The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-08
The SCalcr
By STEWART EDWARD WHITE.

1rOtnerS, taxing IN return a mortgage
on what was known as the Crothers
Tract of white pine In due time. as
Crothers oud not liquidate, the firm
became possessed of this tract. They
hardly knew what to do with it.
The timber was situated some fifty
miles from the railroad in d country
that threw all sorts of difficulties
across The logger's path, and had To
he hauled from nine TO fifteen miles
10 the river. Both Morrison and DAILY
groaned in spirit. Supplies would
nave to be toted in to last the entire
winter. for when the snow came. COM
munlcation over fifty miles of forest
road would be as good as cut off.
Whom could they trust among the les,
ser foremen of their woods force
Whom could they spare among the
greater?
AT this juncture they called to them
Tim Shearer their walking boss and
the greatest riverman in the State.
~ QUILL have to job her. said 'Fin
promptly.
Who would be hired at any price to
go up i'm that country on a ten-mile
haul?" demanded DAILY scientifically.
Jest one man." replied Tim. IAN
| know where to find him..
He returned with an individual at
the sight of whom the partners
glanced toward each other in doubt
and dismay. But there seemed no help
for it, A contract was drawn up i'll
which the firm agreed TO pay Sc
thousand. mercantile scale, for all saw
logs banked at rollway to be situated
a given number of miles from the
forks of CasS Branch; while on his side
James Burke better known as the
Rough Red. agreed TO put in at least
100000 feet.
That means a crew of wild Irish
men, said Morrison.
And that means they'll just slaugh-
ter the pine" added DAILY. They'll
saw high and crooked, they'll chuck
the tors-who are we going TO send
10 scale for 'em?''
Morrison sighed Il hate to do it,
there's only Fitz can make it GO
So then they called to them an
other of their best men, named Fitz
Patrick and sent him away TO pro-
lect the firms interests in the depths
of the wilderness.
The Rough Red was a big broad
faced man. with eyes far apart and
bushy red beard. He wore dingy
mackinaw coat, a dingy black and
white checked flannel shirt, dingy blue
trousers. tucked into high socks and
lumberman's rubbers. The only spot
of color in his costume was the naming
red sash of the Voyageur when ne
passed twice around his waist. When
at work his little wide eyes f1ckered
n
voice beloved through the woods in
torrent of imprecations and COM
mands. his splendid muscles swellei
Visibly even under his loose blanket
coat. as he wrenched suddenly and saw
a2ely ut some mans stubborn can't
hook stock. y hint of reluctance or
opposition brought his fist to the mark
with irresistible impact. Then he
would pluck his victim from the snow
and kick him to work with a saw
age jest that raised Il laugh from
erybody-excepting the object OF it.
Al night he stormed back through
the forest at the head of his band,
shrieking wild blasphemy at the silent
night. irreverent, domineering. bold.
with a certain tang Of irish good ma
ture that. made him the beloved of
lrishment.
In the work was little system but
much efficacy The men gambled
drank fought. without word of pro-
test from their leader. With an ordi-
nary crew such performances would
have meant slight accomplishment, but
these wild IriShmen, with their blood
shot ewes their ready jests their
equally ready fists, plunged into the
business of banking logs with all the
abandon of carouse-and the work
was done.
On Thanksgiving Day the entire
place went on a prolonged drunk. The
Rough Red distinguished himself by
rolling the round stove through the
door INTO the snow. He was badly
burned in accomplishing this delicate
Jest but minded the smart no more
than he did the admiring cheers of his
maudlin but cumulative mates. FitZ
Patrick extinguished a dozen little
fires that the Goals had started, shift
ed the intoxicated Mallan's leg out Of
the danger of some ones falling on II,
and departed from that roaring hell
hole TO the fringe of the solemn for
est. And this brings us to Fi.z Pat
rick.
ITitz Patrick was n tall man. With
a face built square. The lines OF his
brows. his mouth, and his jaw ran
straight across those of his temples
cheeks. and nose straight up and down.
His eye was very quiet and his speech
rare. When he did talk, it was with
deliberaton. For days. sometimes. he
would calculate nothing but monosyl-
tables. looking steadily on the things
about him.
He had walked in ahead of the tot
team late one evening in the autumn
after the Rough Red and his devil
had been at work fortnight. Tn
camp consisted quite simply OF tire
buildings, which might have bee
identified as a cook Camp, sleep1n
camp and a stable Fitz Patrick enter
der scaling rule in the corner ant
peered about him through the dust
Oh single lamp.
He saw a round stove in the centre
q Uttered and dirty floor, hunks file.
with horrible straw and worse blank
cts jumbled here and there, old anf
dirty clothes drying fetidly. He say
AN unkempt row of hard-faced mel
along the deacon seat, reckless III
bearn~ with the light of the dare
devil in their eyes.
Where is the boss ?" asked Fit
Patrick steadily
me Rough Red lurched his huge
form toward the intruder.
- am your scaler," explained the
latter where is the Office
You kin have the bunk beyand,
indicated the Rough Red surlily
You have no office, them?
Whats good enough fer tn men
is good enugh fer a boss; and what's
good enough fer tn boss is good fer
any blank BANKED scaler."
TT is not good enough for this
one" replied Fit Patrick calmly. II
nave no notion of sleepin' and work