St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-09-15

(From the Youths Companion. Reprinted by
I Special gerInission.D
NJ ES,' said the ironmaster, first
honesty, and then pluck
those are me things needful. Speak
/ Ing of pluck" He stopped to answer
the summons of the telephone, said
s'Yes, and No." by turns for five
] minutes, and then resumed:
Speaking of pluck, as you were do.
ing just now, reminds me of story
/ the beginning and end of which is
that one word"
We settled ourselves in our chairs
| We were sitting in the Office of the
iron works, and the air was full OF
the sound of great hammers, crashing
i and pounding; of the sharp hiss OF
molten metal, and the clear ring OF
/ smitten steel.
ST was sitting here in this very
| chair" the ironmaster began, zone
day about seven years ago, or maybe
eight. Time goes so fast hardly try
to keep count of it in these days. At
| any rate, here was sitting, reading
the newspaper, when there came a
knock at the door.
| Come in!' I said; and in walked a
stranger. He was young man, about
25 years old, dressed like gentleman,
| though his clothes had seen a good
deal Of service. Tall, with his head
held up, and gray eyes that met mine
fair and square.
always look first atza mans eyes.
my boy! If he looks you IN the eye,
he is worth trying. If his eyes shift
about here and there, as if they didn't
know where to look, or were afraid OF
seeing something they didn't like
have nothing to do with him! That's
my experienced
"Well, this young man came up to
my desk, and spoke without waiting
for me; yet it was no want Of man
ners, for his manners were good.
Good morning, sir!' ne said; and
his voice had clear ring to it that ]
liked. 7 want work. Can you give
me any?'
81 shook my head. We never took
strangers in that way, and / don't
recommend the practice at any time.
No, sir!' said. We have no work
here. Sorry 7 can't accommodate
YOU I took up my paper again, and
looked to see him so out without more
words, but he stood still. I must have
work!' he said. 7 would try to give
you satisfaction, sir, and / tell you /
must have It'll
s..My good SIR I said, putting the
paper down, there is no vacancy in
the place. If you will give me your
name and references, will make a
note of them, and some day when we
do have job to dispose of / will re-
member you. That is the best can
do for you to-day
"The young man shook his head.
that won't dol he said. Think
again, sir. Surely in this great place
there must be something a strong,
willing man can do. It is useless to
talk of waiting till vacancy occurs.
I must have work now, To-Day! It is
absolutely necessary
'It was on the tip of my tongue to
tell him that it was absolutely neces-
sary for him to leave that office and
shut the door after him; but I looked
at him again, and didn't say it.
IT saw that he was telling the
truth, and that he must have work.
1t wasn't that he looked shabby, or
that there was any suspicion OF whin-
ing or sniyelling about him. If there
had been, out he would have gone in
pretty quick time. But there was a
look in his eyes-well, / hardly know
how to describe 1t, but the man was
desperate, and had some reason for
being so.
What kind Of work do you want 2
! said. putting down the paper again
"'Any kind
You mean thatY
aT do. Anything that will put
bread in the mouths Of he choked
o little, and stopped. Then, I came
from Canada two days age, with my
wife and three children, and was
robbed in the train of my wallet. 7
have not penny!'
Come with mel I said. And he
followed me out of the works. His
story might be true, or it might not,
but I had thought of way to test
the metal of which he was made.
The Stark mill, in which / had
some interest, had been partly
burned a few days before, and I had
a gang at work, clearing away the
rubbish. A dirty job it was; the men
were up to their waists half the time
in mud and water, and the whole
place was muddle Of rusty iron and
burnt timbers and what-not-looke
like the end of the world, and the
wrong end at that.
'The gang I had on were mostly
Italians-it was too dirty. work for a
Yankee to touch, and even the Irish
were shy of it. They were little,
dark, monkey looking fellows, work
ing away, and chattering in their un-
earthly gibberish. I glanced from
them to my gentleman, with his clear
WHlJe skill, anu 3ndn0s WHICH showed
that, whatever trade he had worked
at, clearing away wreckage hadn't
been part of Though he looked like
one who might have taken a good deal
Of exercise in athletic sports.
Here is jobl / said. The only
one / know of. How do you like it?'
g Well enough, he said, as cool as