Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-04-07
The Tanning Of the Bear
BY Herbert Z. Hamblen

TT Was hot, blisterng murder
ously hot. and l was in my very
ugliest humor. When / stepped up III
the tender after oiiing there Sat i
woman on the fireman seat
Strange how some women are al.
ways poking into places whore they
have 40 business. Where iu thunder
did she come from. | wondered. ] was
obliged TO acknow edge that size was
fair TO look upon, but in my present
mood didn't want her There.
On the railroad we become Gccus-
TONED 10 The chrouometcr-li>c rcgu-
iarity of our work, and dislike TO have
it disturbed.
On the last trip set-scrcw had
dropped out of the go-ahoad eccentric
on the left side. ] reported it, and
when | asked Saundcrs-the round
house foreman-why he hadn't put one
in. he answered, very cayaIicrly that
there was no need Of il; one would hold
a. good as dozen, if the eccentric was
keyed on. anyhow, and besides. Ee had
no time. He added. supcrciIiously:
IF YOU fellcrs would get under your
engines once in awhile with a wrench,
you wouldn't be droppin' nuts and
bolts and set-screWS all over the road
That was the rasp got for a starter
Then my fireman failed 10 show up. and
Saunders sent me the one extra man
that he knew | particularly, disliked
TO have work for me.
lie was a great. gaVkN. ignorant,
red-hcaded knoW-it-all. who satisfied
himself before he had been three
months at the business, that he Was
the smartest man on the road. lie
would contradict and argue with any
body, from the master mechanic down
or up, either.
When told to do thing, he never
failed to offer a suggestion Us 10 how
il should be done, and would enter into
a long explanation as to why his way
was superior TO yours. When You got
mad and peremptorily ordered him TO
do as he was told. he would reply. with
deprecatory smirk, as Of one who
submitted under protest:
oh. of course. if you say so, I'll do
it your way; you're the boss"
had crawled under her and replaced
the sct-screw myself. ! was dirty.
drenched with perspiration and thor
oughly eXasperated with myself.
Saunders, the fireman and every body
else. And now, here was that woman.
looking as calm and as sweetly con
tent as though life were one long sum
mer holiday, as no doubt it was in
her case. Where was the fireman? No
doubt he had invited her to ride; his
assurance was equal TO it. But I'd soon
get rid of her!
I'm going TO ride with you, engi-
neer," said she, with pleasant smile.
you'll have to get pass TO ride on
the engine" I replied, wiping the oil
can industriously in order TO avoid
meeting the gaze of those all-conquer-
ing eyes of hers.
Il have a pass" she answered. quiet
ly.
LET me see it, please" l said.
She handed me the bit of cardboard,
which l wilfully disfgured with greasy
finger-marks as read TO my discom-
future an order TO conductors and en-
gineers 10 allow the bearer to ride on
all trains and engines-signed 10y the
general manager.
us that all right?" she asked, in,
thought. a rather fippant tone.
Yes" said /; you can ride
The fireman returned with "a piece
Of ice. He looked surprised; he blushed
and bowed. She returned his salute
with woll-bred ease. They were stran-
gers; was conscious of feeling Of