The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-10-27
UNCLE JUDSONS CRUST.


eeGeEGeGee<Eeeeeeeee&e<ee&
anything else besides chopping and
saving"
Judson Hardacre pressed a button,
and tall. quiet man with pen thrust
behind his ear stepped into the room.
''Calkins, this Is Willis Everett. He
will go to work tomorrow morning at
the Edwardsburg mill at $50 month. |
He win board at the eOmpany's hotel.
Have him report to Matthews. Let me
know each week how he is doing"
I'm very much obliged to you"
Willis faltered. hardly realizing that at |
last he had found job.
Don't thank me yet" said his uncle, |
almost gruffiy; you may not want to
after you have been working awhile"
Willis went home In high spirits.
Mother. mother" he called: "I've got
job at last-and job from Uncle
Judson, too
That afternoon Willis packed his
satchel and took the train down the
valley for Edwardsburg, where the
Hardacre mills were located. it was
about twenty-five miles from home, and
he had never been In the place except
on his bicycle and he hardly knew
where the mills were located. But he
found them easily enough, and with
them the foreman, Matthew'S big.
red-faced, stoop-shouldered giant, with
voice like foghorn. Matthews read
the letter and then glanced at Willis
keenly and half contemptuously, VIII
lis thought.
WELL" he said, "be on hand at Z
o'clock tomorrow morning, and I'll put
you to work.
Willis found place in the company's
boarding house-a single bunk in an
attic room with four other men. The
walls were dingy, the floor was cover
ed with coarse mating and the bedding
did not look any too clean. One little,
cobwebby window commanded a view
OF vast heap Of sawdust and slabs.
Supper was served on long table Gov
cred with oilcloth, and the tea was
brought in by men walters, who laugh
ed and joked one another. The work
men came in with their sleeves rolled
up and ate almost In silence.
In the morning Willis was set to load
ing slabs from the waste pile into box
car which stood on siding near at
hand. One man handed them down
from the pile, a second tossed them In
TO the car, and third corded them up.
Willis was given the easiest Job-that
Of piling--but he was compelled to keep
up with the other two. The slivers
stuck into his soft palms and the jag
ged bark bruised his arms. Besides
that, 1t was hot June day without a
| breath of air stirring In the car. For
an hour or two he stood 1t pretty we'll
but before noon he began to feel thai
he should drop In his tracks, but he
was determined never to give up. He
was q cog in the machinery Of the mill
and he proposed to do his duty until be
broke down. Never was music sweeteI
than the sound of the noon whistle
q He YEARLY dropped the last slab anC
1 staggered into the dinlng-room of thu
boarding house. At nrst he was too
), tired to eat, but he managed to swal
low little dinner. and by o'clock b,
felt better. But he knew he never
could last through the long Afternoon
y at the same work, and 1t was with ;
deep feeling OF relief that he heard
Matthews order his crew from the car
. loading to the sawdust chutes. Her
he was required to stand knee deep Ii
soft sawdust at the end of the chute
, where the waste of the mill came blow
!, ing out In dusty cloud, and shovel ~
!, dear life to keep himself from hein
i buried. 1t was hot, wearing work, an,
by the time the afternoon was tinishe
Willis was thoroughly discouraged.
!. But he was naturally vigorous Q
y body, and, although his uncle had mad
:, fun OF his tennis and football, he kney
: now how much good strength they ha
:, added to his muscles He awakene
the next morning lame in every join
with his hands almost raw with bills
!. tiers. "But I'll stick to it, he SAT-
= gritting his teeth: "I've got to g
= through college next year"
That day he was paired with a bi
le red-bearded Scotchman, and they we
" assigned to the work of trimming u
u some timbers with a long eross-cut say
IS For a few hours Willis bent brave
VI back and forth. 1t was fearfully hal
work, particularly because he did n