The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-02-07

Swedish blood in his We rs.
1t was his duty for eight hours o
every working-day to fetch and carr!
over the girders and crosspieces, a
the great cantileyer bridge grew, foo
by foot, out over the rayne. Bolts
tools, water and what not he tool
nimbly from place to place at the cal
of the workers. Most OF his waking
hours were spent in perilous places
high In the air, where a misstep mean
DEAN.
Nobody knew who he was, and only
the foreman knew where he came
from. The men Of the gang calleC
him "JOhnson's kid Johnson, thu
brusque. gigantic foreman, called hin
plain kid" and, curiOusly, seemed tC
value the dumb affection and loyalty
the waif gave him. The foreman was
ready enough to respond with his fists
when the kid needed protection from
the batting Of the men, which was
often; but a show Of tenderness was
far from him.
The kids regard for Johnson was
past the understanding Of the gang
In the sight Of the men. who hated
him for his abusive tongue, the fore
man had no traits TO win love. II was
commonly put down TO n queer twist
In the boys nature that he should care
for Johnson. AS matter Of fact, this
affection had its source in n happen
ing of two years before, when the
White Rock Bridge was built over one
of the great rivers in the far North
west. and the kid was new at the work.
II was there, one day. when he was
walking twelve-lnch girder two hun
dred and seven feet above the river,
that the kid lost his presence Of mind
for the first and last time.
This loss of courage, O? sclf-posses-
sion, may come upon any bridge
builder, no matter how used TO high
places. IL is unaccountable and comes
suddenly. Generally it puts an end
to the mans career. Either he falls
to his death, or. so fearful is the
shock, he can never again summon
courage 10 venture out on the
structure.
On this occasion the kid had dropped
his pail Of water and sunk TO the
girder He lay fiat on his stomach,
gripping the iron with his arms and
knees His case was desperate Ter
ror Of the space below had utterly
that he should faint of sheer fear, and
tumble through two hundred and
seven feet of space to the river. His
arms were fast becoming nerveless.
" IL was Johnson who perceived the
boys predicament. He was quick TO
act, and his experience made him fer
tile in expedients. Calmly, and
whistling, he walked along a parallel
girder to where the kid lay, just out
Of reach. Then. for as long as he
dared, he looked up and down the
river, humming the chorus of an old
song. He observed his near presence
and self-possession seemed to quiet
the lads terror.
n Here, kid" said the foreman.
quietly, "get to land an tell Bin Ole.
son to hurry up with them rlvets.
And say" he added, sharply, don't
you lose any time about it"
The boy did not move II was cvi
dent, however. that the firm, familiar
command had steadied him some
what.
Hear me" roared the foreman
sect UP, when | tell you! Hurry them
rivets up, now, and be livelyw
Then the boy got TO his feet. While
pale and shaking he made his way
over iifty feet OF narrow foothold. the
foreman kept roaring his command {,
make haste. When the boy reached
the platform of the abutment he Eel
In a faint; but the foreman was the,
TO catch him, and carried him the res
of the way to the bluff.
1t was for this that the kid love,
Johnson. Ii was for what occurred
the next day that Johnson came u,
near TO loving the kid as he coul,
come, perhaps, to loving anything.
In the noon hour, which is the tim,
for skylarking, the boy climbed tn
courage, that he might put stop {,
the gibes Of the men once and for all
There was an eightecn-ilch plat,
riveted securely TO the top of the up
right. Upon this he clambered. per
severing against the warning cries q
the men, who had gathered TO watcl
him. Then he stood erect. looked u
the sky and the river ana all around
and danced a breakdown.
"Whatd you do that for?" the fore
man asked him angrily. when ne ha,
come down. Ell; Whatd YOU III
that fool ching FOR? Don't you know
any better?"
My feet was cold, boss" said th
kid, with twinkle in his eyes.
Say, kid" exclaimed Johnson
moved fer once to enthusiasm. "yo
stick 10 me and I'll stand by you
Understand? You stick to me"
In this way il came abou. that th
foreman and the kid travelled Eas
in company; and when johnson wa
put to work on the big cantlcvcr u
Rocky Gorge, they were still together
where 1 go you can cone" IN
foreman had said to the boy. Your
a bridge-builder born"
The big cantilever job was . Ciflcu
one, and Johnson was more harsh an
abusive than ever. rs a consequence,
when the men were making ready fc
the great strike which took place tha
year, three or four scamps i'm JOIN