The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-01-11
ALoAn or riFTr DOLLARS

| AloAM or FiFTr DOLLARS
when young Charlie Payson secured I
place with the Is & s. Railway Company
TO lufpect the ties and other timbers fur
sished by contractors for the new con-
struction work, Superintendent Hitchcock
said be chose the young fellow for two res.
sons first, because he knew good timber,
aud second, because he did not carry gun.
The force OF the second reason might not
have been apparent TO the casual Inquirer,
who could have learned by asking that
most OF the men In this rough construction
camp OF cars and tents, and, indeed, In the
whole of this new country through which
be road was building, did carry guns; that
iome OF then were we'll known to be "bad
men" even for such q new country; and
hat Charlie Psyson's place was more than
uk,l ly to involve duties which would bring
| aim into direct opposition to some OF these
lore too scrupulous persons.
But Superintendent Hitchcock, had smil-
| d erimly after bis talk with Charlie, and
etmed to think his second reason fully ss
good as the frat.
Idop't envy you your job, youpgster, said
old Ben Soles, the camp cook, who had
AIKEN fancy to the young man from the
lme when he had first come to the camp
g clerk In Mr.. Hitchcock's service, and
gho had already befriended him more than
nee In small ways. But II you steer clear
the worst Of them and keep level head
you'll prob'ly be able to make 1t 20.
Charlie himself thought he could "make
tgo" He had q sanguine belief In the
good intentions Of most men, and In the
alutaiy effect OF fair and Just treatment
ven upon those whose intenti we're not
lways so good.
Moreover,t thi, opportunity was just what
charlie wanted, for bis own sake snd for
be rake Of his mother. back In civilization.
Who was partly dependent upon him.
guess nobody is going to shoot me, Ben,
Q said, laughing, and can run away fasI
nough II they want to beat me. But
toni mean to have any trouble with any.
lody. There's no need Of II.
Ben shook bis head, Ye don't know
like Abearn and Greasy Joe.
Now Mike Ahearn WAS timber contrac,
or whose methods we're not always above
criticism. even II they had been successful
,lough to make him man Of some note
snong contractors. He was big, power.
fu, man, who loved nothing better than
axht, and respected nothing as he did phys.
ical proves and coursge, both Of which be
himself possessed to great degree.
Oddly enough, too, bis usual way, wher |
uos crossed, was . dissrmipg contrast to
his reputed uelIness. He was full Of fur,
even genial At times, and had been known
do generous things; and p rily to this
stter quality his business success must be
tchbed. He owned the teams ard the
smps which worked under the firm name
~ Ahearn d Co.
As for "Greasy joe Pipp, he WAS gener.
Nv understood to be interested 10 Ahearn's
mpsnv, ard he was known ~ the "silent
ttrirtr," )" altht ugh the name clupg to him
. mutb ib recognition Of his ugly tacitur-
{ yss because he did not appear In the
@ m meme.
Charlie bad seen both there men. He
I'd heard Of the weight Of Ahearn's great
6.t. He bad heard the tales Of Greasy
Jees "gun.play," and he knew the reputa.
,on Of both men for evil dealings. Yet be
could not believe that be stood In any real
niger Of clashing with them, at lsas. 80
ing as the quality Of the ties they furnish
a remained as coed % It bad beer.
But Charlie quickly found that the con-
rsc'ors kept sharp eyes upon the insp'c-
Tor. snd that dealing with men whose eel.
Ash Interests conflict with the interests one
q trying to serve is no simple matter, even
her every one concerned IL inclined to be
honest.
From the very fret day he found compli-
cations arising. There we're questions a.
to what constituted proper delivery under
varying contracts, questions OF responsible.
Ity for loss iDvolv,d 10 delays Of many
sort., questions Of intricate nature and of
nnai,e variety, as Il seemed to Charlie
All we're for him to settle or TO refer to hi.
which mesnt much the same thing,
~ his report guided the superintendent 10
hIs rulings, and the men kn.w II.
Bus. . week or t~o paced without an,
great trouble. Bic Mike Ahearn, whom he
b % most dreaded, ~ss delivering the tbs
,oming 10; snd the Irishman, on the one Or
Two occssions ~hen Charlie bad come Into
,ontact with him. bad treated him ~ib
iendliness which had quite surprised lbe
boy.
A letter came one morning from h's mo-
her si'hs s'ory of trouble. with more
/ lndlInsss OF heart than w'sdom sbe had
becoas surety for the 3ebt OF q needy
peighb y, who had en- ungrsfeful enough
10 i.sve her to pay the Obligation. She
found herself, therefor, Involved to the
amount Of nry dollars. which sbe could
rot psv without moItgssIng ber little cot |
age. her ,ols BIZ n property The sun
.sm.d very Great 10 bsr, and her grief
md abIisty msde Charles hear, ache for {
Der
Conpis,.'y ,u'prlsed "a be wu, ,ho~evsr,
ne ms, er you'd not have seriously EN-.
Oarrs.sd him or made him unculy spxiou. ,
bad Il no, 90 hsppened that on the very !
The latter came. Superintendent