The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1900-09-22
went into that hole - n n vss IN
'evening party. sir.

couldn't be hanging round watching
the men, OF the boss would have
been smal<ing trouble; but my new
hand stayed on my mind, somehow,
and l strelled round by the wreck
two orsthree times In the afternoon,
making some errand, you under.
stand, in thnt direction.
"yhat maj was working, sir, like
like house afire. The Italians are
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 l or anyone
else was near-just plodded away,
swinging that pick as if there were
nothing else in the world.
That's pluck!' said I to myself.
If he doesn't die he'll dol
, For all that, ! thought he would
give out after the first day-didn't
think his strength would last. When
he came in for his pay at night, he
was shaky and pretty tired-looking;
but he said never word; just took
his pay with the rest. and thanked
me, and went off,
"The next morning I was very
busy. and although l thought of my
gentleman once or twice, didn't
manage to get down to the wreck
till noon, soon after the whistle had
blown for knocking off work.
"When got there saw the Italians
lying round on the ground or squatting
on the fences, eating their black bread
and sausage, and chattering away as
usual; but no sight of my gentleman
in the flannel shirt.
'Oho!' said to myself. One day
was enough fer him, was itT 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. l turned to come away, and
lol there he was, sitting off in a cor
ner by himself, all crouched up, with
a great hunch of bread in one hand and
book in the other.
II strolled up behind him and looked
over his shoulder at the book. 1t was
an italian grammar, sir!
my shadow falling on the book
startled him, and he looked up. / sup
pose / must have looked as astonished
as 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 a schoolmaster,' I asked,
and working down in that hole?'
"'No,' he said, quietly. I am book
keeper. 1t is great advantage for
a bookkeeper to be able to read and
answer foreign letters, and although
/ have some knowledge of French, IL
has never come in my way to hear Ital-
ian spoken. So now is my chance. / got
this grammar for Is cents he added,
turning it over, with a smile-the book
was pretty ragged and one cover was
gone-'and I am getting on pretty
WE'LL
"'Why in the name of everything
foolish didn't you apply for position
as bookkeeper,' asked, instead of this
kind of thing?
Nobody will take a bookkeeper
without references. I shouldn't think
much of a Arm that did, suppose he
said, flushing. My references were
in my wallet that was stolen, and it
will be week and more before i get
new ones, as my native town is of the
main lines and letters take good while
to get there. I've always been fond of
open air and exercise he added, with
quizzical look at the hole where he
had been digging. and now / am get
ting lots of it,
Back stiff suggested.
$50, sol I'll manage, though-often
been worse after 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.
II walked off and didn't see him again
till he came for his pay in the even
ing, shaky again, but smiling as ifshe
had had an excursion downfh hars
Dor, 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 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. have to think about get
ting another
Il shook my head, but an idea came
to me.
"'Will you take a man on trialT
What kind of a man p asked Green.
"WeIl, hardly know said I. 4
think he's aepretty good kind, but I've
only known him four days. cam an
swer for his power OF work. and / told
the mans story.
sGreen went out with me, saw the
young man, lil1d 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 me
next day found q home for the rest