Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-01-23
A Touch of Nature
BY D. II. 1AIMADGE.
Copyright. 1905, by Daily Story Pub. Coz

Aeavy to the nOrthward trouble comes
Ehere in foods.
The Big Eastern Railway company had
surveyed its line through the valley in
stead OF cutting through the hill mile
kbove. and difference of opinion eX-
Wted as to the wisdom of the course.
Certain 1t is that in a few years of heavy
rains the damage from high water at
Shell Bend amounted to sum not light
" to be considered.
A number of men, members of a con-
struction gang. sitting on ties one noon
lime eating their dinners from the con-
xentional tin pals, discussed this ques-
Mon as II had been discussed on many
xormer occasions, and they were Of one
mind. The waters were bubbling and
seething at their feet, the track for so
yards on either side of them was gone,
md great powders, washed from the
III sides. were scattered here and there
elong the right Of way. The scene was
par from inspiriting. The men, natural
" enough, perhaps, were In bad humor,
and they cursed fervently the memory
ef the engineer who had put the road at
fhe mercy of the waters In that spot. Be-
(, Now it is hardly to be expected that
several neE of naturally belligerent ma
lures, aggravated by untoward circum-
stances. will pass through an hour OF
comparative idleness at peace with one
another. 1t is all very well to direct
words Of disapprobation at a muddy
river and a. a distant engineer. but it is
not satisfying. The natural food Of bad
tempered men is flesh and blood.
Wherefore Tim Reagan reached over
and took a piece of bread from the pail
or Jim Cider and put 1t between his
teeth. which were working close to-
kether at the time. This was annoying
10 Jim. but not sufficient cause for COM
bat. Tim chewed the bread. however.
2tnd spat it out with an insulting bah,
This meant business
Yer woman's not much of a bread
maker" he commented viciously.
You're liar" said Jim, promptly.
4 Whereupon the two stood up, and the
other men, with the wisdom that is born
pr experience, placed the pals behind
khe ties.
4 I'll teach you-you monkey-faced
kRloot-to insult the fruit of my wo-
mans oven!" snapped Jim. who was a
poet and rich in vocabulary. Its the
bread that's made the muscle of the
gentleman that can lick the sawdust out
OF your doggoned homely hide, and don't
tyou forget IT,"
"Whiroo!" laughed Tim. derisively.
TT weighs a ton to the loaf an It's sour
10 the tongue. can whip any man that's
Ted on the stuff-easy, We plug. Take
that nowi"
He lunged forward. and the two men
clinched. Then they broke away.
ffye'd not been so devilish fiery" said
Tim, "takin' insult where no insult was
meant. I'd have traded We bit of bread
that's bread for that lump OF abomina-
tion took from We. The bread eat Is
made by Miss Bridget Conlan, of the
railroad mans paradise. where I board
when at home. 'Twould have made We
sick at heart that We married so i'm
petuous like without lookin' further
than ye did. Miss Bridget Conlan. me
boy. she makes bread that strengthens
The body and soothes the soul. Maybe
now yen let me offer We piece!"
He reached down to his pail quickly,
getting half-eaten slice of bread.
NO" snorted Jim.
well then, III ram it down that
tnY}key red neck We wear there under yer
rhin; twill do yer soul and heart good"
Jim's retort was unintelligible. He
darted forward, and blood spurted from
Vim's nose. This betokened that the
fight was on In earnest.
4to hlou-. 4.
From sturdy shoulders. For fully three
minutes they kept at 1t, neither seeming
TO gain an advantage. Then, little by
little, Jim forced Tim back toward the
steep bank and the rushing waters. At
last he struck him squarely on the point
of the chin. and Tim toppled down the
bank and into the water like a log. In
another instant the current had him and
was bearing him away
Jim, breathing hard, stood looking
into the water. The other men ran about
excitedIy
He'll drown" they cried, hell
jim"
s, TWAS fine blow" said Jim, proudly,
taking down his suspenders. He did
not remove his gaze from the water. But
he jumped up and down and removed his
trousers. Then he kicked of his shoes.
Look out!' he called, and ran down
the bank to short distance above
Anag where Tim, padding feebly, but
making no outcry for assistance, had
temporarily halted. Then he was In the
river. swimming with long even strokes
toward the snag. He reached It pres
ently and srasped Tim by the hair, hold
ing his head above water with one hand.
Fhus-far down the stream, for the cur
sent was very strong-he brought him
10 shore. II was hard fight-more ex-
hansttng by far than the one which had
preceded It. But he was little the worse
Tor the exertion. Neither was Tim.
You may believe it or not. as Won
please. but both men were ready for
work at one O'Clock. And they walked
side by side to the place designated bv
the foreman. AS they walked thew
talked.
MY woman borrowed the bread she