Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-03-26

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these men walk
ed out. One tireman-just one-stayed
with the company; that was Dad Ham.
ilton.
EYES," growled Dad. combating the
protests Of the strikers committee. II
know It, belong to your lodge. But
I'll tell you now-an' I've told you
afore-I amt gOin' to strike on the
company SO long rs NeighbOr is master
mechanic on this division; ain't a-goin'
to DO 1t, an you might as well quit.
II you jaw here from now till Christ
mas. 'twon't change my mind mar a
bit"
And they didn't change it. Through
the calm and through the storm. and
it stormed hard for awhile, Dad Ham,
ilton. whenever we could supply him
with an engineer. fired religiously.
No other man In the service could
have done it without getting killed,
but Dad was old enough to father any
man among the strikers. Moreover,
he was a giant physically and eccen
trio enOug,, to move along through the
heat OF the crisis Indifferent to the
abuse of the other men. His gray
hairs and his tremendous physical
strength saved him from personal vio-
lence.
Our master mechanic. Neighhnr.
was another big man. six feet an inch
In his stockings. and strong as draw
bar. Between Neighbor and the old
fireman there existed some sort Of
bond-a liking, IN affinity. Dad Ham,
ilton he'd fred OH our division ten
years. There was no promotion for
Dad: he could never he an engineer.
though only Neighbor knew why. But
his job Of firing on the river division
was sure as long as Neighbor signed
the payrolls ut the roundhouse.
Hence there was no surprise when
the superintendent offered him an c:l-
ginc. just after the strike. that Dad
refused to take 1t.
"I'm fireman, and Neighbor knows
1t. amt no engineer. I'll make
steam for any man YOU put In tie cab
with mc. but | won't touc,! Il throttle
for 10 man. laid It down. and I'll
never pinch it again-an' no offense
t you. Ne;chbor, neither"
Thus ended the negotiations with
Dad OH that subject; threats and ell
treaties were useless. Then. too. In
spite Of his professed willingness to
throw coal for any man we put on his
engine. lie was continually rowing
about the green runners we gaze Lin.
From the standpoint Of railroad .::an
they were Il tough assortment; for q
fellow may be a good painter. or
handy man with Il jack plane. or nn
expert mnchineSt even and yet fail
urc as an engine runner.
After we ;.ot hold Of Foley. Neighbor
put him on awhile with Dad, :nd the
grizzlcd fireman quickly declared that
Foley was the Only man Oh the pay
roll who knew Low - move tain.
The little chap proved suc'l a re-
markable find that | tried hard to get
some of his eastern clums to come
out and join him. After good bit
of hustling we did get half dozen
more Reading boys for onr new corps
of engine men, but the East End OF
ficlals kept all but one Of them on their
own divisions. That one we got be-
cause nobody on the East End wanted
him.
They've crimped the whole bunch.
Foley" said l. answering his inquiries.
There's just one fellow reported here
he came in Oh this morning.
Neighbor's had little talk with him,
but he doesn't think much Of him. !
guess we're out the transportation on
that fellow"
whats his name?' asked Foley.
"Is he off the Reading"
"Claims he is; his name is McNear'-
"McNeal?" echoed Foley, surprised.
Not George McNeal!"
81 don't know what his firstsname Is.
He's nothing but boy"
Dark complexioned fellows?
Perhaps you'd call him that; sort Of
soft spoken"
George McNeal, sure's you're born.
If you've got him you've got bird.
He ran opposite me between New York
and Philadelphia OH the limited. |
want to see him right off. II it's Geor-
gle. you're all right"
Foley's talk went good way with
me any time. When l told Nelghbor
about 1t he pricked up his ears. While
we were debating in rushed Foley
with the kid. as he called him.
As luck would have 1t. Neighbor put
the boy on the pa with Dad Hamil-
ton. and Dad proceeded at once to
make what Foley termed "a great
roar"
whats the matter?" demanded
Neighbor roughly when the old fire.
man complained.
"If you're goin' to pull these trains
with boys. guess it's time for me to
quit. I'm gettin' pretty old. anyhow"
whats the matter?" growled Neigh
Dor. still surlier. knowing full well that
il the old fellow had good reason he
would have blurted it out at the start.
"Nothin's the matter, only I'd like
my time"
"You won't get It," said Nelghbor
roughly. go back on your run. II
McNeal don't behave, report him to
me. and he'll get his time"
1t was favOrite trick of Neighbor's.
Whenever the old fireman got to "buck-
Dlng' about his engineer the master me-
chanic threatened to discharge the en-
gineer. That settled 1t. Dad Hamilton
wouldn't for the world be the cause OF
throwing another man out Of job, no