Mower County transcript., 1904-03-02

Olng anu naulnS: tnlS JOD !DelOre tue
heavy choking SHOWS Of the latter part
bf January should make It Impossible
to keep the roads open. j So insistent
was this necessity that he had seized
the first respite in the phenomenal
snowfall of the early autumn to begin
work The cutting in the woods could
wait. =
Left to themselves, probably the men
would never have dreamed Of objecting
to whatever privations the task car
ried with it. Railways anxiety for
their comfort, however, caused them
finally to imagine that perhaps they
might have some just grounds for CON-
plant after all. That is great trait
of the lumber jack.
But Dyer, the scaler, finally caused
the outbreak. Dyer was an efficient
enough man in his way, but he loved
his own ease. His habit was to stay in
his bunk of mornings until we'll after
daylight. To this there could be no
objection except on the part Of the
cook, who was supposed to attend to
his business himself, for the scaler was
active in his work when once he began
it and could keep up with the skidding.
But now he displayed a strong antipa-
thy to the north wind on the plains.
II don't pose for no tough son of a
gunw said he to Railway. And I've
got some respect for my ears and feet
She'll warm up little by tomorrow,
and perhaps the wind IL die. can
catch up to you fellows by hustling a
little, so guess I'll stay in and work
on the books today"
"All right" Radway assented, a lit
tie doubtfully.
This happened perhaps two days out
of the week. Finally Dyer hung out
thermometer, which he used to consult.
The men saw it and consulted it too.
At once they felt much colder.
"She was STAN 10 below" sputtered
Baptiste Teller, the Frenchman who
played the fiddle. He freeze t'rou to
hees eenside. Dat is too cole for max
in de work." =.
'"Them plains is sure holy fright"
assented Purdy.
9TH old man knows it himself"
agreed big Nolan.
Ibid you see him rammin' around
yesterday askin' us if we found her too
cold? He knows very we'll he ought
not to keep a man out that sort O.
weather."
you'd shiver like dog in brier
path on warm day in July" said
Jackson Hines contemptuously.
"Shut up!' said they. you're barn
boss. You don't have to be out in the
cold" :.
This was true. So Jackson's inter-
vention went for a little worse than
nothing.
ut amt lax he has nuttin' BESIDES"
went on Baptiste. He can max de
cut in de needle Of de fores'."
''That's right" agreed Bob stratton.
"They's the west half of eight amt
been cut yet.''
So they sent a delegation to Radway.
Big Nolan was the spokesman.
"Boss." said he bluntly, "she's too
cold to work on them plains today
She's the coldest day we had"
Radway was too old hand at the
business to make any promises on the
spot
"1'll see, boys" said be.
When the breakfast was over the
crew were sent to making sideways
and travoying roads on "eight." This
was precedent. In time the work on
the plains was grumblingly done in any
weather. However, as to this Radway
proved firm enough. lie was good
fighter when he knew he was being i'm
posed upon.
And as the days slipped by he tight
ened the rpinS. Christmas was a,,-
An easy mathematical com.
putation reduced the question Of com
pleting his contract with Morrison &
DAILY to 4 certain weekly QUOTA IN
fact, he was surprised ut the size Of it
He would have to work diligently and
steadily during the rest of the winter.
Having thus Il definite task tO &C
complish in a definite number of days:
Radway grew to be more of a t;,S!
master. Thus he regained to small
degree the respect of his men. Then Ne
lost it again.
One morning he came in from a talk
with the supply teamster and woke
Dyer, who was not up yet, ,-,sv -47s
I'm going down home for two Vor:
three weeks" he announced to Dyer:
You: know my address,; You'll have to-
take Charge. and II guess you'dI better
let the scaling so. We can get the tally,
at the banking grounds when we begin
% haul. Now we amt got all the time
tnere Is, 80 you want to keep the boys
ot it pretty WELL" 9,-,,. o.l.; al
Dyer twisted the little points Of his
mustache. ''All right, sir,,n said he.
with his smile SO inscrutably <insolentt
that Railway never saw the insolence
at all. He thought this a poor year for
a man in Railways position to spend
christmas with his family, but it was
none of his business. *
r5"Do as much as you can in the marsh.
Dyer" went on the jobber.i IL don't
believe it's really necessary to lay off
any more there on account OF +ho