The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-10-25


To$~ Of the applicant and decid-
ed that this hoy. at least
would not skylark. ami he saw a
chance Of clearing good three dollars
on the weekly payroll So he offered
Corny half a dollar a day. and the lat
ter took the place of the "dollar-a-day
man, who drank too much to hold his
job, and accepted the offer and the
red flag with an eagSrness that almost
made Mahoney wish he had knocked
off an additional half dollar.
Corny's place was at the narrcw
crossing at Blank street. where plat
form Of heavy planks had been built
over the deep ditch of the subway
works. At one end of the excavation
was the holsting engine house, and
overhead the heavy wire cables carried
the trolley car" of earth or broken
stone from the further end of the ditch
to the dumping platform near the en-
glne.
Beside the engineer was a window
and through this aperture he could
see the boy with the flag at the cross
ing. long block away. He governed
the speed and the raising and lowering
of the car according to the signal of
that flag.
Corny received his signals from the
man who stood directly above the spot
where tho men were eXcavating. and
who guided the swinging box among
the great pipes and drains and conduits
which seemed to hang in a perfect
network above the heads of the labor
ers below
Besides keeping a sharp eye on the
man, Corny was expected to be on the
lookout for vehicles that wished TO
cross the ditch and to allow none to
cross while the loaded trolley was run
ming overhead. A bit of rock might
fall from the car, or a horse might
become frightened by the rattle of the
trolley.
The fiagboy certainly earned his half
dollar. There was no time for sky
larking, even had Corny been so in
clined, But Mahoney had been quite
correct in his judgment Of Corny 5
face; life was altogether too serious
self as did other boys.
When a person Of fifteen feels the
responsibility Of for;y-fve resting on
his shoulders skylarking is long way
from his thoughts The pitiabie three
dollars a week Mahoncy allowed him
was expected, with what johnny could
earn doing chores for the local store
keepers and Ben could make selling
papers TO clothe. feed ana house seven
ravenously hungry, active growing
boys and girls.
1t had not always been so. Six
months Of trial and priyation had made
a very "old-fashioned' boy indeed OF
Cornelius Harney.
The Harneys had only lived a year
and a half in the city before the father
died They had come from "the old
country" and after "her man was
taken, the mother pined more and more
for the old English village where she
had been horn. she could do but LITTLE
10 help support the family, and soon
the orphaned children saw her laid
away also.
Cornelius was the oldest boy. Mary
who was two years his senior. KEEP
house for them and tried to keep th,
garments Of The younger children de
Gently patched. Nobody seemed t,
want boy OF Cornelius age until h,
had drawn the attention Of Boss Ma
honey q the underground works.
Those three dollars looked big indeed
to Corny until lie began TO try to mp
portion them out-so much toward th,
rent so much for food, ana slch ,
very little for clothing and nolhin.
ut all FOR extras. Johuuy's and Benl
incomes were not 10 be depended upon
FOR they varied according TO the mum
Der Of errands Johnny could run an,
the number Of papers Ben sold.
And to make sure of those three DOL
lars Corney had TO be up at every
morning, rain or slime. warm or cold
and lie did not get back until a
night There certainly was no though
Of play in the ilasboy's mind. Tho re
snonsibilities resting on his you..
shoulders spnrned Corny TO do his best
lie quickly learned the signals b,
which the engine was governed ant
he was never inattentiye when tn,
trolley was in motion. .Mnhoney ad
mlticd that "the kid" was n good An,
for him; but he still appropriated IN
other three dollars in Corny's enyelop
on pay day
The timekeeper, who came up froi
the contractors office every afternoo
TO get the details Of the days wor
from Mahoncy, gave poor Corny ser
Gus fright the very first day.
"Wherc's McAdo?' asked the tine
keeper, briskly. lie was a lively youn
fellow, who usually had a Joke for IN
men. and he was known to be a rela
five of the contractor himself. Mead
was the name Of the man who ha
been dagging, and Corny knew it an
trembled.
"Hc's no good, an I've fred him.
Mahoncy declared, belligerently. II
ncye1 seemed to like the timekeepei
perhaps because he feared the latter
Eyes were sharply concerned in his en-
ploycr's interest.
II don't believe Mr.. Butterworth wi
stand for hoy to flag. somethln
might happen,
'Now. you let the lad aione," Ms