The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-10-06
.Hhu nfn,t that loa markedf"

WIN ain't that log ndrkedf"
with horrible straw and worse blan-
kets jumbled here and there, old and
dirty clothes drying fetidly. He saw
an unkempt row Of hard faced men
along the deacon seat, reckless In
bearing. with the light Of the dare
devil in their eyes.
"Where is the boss" asked Fitz Pat
rick steadily.
The Rough Red lurched his huge
form toward the intruder.
81 am your scaler," explained the
latter. Where is the Office"
"You kin have the bunk beyand," In.
dicated the Rough Red surlily.
"You have no Office, then?'
whats good enough fer tn men Is
good enough fer a boss, and what's
good enough fer tn boss is good fer
any blank blanked scaler."
1T Is not good enough for this one,"
replied Fitz Patrick calmly. Il have
no notion of sleepin' and workin' in
no such noise an dirt. need an Of
fee to keep me books an tn van. Not
a log do scale for ye, Jimmy Bourke,
till yeze give me fit place to tally
IN"
And so 1t came about, though the
struggle lasted three days. The Rough
Red stormed restlessly between the
woods and the camp, delivering ire
mendous broadsides Of oaths and
threats. Fitz Patrick sat absolutely
imperturbable on the deacon seat look
ing straight In front of him, his legs
stretched comfortably aslant, one hand
supporting the elbow of the other
which in turn held his short brier pipe
The cook, a thin faced, sly man
secretly admired him.
Luke out for tn Rough Red; he'll dc
YEP he would whisper hoarsely wher
he passed the silent scaler.
But in the three days the Rough Rec
put his men to work on little cabin
Fitz Patrick at once took his scaling
rule from the corner and set out int
the forest.
His business was, by measuring TN
diameter Of each log, to ascertain ant
tabulate the number Of board feet pu
in by the contractor. On the basis o
his single report James Bourke woul'
he maid for the seasons work. Inevita
bly he at once became James Bourke'
natural enemy, and 30 Of every mai
in the crew, with the possible exception
Of the cook.
Suppose you log a knoll which you
eve tells You must grow at least hall
million; suppose you work conscier
tiousiy for twelve days; suppose you
average has always been between 40
900 and $4,000 day. And then sur
pose the scaler's sheets credit you Wit
only a little over the 100000! Wha
would You think Of it7 Would you nc
be inclined to suspect that the scale
had cheated you in favor Of his MAJ
ter-that you had been compelled o
false figures to work day or go ft
nothing? !,
Fitz Patrick scaled honestly, for I
was a just man, but exacutude an
optimism Of estimate never nave a.
proximated, and they did not In Tn
? case The Rough Red grumbled, a
, cused, swore, threatened. Fitz Patri'
, smoked steadily and said nothing.
, The two men early came to claf
, over the methods Of cutting. III
: Rough Red and his crew cut anywher
? everywhere, anyhow. The easiest VIZ
> was theirs. Small timber they skippe
! large timber they sawed high, TO-
. they left rather than trim them IN
! logs. Fih Patrick would not have q
e pine slaughtered" !,
4 Never would the Red acknowledge .
wrong nor promise the improvemei
but both were there, and both he a.
Fitz Patrick knew it. The Rough \