Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-12-31


pair of compasses and dug the points
into the bench as he spoke. He told |
"Old Roffey" that he thought the lat
ter had worked abouN long enough and !
was entitled to u rest after his years /
of faithful service, but he did not look
at him as he said so, and the old man |
was glad that he did not. For when /
"Old Roffey" pulled of his spectacles |!
to wipe them, William might have |
thought the moisture that dimmed their |
brightness was the rheum of age, and |
try, as he might. he could not keep
his hands from trembling.
eff it is about them car wheels, VIII |
Eav," he began, in faltering voice.
Not a bit of it," said William, re-
nssuringly. 81 had forgotten all about
that never thought anything of it,
anyway. I've been thinking over this
for some time, and I've got it all fixed
up. Sullivan will take your place,
though I know he won't be able to
handle IL as well as you. That re-
minds me, Roffey, it's. part of the
arrangement that L can call on you
at any time and get your advice when
/ want IT."
"Old Roffey" pulled himself to-
gether with an effort as his daughter
came downstairs and told her he be-
lieved he would take a walk. He put
on his old plush cap and overcoat and
stood still while his daughter brushed
him down theoretically with a whisk
broom; then he went OFT and stood
on the sidewalk for few minutes
| looking up and down the street, I'M
decided which way he should go. AS
he stood there Hayes, the bartender
at Jim Payson's place, came up and
! stopped to offer his congratulations
They tell me you're "a gentleman
now, Mr.. Roffey," he said. Nothing
| 10 do but smuse yourself"
That's it." assented "Old Roffey,"
dryly, nothing to debut a1nuse my
self"
you're in mighty big luck" said
Hayes, enviously. Most of them when
they've worn a man out and amt got
no more use for him turn him off and
let him starve If he amt got nothing
laid by. He must be a good man to
work for, that boss of yours"
Hes all of that" said "Old Rof-
fey,- with fervor.
He did not stay out long. however.
he walked up the street and down
the street, and In the course OF his
walk he met number Of his acquaint-
| ances. who felicitated him heartily. but
with the same sort Of wistful envy
that the barlSeeper had shown. The
old man almost decided that they muat
be right and that he yeas lucky Then
he went in and smoked thoughtfully
until dinner
In the afternoon he yielded TO the
IMPULSE that had been strong upon
biTh for days and went over TO the foun-
dry. 1t seemed to him as he passed
into the cinder-strewn and sloppy yard
with its stacks of charred TASKS and
litter of scrap iron that he had been
away f@r years. Looking up on the
bank at the rear of the building he
saw that the cupola was sending alofi
its sheet of flame, while half n dozeT
men we're staggering TO and from the
mouth of the raging furnace laden with
pig iron and broken castings which
they threw in with mighty heavings
under the direction of Murphy, the fore
man. Murphy barely nodded to "OlI
Roffey," and almost Immediately
: poured forth blighting stream of pro
family on the devoted head of one Of
the helpers who was in the act of pitch
ing some wrought iron into the cupola
None of the others made any sign o.
recognition. They were TOO busy.
The old man turned slowly away and
descended the steps that led into tn,
foundry, and as he did so Murphy came
running down and pushed by him with
out word. "0ld Roffey" would hav,
taken this as a matter of course a weel
ago. but to-day IL hurt him
II 4 minute later he was standing IN
side watching the men trotting up will
the hented, clay-lined ladies with tn,
, | interested air of one TO whom the
sight was new. Charley Stokes wa.
there, and Scotch Dave, Tom Burton
and Little Pete. Fritz Schiller, the
, stubby, dark-browed importation from
. the Black forest, was standing with hi.
long pole poised to poke the clay stop
; ping from the cupola spout. and VII
liam was standing behind him. anxiou.
and obscrvant, but none of them haC
, word for him-hardly a look or {
smile-they were all busy.
AS he passed out into the cleaning
, room, where the men were plying ham
mers and chisels chipping the jagged
! shell-like edges from the castings, the
old man felt momentary impulse Il
, see whether his hand had lost it's Gun
ming, but they were all busy and ht
) had not the courage to interrupt them
He would go up 10 the pattern room.
a Sullivan was there, but he was too in
a tent on his work at the lathe to motto,
I his visitor at first. "Old Roffey'
] | glanced curiously around the room
Nothing was changed but the draught
. | ing table; that was moved over to tn,
a | window. He looked at his old locker
, and something seemed to be clutchins
at his throat Sullivan's assistant wa.
smoothing off die pattern with SAND
, | paper, and "Old Roffey" noticed thai
he was spelling it, but
{ Sullivan looked up. "Why, hello, Mr.