Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-07-26

l lIOu ue Wdulcu W uClO up III uio Ou'
pola and pour for castings, and he got
it cheap. 1 suppose. So when they
were dumped in the yard here he or
dered FIVE or six menio turn to and
break them up. They have to be
broken, you see, before they can be
put into the cupola. Well, not a
single shell did those six men break
in a whole mornings work. They
didn't like to say so to the old man
so they came to me. l abused them
little for a lot of weaklings, and
went and tackled it myself. 1t took
about half an hour to convince me.
Then l went TO the old man myself.
l didn't exactly like the prospect, but
there was nothing else to do.
We can't break those shells, said
[. 1t can't be done.
"He wouldn't believe at first that l
really meant it. When he found that
we'd been banging away all day with
out cracking as many as one, he was
so man his language fairly singed his
red whiskers. Then he took off bis
caat.
"'Get me twenty.four pound
sledge, he says. I'll show you milk
sops that 1t can be done, and Ihen I'll
fire every man of you. He used to
be black smith himself.
"Well, inside of ten minutes he had
fired four men, not for being milksops,
but because they laughed. I've got a
natural straight face, and that was all
that saved me. l was laughing away
inside fit to burst. He was terrible
hitter, he was mad enough to have
STAYED in the side of a battleship, but
he didn't come any nearer cracking
any of those shells than we had.
Quarter of an hour of it was all that
he could stand. Then he threw down
the sledge and marched of to the Of
fee without a word.
"He didn't get over it for a month.
Then big, husky chap came out here
looking for job. McNlchol put him
at this, and when he gave it up, Nc
Nichol grinned and felt better. It's
been his joke ever since. He never
seems to tire of it.
The smith might have gone on at
greater length 1t was noon hour
he had just regaled himself on two
beefsteaks sandwiches, an equilateral
triangle Of pie, three doughnuts and Q
cup of coffee. 1t amused him to dis.
course about McNichol.
But at this moment his eyes fell on
the meager, shivering figure before
him, and he stopped his narrative abb
ruptlY.
Come inside" he said. It's much
too cold to be swapping lies here out.
side"
He led the way to the door of the
shop. Beside the door, projecting
from the wall, was a water-tap; be-
meath it was a wooden bucket to catch
the drip. 1t was half.full of ice.
The smith kicked it. "It's cold in
earnest when things freeze over like
that" he said.
Mr.. White drew his breath in
quick little grasp. Looking at him,
the smith saw his eyes alight with ex.
citement.
81 know how to do it he cried. II
know how to do it y
He ran back for the shell he had
hammered so vainly, held it under the
tao, and filled it full of water. Then
carefully he balanced it beside the
bucket, go that the water could not
run out. 1T won't take long to freeze
on day like this" he said.
The smith looked at him for an in-
slant, speechless. Then he caught
him by the arm and dragged him into
the smithy.
I'm blowed /" be murmured.
"Blowedl" !" and then his naturally
straight face" the smile widened to
grin, a deep subterranean chuckle
welled up louder and louder, until he
shook and beloved with laughter.
"The old man'll never get over this !"
he managed to grasp, between spasms.
Hell be madder'n when he bought
'em.
Mr.. White, holding his thin hands
over the dull red Goals in the forge,
watched him, smiling himself, al
though rather tremulOusly. At last
he moved toward the door.
~ think I'd better go back to work
now." he said.
The smith caught him by the arms
"Wait I" he commanded. "I'll man
age this thing. You do just as l tell