The suburban citizen., 1901-11-16

man told his young wife that the new
country was "an right" everybody
trusted everybody else. An official
would give a stranger free transpor-
tation, a station agent would give you
a pass, and even an engine driver
would carry a man without asking
permission.
He didn't know that all these men,
save the master mechanic, had VIC
lated the rules Of the road, and endan.
gered their own positions, and a
chance Of promotion, by helping him,
but he thanked them, just the same.
That was when the West was new,
when there were no locks and the
latchstring hung on the outside of
every door. On Monday morning he
went to work in the little shop, and
in q short time became one of the
best men employed in the place. How
do you square a locomotives" he
asked. Here" said the foreman,
from this point to that" That was
all the Englishman asked. He
stretched a line between the given
points, and went to work.
About this time a thriving station,
called NJ, had offered to donate to
the company $4,000, If the new ma
chine shop could be located there and
have steam up and the machinery
running on the 1st day Of January Of
the following year.
The general master mechanic en-
trusted the work of putting the ma
chinery, after the walls had been
built and the place rooted over, to the
division master mechanic, who looked
to the local foreman to finish the job
in time to win the subsidy.
The best months of the year went
by before work was begun. Frost
came, and the few men tinkering
about were chilled by the autumn
winds that were wailing through the
shutterless doors and unguazed win
dows. Finally the foreman sent the
| Engllshman to NJ to help put up
the machinery. He was a new man.
and, therefore. was expected to take
signals from the oldest man on the
job-a sort of straw boss.
The bridge boss, the local head Of
the wood workers, found the English
man gazing about, and the two men
| talked together. There was no fore
man there, but the Englishman
thought he ought to go to work, any
way. So he and the wood boss
| stretched line for a line shaft, and,
while the carpenter gang put up
! braces and brackets, the Englishman
! coupled the parts of the shaft to-
gether, and in a few days it was
ready to be put up.
AS the young man whistled and
worked away one morning the boss
carpenter came in with a military
looking gentleman, who appeared to
have an interest in the place. where
did you come from?" asked the new
conner Of the machinst.
From England sir"
"Well, anybody could tell that.
Where did you come from when you
came here?'
From E."
"Well, sir, can you finish this job
and have steam up by the 1st of Jan
uary"
The Englshman blushed for he was
embarrassed, and glanced at the wood
boss. Then, sweeping the almost
empty shop with his eye he said some
thing about a foreman who was in
charge of the work
Hang the foremanw said the stran-
ger; Pm talking to you"
The young man blushed again and
said he could work twelve or fourteen
hours a day, If it were necessary for
him to do so, but he didn't like to
make any rash promises concerning
the general result.
Now, look here" said the we'll
dressed man, 81 want you to take
charge Of this job and finish it. EN-
ploy as many men as you can handle
and blow a whistle here on New
Years morning-do you understand
The Englishman thought he did
but he could hardly believe it. He
glanced at the wood boss, and the
wood boss nodded his head.
IL shall do my best" said the Eng
lishman, taking courage, "but l should
like to know who gives these orders
I'm the general manager" said the
man; now get a move on you'-ant
he turned and walked out.
1t is not to be supposed that thu
, general manager saw anything re
markable about the young man. saw
that he was six feet high and had
t good face. The fact Is, the wood fore
: man had doomed the Englishman'
r stock before the manager saw him.
z The path Of the young man was no
S strewn with flowers for the next few
/ months Any number Of men VIII
had been on the road when he was il
! the English navy yards felt that the,
p. ought to have had this little promo
s ton. The local foremen along tn
= line saw in the newcomer the futur
j foreman Of the new shops, and n
- man went out Of his way to help hin
e In spite of all Obstacles however, tn
shops grew, from day to day, fror
g week to week, and it was seen, as tn