St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-09-15
went into that hole as if 1t was an

s'WeI, / went back to the effice. i
couldn't be hanging round watching
the men, or the boss would have
been making trouble; but my new
hand stayed on my mind, somehow,
and strolled round by the wreck
two or three times in the afternoon,
making some errand, you under-=
stand, in that direction.
"That man was working, sir, like a
like a house afre. The Italians are
good workers, none better, as rule
but his pick went in and out three
times for their twice. and there was
no chattering in his corner of the
hole. He had little breath to talk.
If he had wanted to, for though he
was a muscular fellow, you could see
with half an eye that he had never
done such work in his life before.
''The sweat poured down his face
like rain. but he never stopped, never
looked up, or knew that or anyone
else was near-just plodded away,
swinging that pick as il there were
nothing else in the world.
That's pluckl' said I to myself.
IF he doesn't die he'll dol
For all that, I thought he would
give out after the first day--didn't
think his strength would last. When
he came in. Cor his pay st night, he
was shaky and pretty tired-looking;
but he said never a word; just took
his pag with the Fest. and thanked
me, and went off.
'.The next morning was very
busy, and although 7 thought of my
gentleman once or twice, I didn't
manage to get down to the wreck
till noon, soon after the whistle had
blown for knocking off work.
"When I got there saw the Italians
lying round on the ground or squatting
on the fences, eating their black bread
and sausage, anu chattering away as
usual; but no sight of my gentleman
in the flannel shirt.
'ssOho! said I to myself. sOne day
was enough for him, was it? And
thought it would have been enough for
me, too. When you are not used to
the swing Of pick, the way it takes
you in the back is something beyond
belief. I turned to come away, and
10! there he was, sitting off in a cor
ner by himself, all crouched up, with
great hunch of bread in one hand and
book in the other.
s 81 strolled up behind him and looked
over his shoulder at the book. It was
an Italian grammar, sir!
s'My shadow falling IN the book
startled him, and he looked up. sup
pose must have looked as astonished
as I felt, for he smiled and said: I
couldn't afford to lose such an oppor-
tunity! The boss is very friendly, and ]
have learned several phrases. Buon
giorno, signore!'
Are you schoolmaster. I asked,
and working down in that hole?'
g No. he said, quietly. I am book
keeper It is a. great advantage for
"a bookkeeper to be able to read and
answer foreign letters, and although
I have some knowledge of French, it
has never come in my way to hear Ital-
ian spoken. Sonow is my chance. Igot
this grammar for Is cents, he added,
turning it over, with smile the book
was pretty ragged and ore cover was
gone-.and am getting on pretty
WE'LL
8 Why in the name of everything
foolish didn't you apply for a position
as bookkeeper,' asked, instead of this
kind of thing?'
i" Nobody will take bookkeeper
without references. ] shouldn't think
much of firm that did. I suppose, he
said, flushing. my references were
in my wallet that was stolen, and it
will be a week and more before get
new ones, as my native town is off the
main lines and letters take good while
to get there. I've always been fond OF
open air and exercise, he added, with
a quizzical look at the hole where he
had been digging, and now 7 am get
ting lots of it.
Back stiff p suggested.
So, so! I'll llmanage, though-often
been worse after a days rowing and
this is just as good bread as any other
and he took bite out of his hunch
and looked at his book, as much as to
say he had talked enough and wanted
to be back at his grammar.
'I walked off and didn't see him again
till he came for his pay in the even
ing, shaky again, but smiling as if he
had had an excursion down the har.
bor. So 1t went on till the fourth day.
Every day looked to see him give out;
but his pluck kept him up, and it's my
belief he would have worked in that
hole and got stronger and stronger--if /
something hadn't turned up.
''The fourth day I was sitting in the !
Office, when the door opened and in
came Green, from the boiler works
over the way. Morning he said Do
you know of bookkeeper? Our poor
fellow, who's been sick for so long. died
yesterday. I have to think about get
ting another
81 shook my head, but an idea came
to me.
will you take man on trial?'
What kind of man p asked Gree.
Well, I hardly know said T. Z
think he's a pretty good kind, but I've
only known him four days. can an-
swer for his power of work, and I told
The mans story.
Green went out with me, saw the
young man, liked his looks and en-
gagged him on the spot. He finished his
days work, came out OF his hole in
The mud, shook hands with me and the
= r. j