The San Francisco call., 1905-06-11


faithful black face across his mind. Il
think I'll like the work and I'll risk the
rest ="
Like it, All, boy, then I've no more to
say. You are not the first lad who has
stood there and said those words. Wen,
may your ending be better than many of
theirs. But, how did you come to find
me-
I'VE met an old friend and schoolmate
of mine who directed us here" answered
Howe.
"And who was he?" asked Nanny.
'Will Mason. or as he is better known,
'Girlie'''
"Girlie," yelled Nanny. a wrathful
gleam in her eyes. '.and If I'd known We
were a friend of that numbering villain
the kettle would nave followed ye down
the steps ten minutes ago..
What's the trouble?' asked Howe in
surprise.
Trouble. came the wrathful answer.
Sure that same young devil is the both
err of me life. The beautiful face and
ways of him have got tangled up in
my heart-strings, so | mourn over his
devilment like a fool mother. He will
come in swearing drunk, start fight
with the first man he stumbles over,
break up half of me furniture or come
in the kitchen here, scare me cook OH
Of the job and make junk out of me ket-
ties and pans. Then in the morning
when he has slept off his wholesale stock
he will come to me with the look of
saint on the face of him. Then when
tell him to get to the devil out of here, he
will say something to me in the swate
blarneying voice OF him. Then III look
into the pleading blue eyes of him and
, whilst, perhaps, I'm thinking how they
look like the sun on Killarney, an arm
will steal around my old neck. and the
swatest voice in the world will whisper,
Poor old Nanny. it's too bad, I'm
sorry then-weH, Grille stays on
Here some heavy vessel crashed
against the dining-room door. Nanny.
dashing the tears from her eyes, SpranS
with amazing alacrity for one of her
avoirdupois-to 1t, threw it open, then
seizing the heavy chair lying upon the
floor. threw it with one sweep Of the
wrist back, erect into its vacant place.
Then stood arms akimbo, fercely sur
veying eight demure faces ranged around
the table From eight bronze faces eight
pairs of eyes met hers in gentle surprise
whats the matter, Mammy?" asked
one of the group sympathetically- HAS
the range dropped its crown sheet, or
has the potato and coffee pots had an
head ender? You look excited Take 1t
easy, you will never gain flesh if" you
bound into gentlemen's presence cyclone
style
"I'u cyclone you," yelled Nanny.
shaking her fist In the speakers face.
"You land pirates and roaring buns. III
teach you to heave a chair against ny
kitchen door,"
"Only a gentle reminder" broke In an
other gently. "of the sad fact that It's
ten minutes past II. and the oil ciotn Is
yet running light
Its light in running. is it, Ed Ryan.
answered Nanny, a world of wistful In
ouiry in her tones. ''Well, it's not right
to interfere with anything light in this
stock pen, don't worry. my boy Devil
a plate will darken it before o'clock To-
night"
Disregarding the pleading voices and
outstretched hands, Nanny turned to
the surprised Howe and Gray, saying:
LET the heathens howl. Sure fast
will do them good Come with me. my
BOYS, and we will have Irish stew-a
howl from the penitent ones-"and a fine
juicy roast" Another jumble OF be-
seeching sentences Say, Nanny. you
don't mean it''-"Don't rub it in''-'And
Irish stew day at that But unheed-
ing Nanny sailed majestically behind
the fortunate pair into the kitchen,
when. after locking the door, she said.
with a sigh of relief, I'm glad Girlie
was not there. He would have stole
the whole dinner whilst 1 was callin'
the rest down.
The boys had hard time to convince
the generous old soul that they had just
d;ned and at Gray's suggestion set out
to look the yards over, leaving Nanny
quietly enjoying the coveted stew, un-
ruffled by the pleading faces emitting
woefuI plants through the transom-
what do you think of it?'' asked
Howe. as they reached the street
81 never enjoyed anything MORE" an
swered Gray. laughing II wonder II
she will relent-'
II doubt it," answered Howe. There
is a method in her madness. She has
to keep some sort of discipline. The gang
will enjoy the joke as well as herself,
but / guess the chairs will be better be-
haved in her dining-room in the futuge.
Hope so," said Gray
Passing dokn the street they reached
a fence wheke a good overlook Of the
yards could be had.
Lets sit down here" said Howe,
pointing to a low wall, land I'll give
you a few pointers.
From where they sat they looked out
over one of the busiest OF the great
yards of the world A maze of shining
track, bewilderingly intersecting. the
long string of moving cars, undulating
like grotesquely Jointed snakes unoer
the strong impulse of ''kick" or snatch
ing stop; the darting rush of active,
lithesome frames-a thing of quick. ring
ing command and CHEEKY response, of
gay, bright indifference to black figure
stalking ever present in the sunlight
To John it seemed very good Over all
the rapid roar of flying exhausts. the
struggling choke of reversed engines, and
the resounding clash of striking cars.
A long freight pulls slowly down clear
track near them. AS the caboose stops
onnosife Howe saws.
Now watch and you will see part of
the work In this train OF thirty coaches
are cars from all parts of the country
and probably a dozen different roads See
the conductor handing that fellow long
slip OF cardboard? Well. he is the fore
man in charge of the crew who are to
switch out the train. The number of each
car and it's destination are shown upon it
in direct rotation. but there comes the
engine"
A little Saddle bank shifter dashes
along the track toward the caboose,
seemingly bent upon its ultimate destruc-~
ton. but just as John grasps Howe's arm
in dismay the reverse, lever is laid back
by an impassive young fellow in the right
seat box-the shivering, groaning engine