New-York tribune., 1906-06-03

derrick 1t was an idle hour for hm-near suns
of a mild spring day. The new green of all TIL
west made up in part at least for the ssm'
and noise and greasy earth OF the nelghborho1
of the well.
He was painter wasn't he?" my chance a
ouantance went on. An he high up on
scafold, wasn't he putin picture on the W;
O the church, Thought it was so nice, didn't h
got t the edge O the scaffolding without thinkir
and just goin t take another step back a
over when
When another workman, broke in, "appa
by his fearful situation but still with presence
mind rushed
Known that the painter would jump forwa
t stop him, rushed t the wall, with a big brush
drippin' red paint an'-an'-an spilled that poor
But saved the painter life. Yes" agreed
that's something like the story. y remark
able instance of presence of mind
Well, s'Pose So the old man drawled-
But it amt the way Bed Rock Billy would
done it. He'd a done it better. Bedrock
Billy, sir, would a saved both the life an the
picture He'd picked up dry brush, some
how
| had to admit the improvements and re-
marked that Bed Rock Billy must have been
extraordinary man.
Bedrock never had t stop an think. He just
naturally knew what t do without all that
bother. He wasn't grand-stand performer
like the man that sp lied the picture; he was only
a tough old rough-an ready Gilman, an bit
of a runt boot; but when it come t dom
things without thinkin' them out, he got there
immediate an with both feet.
When he wOrkin for TOmmelton g. Co
back in the West Virginia mountains, he had
little trouble with man an a butcher knife
1t was hold-up-case o plain ordinary high
You'll find bad wherever YOU find an oil
boom; an bad thick in that district
when TOmmeltOn & Co drilled wells there
You better not go town. tnight, all
alone. clothes ne
foreman when Bedrock was paid Off You
might lose it.
- Lose it, says Billy Haw haw!'
Now, that sort O grit Will help little man
long way, no matter how big the other fellow m;
be; but no amount o grit will a butche
knife, an Bed d-Rock knew it. Just as well as YOU a
with big shiny knife in his fist, an saws Ho
up your handsl' Bedrock held up his hands \
when the man says, Gi' me your money! Bed -Ro
got his money out of his hip pocket as quick as
could He a wise man, Bed Rock he knt
Just when t be good -natured about little thi
like that.
:" Hand Over! says the man.
An Bedrock handed over-with his left han
Then come the minute when he might a sp lied it ;
by stoppin t think. He offered the money with /
left hand; an when the man with the knife reach
for it. Bed Rock caught sight of a spot o mud ,
the LETT side of his chin just at that place they c;
the pint o the jaw. He might a stopped t thin
o whether he'd better strike out or not; he mig
stopped t wonder what would happen s'posi
he tried an missed he might a paused to Obser
how long an how sharp that butcher knife was
might took time t reflect upon what would happ,
to his naked hands if he simply had t catch hold
the blade. But he didn't He just naturally /
that spot o mud as hard as he could
"' An | found out afterwards he told me- tn
II YOU hit man real hard on the pint o the ia
when he amt eXpectn it, YOU take his kni
away before he comes to. An then you got hi
just where he had YOU
80 An YOU found it out in plenty O time Be
Rock, says l."
The old man looked to me for approval.