The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-07

then IN the mountains. It was at least
a day to get your feet on h tables up
IN Bucks Office and smoke Gailahax's
tobacco, which was enough to make
a man bless Callahan If he did forget
his Maker. Sunday mornings Bucks
would get out the dainty, pearl handled
Wostenholm that Lillienfeld. the big
San Francisco spirit shipper, left an
nually for him at the Bend. and open
the r. H. B. mail and read the news
aloud for the beneft of Callahan and
HALEY and such hangers on as Peeto
and an occasional stray dispatcher.
"Hello!" exclaimed Bucks. chucking
a nine inch official manila under the
table. Here's q general order-No-
The boys drew their briers like one.
Bucks ead out q lot Of stuff that
didn't touch our end. and then he read
this paragraph:
The mountain and the intermoun-
tain divisions are Hereby consolidated
under the name of the mountain di-
vision, with J. F. Bucks as superin-
tendent, headquarters at Medicine
Bend. CT Callahan is appointed as
sistant superintendent Of the new d.
Good boy!" roared Ed Peeto, strain
wei. well, we'll" said HALEY. open
ing his eyes, here's promotions right
and left"
III. P. Agnew is appointed superin-
tendent OF bridges of the new division
with headquarters at Omaha, vice p. c.
Haley" Sucks read on. with some lit
Then he read fast. looking for some
further mention OF Haiiey-Hailey pro-
NOTED. transferred, asstgned-but
there was no further mention OF HALEY
In general order No. IA. Bucks threw
down the order in a silence. Ed Peeto
broke out first.
Who's H. P. Cancer"
"Agnew."
When the deuce is her" roared Ed
Nobody answered. nobody knew.
Bucks attempted to talk: Callahan lit
his pipe. but Ed Peeto started at Hal
ley like a drunken man.
Did you hear that?" he snorted at
his superior.
Haley nodded.
you're outl7 stormed Peeto.
HALEY nodded. The bridge foreman
took his pipe from his mouth and dash
ed it into the stove. He got up and
stamped across to the window and was
like to have sworn the glass out before
HALEY spoke.
Tn glad were up to high water at
the Spider, Bucks" said he at last.
when they get in the Peace river
work the division will run itself for a
year"
Haley" Bucks spoke slowly. ST
don't need to tell you what I think. do
said for a year-nobody ever knows
what Omaha will do next"
HALEY rose to his feet. "Where you
going, PHILIP" asked Bucks.
Going back to the Spider on No. q"
mot going back this morningi Why
don't you wait for No. 4 tonight" sug-
gested Bucks
Ed" HALEY raised his voice at the
bolts and chuck them into the baggage
car for me on No. 2? I'm going
over to the house for a minute" He
forgot to answer Bucks. They new
what 1t a He was bracing him
self to tell the folks before he left
them. Preparing to explain why he
wouldn't have the Sunday at home
with the children. Preparing to tell
the wife-and the old man-that he
was out Out Of the railroad system he
had given his life to help build Up and
make what It was. Out of the position
he mad climbed to by studying like a
hermit and working like a hobo. Out
without criticism on allegation or
reason-simply. like a dog out.
Nobody at the Wickiup wanted to
hear the telling over at the cottage;
nobody wanted to imagine the scene.
AS No. rs mellow chime whistle
rolled down the gorge they saw
HALEY coming out of his house. his
wife looking after him and two little
girls Juggling at his arms as he hurried
along; old Dennis behind, his head
down. carrying the boys shabby valise,
trying to understand why the blow had
fallen.
THAI was what Callahan. up with
Bucks at the window, was trying to
fgure-what it meant.
The man that looks to Omaha for
rhyme or reason will beggar his wits,
Callahan" said Bucks slowly as he
watched Ed Peeto swing the stay bolts
up into the car SO they would crack
the b-aggageman across the shins and
then try to get him into a fight about
it They never had a - I bar
none; no. not Brodfe-that could han
IL = H. --1A1~ IL
they never will have a man-and they
dump him out like a pipe OF tobacco.
How does 1t happen We are cursed
with such a crew Of blooming idiots ?
Other roads aren't"
Callahan made no answer Il know
why they did it," Bucks went on, "but
I couldn't tell Haley"
'~Whv2'
Il think I know why. Last time I
was down the president brought his
name Up and asked a lot OF questions
about where he was educated and so
on. Somebody had plugged him; I
could see that in two minutes. I CAV
him the facts-told him that Brodie
had given him his education as an engi-
neer. The minute he found out he
wasn't regularly graduated he froze up.
Very polite, but he froze up. See? Ex-
perience. actual acquirements"@
Bucks extended his hand from his vest
pocket in an d wavy motion till It
was lost at arms length-"nothing-
nothing"
AS he concluded, Haley was climb
ing behind his father into the smoker.
No. 2 pulled down the yard and
out. One thing HALEY meant to make
sure of-tha they shouldn't beat hin
out of the finish of the Spider bridge
as he had planned It; n monument
HALEY meant to have-one he has.
: The new superintendent Of bridges
took hold promptly. We knew he had
been wired for long before his appoint
ment was announced. He was a good
t enough fellow. I guess, but we ali
{ hated him. Bucks did the civil, though
and took Agnew down to the Spider in
a special to inspect h new work and
lnaroduce him 70 the man whose bread