinner Mahem
laid of ten teams and sent the drivers out
TO make general search. BY midafter.
noon they returned and reported failure
Meanwhile Mrs. Gregg who said she was
perfectly sure Jimmy would not leave
camp had been through every tent and
oyerhaulcd every bed roll, believing that
some nan for joke had hidden the boy
Mahcm now took the whole force of 40
men anG joined in the quest Under his
direction the camp was circlcd twice at
distance of one mile, and every yard of the
way carefully examined for footprints
None VAS found and Mahcm said TO his
men: Now your work is cut out for you
Before dark you vo got o. look under every
brush inside of this lire and you re bound
TO find him, for he could not get outside
without making tracks
This search also was, Of course, fruit
less. Some men came ~ camp at night
fall and others kept moving aaout the plain !
at night, hoping TO hear the chidsry
AT daybreak the captain was in the sad |
die mounted on his favorite mule He still |
believed the boy must be inside the circle /
II that had been properly made To clear
mp that doubt hc meant 20 make the entire
round alone and outside of the line made
by the men. To reach the starting point
he rode out up the road toward the spring
his eyes on the ground, hi, mind ON The
problem of how Jimmy could get out of
amp and leave no trail
BY God, I've got it :" said he suddenly.
abiding both spurs into the male. which
responded with "A gallant attempt 10 pitch
him into cactus bed THAT bow rode
nut on water wagon His mother is off
wrong in thinking he was in the tent when
he wagons pulled out. He must have
lung on to the tail of the last wagon and
ny low for fear the driver would see him
nd send him back After awhile he got
leepy and fell off, and | shall find his
racks somewhere in this road Damna.
lon Why couldn't think of that yester.
ayg" ~'''N
The captain confidently urged his mule
long as fast as scraper mule could be
lade 10 travel, And his confidence was
lstlned by soon picking up the boys trail
the point where he fell from the horse.
Abandoning now his mule, Mahem on |
'ot followed the torturous trail as rapidly
he could locate it, AT times this was
ulck work; again on hard ground, it was
slow and difficult task Toward noon he
ntirely lost Il on rocky hill and was de.
Eyed some hours, so that it was near night
hen he at last found the boy curled up
eside bush
Jimmie was very much alive, but too
I'D to walk or talk, Mahem wrapped him
some of his own clothing and put a few
rops of whisky in his mouth Whisky
raight was too strong beverage for the
hid and he choked mix, mix - he
led family.
Mahem had brought no food with him
nd had nothing to offer but whisky
MIX" said Jimmie again
"All right, said Mahem, drawing a
asp knife, you shall have milk Ard
Q tapped "a vein in his own arm, caupht
ne blood In the cap of his whisky flask.
dded a little Bourbon and gave the starry
~ child a liberal draft Jimmie was
iuch strengthened by this potion and by
Midnight was safely home again and trans.
erred from Mahem s TO his mother arms
Inc boy was able next day TO tell some.
hlhg about his adventure, but the captain
heh and always disputed the boys story
nav ne went out of camp on the back of
Id Barney.
what does Jimmie mean by mike"
'ked Mrs Gregg He says that when
ou round him you gave him milk
lie meant whisky said Mahem short
san Francisco Argonaut