The Washington times., 1905-06-18

seemed at strange variance with
Brady's rough exterior.
Are all railroad men poets?" he
| asked dryly.
You Will think Of that question
when I'm mauling you in fifteen inches
and wide open throttle" remarked
Brady, the shadow OF a smile lurking
| over his grim lips.
On, on and ever I'D. Then as the
cedars shrank into dwarfed shrubIary
they came to the end Of their journey.
A long row of log houses. with high
fake fronts, bearing upon the larger
| number names famous in dozens Of great
capitals. The smaller the front the moro
ambitious the owner seemed in lavish
paint.
Must be the breeding place for all
the cafes in the world growled
Brady IF these joints live UP to the
prices connected with their names our
only hope is that they have q broad
ga uge poor MASTER
Probably poetry is equally high"
said John, slyly.
Brady looked at him q moment in
mock anger. then said: All right. my
boy, 1 see you are locking for trouble
Now, for the round house. We will
tackle that Jasper MN and sea what
he has in the stocking for u.s."
At little distance stood a low,
round structure, with massive sides of
red rock and grim iron roof, emitting
clouds OF black smoke and vapor 1t
looked strangely like fort resisting a
siege.
Crossing over Brady asked Of a
grimy young fellow. who. with a bun
die Of overclothes under his arm,
stumbled out from the steam-r eeking
interior, Where is Mr.. Jasper's Of
fice?"
Under his hat, and the last I saw
of that, 1t was starting for the North
Pole when that Swede dropped the
plug out Of the 114's blow-off cock
~ ~
Yes he continued, answering The
merry twinkle in R-ady's eyes, THE
old man was sizing up driving
spring, the wooden shoe undertook to
close the leaking cock. and turned it
the wrong way, Of course. The old
fellow was in good range-and, sly,
partner, If you want anything out OF
him. you had best forget it until to-
morrow.
Look out" he added, and. grasping
Brady's arm. he swung him aside. bare
~ in time for him to avoid collision
with an emerging figure, burly old
fellow with white, mud-fiecked hair and
slime-covered garments, dropping dirty
water at each uncertain step, hands
weaving erratic circles. while only a
hoarse, choked roar came from the
gasping lips.
Feeling the clear air. the blinded. lu-
dicrous figure paused: then, after clear
ing his eyes by a vigorous use OF his
knuckles. lifted up his voice In all the
choicest invectives Of the rail
In language strong and rough as the
types of his surroundings. he heaped
anathemas upon the Scandinavian pen
insula. full extent and breadth. all OF
her fair-haired sons. the vessels tina.
brought them over and the men and ell
mate responsible for their employment
AS the harangue roared on, laughing
faces peered like puzzle faces from I'M
der the corners Of tanks. over frames.
or from crevices of dingy windows. De-
spite the fun Of the exhibition, John
recognized that the old fellow was In
real trouble. SO. stepping UP to him, he
s,sNed. in a voice of real sympathy:
Cant 1 be Of any service to you?"
" *
Yes. lots of it, roared the old man.
Get the biggest monkey you
can find and brain that Swede. What
the Lord was thinking Of when ne made
TIE cheese-tinctured. beer-swilling VOW
VOWS IS beyond me-
Are you scalded?" asked John.
'ScaIded?" replied the irate victim
THAT I'm not burned up is a mere
chance 1 had just started from the
JOB l was overlooking when that brute
opened his bombardment; but who are
your"
My name is Gray replied John
Engineer Brady and myself. his fire.
men. were sent here with orders to re-
port to you
ITO report to me?" sneered Mr. Jas
per. sarcasticaIly 1.-The only thing that
ought 10 hold correspondence with me
is flrst-class metropolitan street clean
ing department
Yes" he added Il moment later. in n
friendly voice. II have heard Of you
people, and if you will follow me to that
tie pile over there. I'll put you in view
OF your Offices
From the top of a pile OF old ties Mr.. |
Jasper grinaly surveyed the facing pair. |
Well he said, at last. in a surprised
tone, i've heard or you boys, and from !
what Mr.. Wayland writes, you both have |
come to stay. Now before you buy chips
In the game l want to give you a
few pointers. ] have under my jurisdlc- |
ton a hell-gate Of q road. It's called |
the Huron branch. From q point two
miles this side to Arctic-ten miIes-it |
falls $50 feet. making n uniform grade !
OF 250 feet to the mile. Now in this !
gauntlet we have the broken. crushed |
remnants Of eight runaways, and the |
head-end boys under them. Now. I am
up against it hard, the transportation
people are trying their best 10 drive me !
into lunatic asylum, but. boys, I look !
uIon IL as my duty 10 tell you that If |
you were my sons. l would far rather |
see you two into clear in anything else !
than working on the Huron branch.
THANK yor, Mr.. Jasper" said Brady. |
IN a decided voice. "Gray and myself will |
take one of your engines on that branch. |
and when she goes down the dump. ifl
we are unable to get off sooner, we Will |
call it your rake-off. We are not In |
this country for our health. When can
you use us?''