The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-03-27
groan as he handled the heavy sticks

groan as he handled the heavy sticks
we used for fuel.
The heat of the weather, added to
that of the furnace and the unusual
work, made him look as if he was in
Turkish bath. The water ran down
his face. his stiff white collar hung
down on his shoulders like wet rag
and his beautiful smooth shirt bosom
looked as if some one had thrown q
pail of dirty water over him.
His hands were torn and cut from
handling the wood, and take it alto
gether he was the most unlikely-look-
ing railway president 1 ever saw.
Once in awhile I had to shout at him to
lay the wood even in the furnace, and
would tell him he would get the knack
of it in time
Whenever he tried to rest I told him
we were losing steam, and if he wanted
to catch that train he mustn't idle over
the work.
If I had thought to hitch a cat on
when we started we should have run
much smoother; but it was too late to
think of that now, and so on we rushed,
now through woodlands, now past
grain fields, lurching first to one side
and then to the other, until l expected
every minute to land wrong side up
| in the ditch.
| However, luck was with us that night,
and we pulled up at Junction City at
just II. Poor old Billy could hardly
climb down from the engine, but he
managed to gasp out:
"Come to my Office at two o'clock
next Saturday."
Learned afterward that, finding the
Chicago train was behind time, he
hunted up clothing store and rigged
! himself out so as to look like a civilized
man, which he didn't whe n he left me.
managed to find fireman who was
willing to make the run back with me,
and finally got home at three o'clock,
and, finding the cleaners a little So
bered up, got to bed as soon as possible.
l told Bob about my trip next day
and thought he would die laughing to
think of old Billy playing fireman. But
all he said was:
I'm afraid thatll settle your hash
Jim, for he will find out that you
worked him more than was needed"
The next Saturday at two o'clock
reported at the presidents Office, won
dering whether I was going to be re
warded for my extra work or get kicked
out for my impudence.
: When | entered the office there sa
) the old man, spick and span as ever
| and showing no signs of his hard work
"Wen, young man. says he, "yo'
helped me out the other night, but
would not go through the same expert
l ence again for $4,000. At the sam
t time l think you were trying to ge
e even with me for not doing what yo1
1 asked about your salary, and l hav
< concluded that this line can dispens
a with your services"
At this my heart went down into m
: boots, for l can tell you it isn't an eas
: thing to get new job when you can
o bring a recommendation from your las
e place. Then he went on to say:
81 have letter here from the super
l. intendent of the Chicago & Western
:, skiing if l can recommend to them a
S engineer who has sharp eye and coo
S head to run their new fast night e1
press. l have written in reply that
p can recommend such man, one jaime
It Martin. who will report for service tf
1st of September. The pay will be $1(
n month. l may add to you private]
e that I shall never apply to you for tt
d position of fireman. Good day, sir"
That's all there is to my stor
n Molly and l were married and went
g Chicago to live. took the new trai
'e and have brought her in on time evei
If trip I've run, so you can see I've
n pretty good record with the compa n
a. I've never seen Billy since, and l don
ID believe he wants to see me; for b
N told me the last time l saw him TIL
thew called the old man Martins fir
it man." that he knew it, and natural
Id didn't like it. There's my mate 81
&c mailing for me now, sir, and l must 6
m IN. Y. Daily News.