Cochise review., 1900-11-02

in mud and water and the whole place was a muddle of rusty iron and burnt timbers and what-not-looked like the end of the world, and the wrong end at that.
 The gang I had on were mostly Ttalians-it was too dirty work for @ Yankee to touch, and even the Irish were shy of it. They were little, dark. monkov-lookinC fellows. work ing away. and chattering in their un- earthly gibherish, 1 glanced from them to my gentleman, with his clear white skin, and hands which showed that. whatever trade he had worked at, clearing away wreckage hadn't been part of it-though he looked like one who might have taken a good deal of exercise in athletic sports.
 "'Here is job!' I said. The only one I know of. How do you like it?'
 "'Well enough be said, as cool as possible.
 You'll get dollar and & half a day. told him. 'You'll get your death, too, probably. When will you go to work?'
 "'In an hour he said. We'll, of he went, and l hardly expected to see him again. But before the hour was out he was back again, in a flannel undershirt and pair of old trousers. He took his pickax, and down he went into that hole as if 1t was an evening party, sir.
 'WelI, went back to the office. l 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 I 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 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 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 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 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 l was very busy, and although I 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 of work.
 When I got there I 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. .. "'Ohon said to myself. One 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 1t 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 a great hunch of bread in one hand and book in the other.
 "I strol!ed up behind him and looked over his shoulder at the book. It was an Italian grammar, sir! My shadow falling on the book startled him, and he looked up. I SUD- pose I must have looked as astonished as 1 felt, for he smiled and said: I couldn't afford to lose such an oppor. tunity! The boss is very friendly, and I have learned several phrases Buon giorno, signore!'
 "'Are you q schoo.master, l asked. and working down in that hole?'
 "No,' he said, quietly I am book. keeper. It is great advantage for bookleeper to be able 10 read and answer foreign letters, and although have some knowledge of French, y has never come in my way to hear Ita!- ian spoken. So now is my chance Igot this grammar for IS cents,' he added, turning it over, with smile--the book was pretty ragged and one cover was gone-'and am getting on pretty we'll
 "'Why in the name of everything foolish didn't you apply for 6 position as bookkeeper,' l asked, instead of this