Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1899-01-06

have a talk HtttI tltiiii NIft'} SIT 'A'tfittftt
the bench. noG William picked np q
paif ol conlpasSes anc dug the point
into tie bench as nc spoke He told
rcld Roffey that be thought the lat
ter had worked about long enough and
VAS entitled to rest after his years
OF faithful service. but he did not look
ST him as he said SO, and the old man
was glad that he did not For whcE
cold RolTeyr pulled off 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.
IF il IS about them ear wheels, VIII
Ham, he began, in faltering voice.
ssNot a Bit of it, said William, re
rgsuringly Il had forgotten all about
that--I never thought anything of it,
anyway. I've been thinking over this
fer some time, and I've got it all fixed
up. Sullivan will take your place
though l know he won't be able to
handle ii as well as you. That re-
minds me. Roffey, it's part of the
arrangement that 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-
lieyed he would take a walk. He put
on his old plush cap and overcoat and
stood still while his daughter brushed
him down energetieally with whisk
broom; then be went out and stood
on the sidewalk for few minutes
looking up and down the street, un-
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 gentleman
now, Mr.. Roffey," he said Nothing
TO do but amuse yourself"
That's it." assented "old Roffey.'
dryly, nothing TO debut amuse my
self"
You're in mighty big luck" said
Hayes. enviously Most of them when
they've worn man out and amt got
no more use for him turn him of and
let him starve if he amt got nothing
laid by. He must be good man to
work for, that boss of yours
Hes all of that" said sold Rof-
fey" with feryor
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 a number of his acquaint-
ances, who felieitated him heartily, but
with the same sort of wistful envy
that the barkeeper had shown. The
old man almost decided that they must
be right and that he was lucky. Then
he went in and smoked thoughtfully
until dinner.
In the afternoon he yielded to the
impulse that had been strong upon
him 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 for years. Looking up on the
bank at the rear of the building he
saw that the cupola was sending aloft
It's sheet of flame, while halt dozen
men were staggering 10 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 "0ld
Roffey," and almost Immediately
poured forth blighting stream of pro-
family on the devoted head of one of
tie helpers who was in the act of pitch
ing some wrought iron into the cupola.
None of the others made any sign of
recognition. They were too busy.
The old man turned slowly away and
descended the steps that led into the
foundry, and as be did so Murphy came
running down and pushed by him with
out a worG "Old Roffey" would have
taken his as a matter of course a week
ago. but to-day it hurt him,
A minute later he was standing in
side watching the men trotting up with
the hented, elay-lined ladies' with the
interested air of one to whom the
sight was new Charley Stokes was
there, and Scotch Dave Tom Burton
and Little Pete, Fritz Schiller, the
stubby dark proved importation from
the Black forest, was standing with his
long pole poised to poke the clay stop
ping from the cuPola spout, and VIII
liam was standing behind him, anxious
and obscrvant. but none OF them had
word for him-hardly a look or a
smile--they were all busy.
AS lie 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 rlnnn fnlt q nnmnntnrn i'm nnIs. 70