Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-10-08

1-IGAfE OF olS AAn NNlCA
eHE swings overhead
~3I-A novelty for me.
needed one in the old Office.
At last the incessant, quavering
gable of the three carpinteros, com
lined with their marked odor Of
opium, sandal-wood and warm hu-
manity. drove rae outside until the
work should be finished.
I found at the door crowd Of
natives beside my clerks, who. it
seemed. were candidates for the posi-
ton Of punkero. or coolie, whose duty
il is % keep the fan swinging during
business hours. Considering the
narrowing monotony OF the work, his
pay is veryiow. They were all boys in
various stages Of dirt aud nakedness,
except one, whose appearance attracted
my attention.
He was a tall, old man, neatly
dressed IN snowy shirt and trousers
with a fine, intelligent face. His hair
was nearly white, which indicated a
pretty ripe age, for Filipiao's head
seldom shows signs OF grayness before
he Is fifty, and never saw one IN the
least bald
Does that vieio-old fellow-waut
10 be q punkerof" I asked Jose, the
chief clerk
Isl. senor," answered Jose, with O
grin like al open piano, ''he says he
does"
"He doesn't look like it," said I.
"Mira-look here-viejo, canst thou
not ind better work."
NO, senor," he answered, respect
fully. II have n wife and crippled
son TO support, senior. and hope 1
may be allowed 10 serve your grace. "
The old mans Spanish was pure
and good. and his replies to the few
questions I asked betrayed an educa-
ton far superior TO that of the ordinary
native. was puzzled 10 know why
he should be an applicant for n posi-
ton generally considered beneath the
dignity of any one but half-grown
boy from the wilderness; but lie was
very reticent In a respectful way, and
lodged my questions most diplomatic
ally.
At last decided to try him, partly
as q curiosity, for no other Office in the
place was ornamental by punkero OF
such yer cradle and dignifed appear
ance.
So told the others to su-Iu-clear
out-and ordered Jose, much 20 that
worthy's amazement at my choice, to
install Miguel, as he called himself,
II his position as soon as things were
ready. Furthermore, / told Jose
with emphasis, 10 see that the other
clerks attempted no ''skylarking" with
the old man.
When I returned I found the punk.
in place, and Miguel maintaining hi.
dignity wonderfully on a three-leggeG
stool, with the cord in his hand, which
he began te pull as 1 entered, fllinc
the room with a refreshing whirlwind
Thus old Miguel became q fixture
In my Office. and performed his lowl,
task faithfully and well. He wa
always at his post when 1 arrived il
the morning to greet me with 'Bueno
dias, senorl" He tugged patiently a
his cord till donned my jacket an,
riding-boots at five o'clock, the sigma
for ''Buenos noches, senorr' and hi
departure.
The old mans one drawback-an
tnat only NJ Hrst-WaS peTSiSten
tendency to so to sleep at his post.
tried TO cure him of the habit by saw
ing of one leg of the stool. This KEEP
him awake an hour or two, but he 500
found that by propping one edge {
the stool against the wall, be coul
still take a little nap, and was oblige
to have another leg of the stool CT
of. After that hal no more troubl,
for the effort necessary 10 balance hin
self on the one-legged stool kept til
old man awake.
II was so unusual to see a man
HE age doing such work that my brs
ness friends used 10 remark upon 'H.
Runka Methuselah."
Now and then his wife would CON
"a 10 see him "a dear old coffee-co