Crittenden record=press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1907-1909, 1907-02-28

cd out one fireman just Oue-staye.
with the company: that was Dad Ham
iltol
"Nes." grovied Dad combating th,
protests Of the strikers committee. 81
know IL. ] belong 70 your lodge Bu
III tell you uow-an' I've told 20.
afore-f aiuJ EOn' 70 strike or N,
company So long As Neighbor is ma,.-
mechanic on this division; amt -goIu
20 DO a. an you might a. well quit
II you jaw here from now till Christ
mas 'twOn't change my mind mar q
bit"
And they didn't change IT, Through
the calm and through the storm. and
it st0rmed hard for awhile. Dad Ham.
ilton. whenever we could supply him
with an engineer. fired religiously
No other man IN the service cOul
have done II without getting killed.
but Dad was old enough 10 father any
man among the strikers Moreover.
he was a giant physically and eccen-
tric enough 70 move along through the
heat Of the crisis Indifferent 10 the
abuse OF the other men. His gray
hairs and his tremendous physical
strength saved him from personal vic
lence.
Our master mechanic NeighbOr
was another big man, six feet an inch
IN his stockings. and strong as a draw
bar. Between Neighbor and the old
fireman there existed some sort OF a
honda liking. an affinity. Dad Ham
ilton had fred on our division ten
years. There was no promotion FOR
Dad: be could never be an engineer
though only Neighbor knew why. But
bis Job Of firing on the river division
was sure a. long as Neighbor signed
the payrolls az the roundhOuse
Hence there was no surprise when
the superintendent offered him an Ell
gine. just after the strike, that Dad
refused TO take H.
I'm a fireman. and Neighbor know,
it. / amt no engineer. I'll make
steam for any man you put In the cab
with me. but I won't touch a throttle
for no man. laid IL down. and I'll
never pinch IL again-an' no offense
I you. Neighbor. neither"
Thus ended the negotiations win
Dad on that subject; threats and en-
treaties were useless Then. too. IN
spite OF his professed willingness 10
throw coal for any man we put on his
engine. be was continually rowing
about the green runners we gave him.
Ergr1 the - uIrs.frtf - a
they were a tough assortment; for q
fellow may be a good painter. or a
handy man with a jack plane. or an
expert machinest even and yet a fail
ure a. an engine runner.
After We got hold Of Foley. Neighbor
put him on awhile with Dad. and the
grizzled fireman quickly declared that 1
Foley was the only man on the pay
roll who knew how % move a train.
The little chap proved such a re
a. hle hnd tdat tried hard 10 get .
~ - eastern chums 70 come /
1ir .Ha jo'n him After a good bit 1
u LEstling We did get half a dozen I
more Reading boys fCr orr new corps
n engine men. but the East End OF
0cla'~ Kept al but one Of them on their
'Nn divisions. That one we got be
,au~e nobody on the East End wanted
hin
hey'vs Gtimped the whole bunch.
Foley.' said l. answering his inquiries.
There's just one fellow reported here
he came in on . this morning.
Neighbours had a little talk with him.
Jut be doesn't think much Of him !
guess we're out the transportation Oh
hat fellow"
What's his nameT' asked Foley.
is he OF the ReadingY'
Claims he Is; his name is McNeal'-
"McNeal?" echoed Foley. surprised.
Not George McNealE"
Il don't know what his first name Is.
He's nothing but boy"
Dark complexioned fellow
Perhaps you'd call him that; sort Of
soft spoken"
George McNeal sure's you're born.
II you've got him you've got bird.
lie ran opposite me between New York
and Philadelphia on the limited.
want 10 see ulIu tlBul Ou. II IL p'Oi
gle. you're all right"
Foley's talk went a good way with
me any time. When ! told Nelghbor
about il he pricked up his ears. While
we were debating in rushed Foley /
with the kid, as he called him.
As luck would have 1t, Nelghbor put |
the boy on the pa with Dad Hamil |
ton, and Dad proceeded at once 10
make what Foley termed "a great
roar"
whats the matterW 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 matters" growled Neigh
Dor, still surIler knowing full well that
II the old fellow had a good reason he
would have hlurted 1t out at the start.
''NothIn's the matter, only I'd Ike
my time"
you won't get It," said Neighbor
roughly. "Co back on your run. II
AFoNaal don't behave reDOrt him TO