The San Francisco call., 1905-03-19

Y came shutting up the slight
II slope to a cluster OF towering
oil derricks. He was Distress
ingly thin, and tall, and lanky.
His frail frame swayed with the
wind; his thighs and legs were as fat
as the Tapping parts of a jumping
Jack; while from between his should
ers rose a long. thin neck that seemed
too slender to support the head. To
crown all. his hair was thatch of red
bristles that could neither be brushed
up nor down.
His best friends were the oil derricks,
for here he could compel respect and
admiration by his feats upon the scaf-
folding a kind of mysterious har-
rnony had sprung UP between the lad
and the derrieks. From the time he
them. swinging from side to side by the
ropes, or even from one derrick to
another. as none of his companions
/. had been able 10 do. But he could not
run, and he could not jump. He had
none Of the keenness for sports that
the others had.
One silent derrick rose in the very
center Of the cluster of oil-stained
towers. The drilling tools had been re-
moved and the boiler and dirty engine
lay rusty and forgotten in the mad
rush TO more prosperous wells. From
the apex Of the abandoned well hung
a wheel-pulley from which an old rope
dangled 10 the ground.
This derrick and Henry had become
close friends. It was his haven when
he wished to be alone; when he wished
70 forget everything. He had pulled
up a few short boards and builded him
little platform near the top, inacces-
sible save by the ladder Of the old
rope. Whenever he could steal away
from the thoughtless playmates he was
accustomed TO climb hand over hand
TO this platform; he alone of all the
boys could climb the rope TO the top.
Perched high on the derrick Carrots
forgot the unkindness Of his playmates
as he whispered his secret to the nom
committal derrick-his secret-his and
one others. the masters" as he call
ed him.
How vividIy the scene rose before
him; the day he had surreptitiously
fed from a hard task set before him by
his father. with his pencil and pad of
soft scratch paper. He was writing a
story-One Of a dozen he had already
created and-destroyed again. A storyi
That was his secret; his ambition. He
knew that he was uneducated and that
his attempts were but sorry frames of
the structures he was determined to
build
I will' he cried aloud; 4 wiIl.''
You viii what?"
He had turned and faced the master.
i win become an author" he had
replied. Then the master had talked to
him for an hour. He had not even
laughed at Carrots attempt-but had
advised him to finish high school and
cOllege-and read.
That was long ago. yet Carrots was
steadfast in his determination. He had
read; he had written; perhaps also he
had worked less carelessly at his rou-
tine tasks because of the hope in his
heart.
Carrots. Write me a dictionary"
He looked down and saw that the
boys had gathered about the old tower.
Carrots only grinned at the thought
less laughter and swallowed-unseen-
his pain. He was high on his friendly
derrick where none could reach him or
follow. His heart beat fiercely in ex-
ultation as he looked down upon the
handsome well-formed boys beneath
him. What did it matter if they were
stronger than he or swifter of foot?
They could not climb his rope, and they
could not understand his ambition.
Nevertheless he felt it keenly.
As Carrots sat there upon his derrick
q sudden roar told the boys that a
''gusher" had been struck Four hum
dred yards away a great burst of ink
Ike crude oil shot 10 the top of the
tower and showed black against the
cioudless sky. The boys watched the
men control the spouting oil and divert
t inc its reservoir in a hollow be-
tween the hills. where an earthen dam
prevented its escape down the ravine.
This reservoir had become nearly full
Of escaping oil before the men could
cap the well, and the boys. eager for
new fields Of amusements, went scram-
bling down TO the lower embankment.
Here's a leak, Here's a leakt~
Half way UP the smooth, sliding
bank Frank Willis had found a tiny
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