Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-15

let the scaling go. we can get the tally
at the banking grounds when we begin
to haul. Now, we amt got all the time
there is SO you want to keep the boys
at it pretty we'll"
Dyer twisted the little points of his
mustache. "All. right. sir" said he,
with his smile so inscrutably insolent
that Railway never saw the insolence
at all. He thought this poor year for
man in Railways position to spend
Christmas with his family, but it was
none Of his business.
do as much as you can in the marsh,
Dyer" went on the jobber. II don't
believe it's really necessary to lay off
any more there on account Of the
weather"
Cali right" repeated Dyer.
The scaler did what he considered
his duty. All day long he tramped
back and forth from one gang of men
to the other, keeping a sharp eye on
the details Of the work. His practical
experience was sufficient to solve readi-
ly such problems as broken tackle, ex-
ira eXpedients or facility which the
days brought forth. The fact that in
him was vested the power to discharge
kept the men at work.
Dyer was in the habit Of starting for
the marsh an hour or SO after sunrise.
The crew, of course, were at work by
daylight. Dyer heard them often
through his doze, just as he heard the
chore boy come in to build the fire and
fill the water pail afresh. After a
time the fire, built of kerosene and
pitchy black pine, would get so hot
that in self defense he would arise and
dress. Then he would breakfast lei
surely.
Thus he incurred the enmity Of the
cook and cookee. Those individuals
have to prepare food three times day
for half hundred eaters, besides
which on sleigh haul they are sup
posed to serve breakfast at 8 o'clock
for the leaders and variety of lunches
up to midnight for the sprinkler men,
AS consequence they resent infrac-
tons Of the little system they may
have been able to introduce.
Now, the business Of foreman is 10
be up as soon as anybody. He does
none of the work himself, but he must
see that somebody else does it and does
it well. lie must know how thing
ought to be done, and he must be on
hand unexpectedly to see how its ac-
complishment is progressing. Dyer
should have been out Of bed at first
horn blow.
One morning he slept until nearly 10
o'clock. 1t was inexplicable! He hur.
ried from his bunk, made hasty toilet
and started for the dining room to get
some sort Of a lunch to do him until
dinner time. AS he stepped from the
door of the Office he caught sight OF
two men hurrying from the cook camp
to the mems camp. He thought he
heard the hum Of conversation in the
latter building. The cookie set hot
coffee before him. For the rest he
took what he could find cold on the ia
BILE. iof
Dyer sat down, feeling for the frs
time a little guilty. This was not be
cause of sense of dereliction in du
ty, but because he feared the strong
mans contempt for inefhciency.
II sort of pounded my ear a little
long this morning." he remarked, will
an unwonted air Of bonhomie.
The cook creased his paper with one
hand and went on reading.
81 suppose the men got out to the
marsh on time" suggested Dyer, still
easily.
The cook laid aside his paper an6
looked the scaler in the eye.
you're the foreman; I'm the cook,
said he. ''You ought to know"
Dyer was no weakling. The prob
lem presenting. he rose to the emergen