The Washington herald., 1909-04-25

the ONCE taking 10 the boss Wnen ne
first stepped IN. He was little man.
about vest-pocket high, with knotty
hands, and hair about the color Of a
piece OF sole leather, except where II had
turned white: and he had blue eyes. all
jumping about and full Of life as II he
was twelve years old instead OF thirty
FIVE. and there was a scar across HIS
face. as white as q chalk mark.
Want 70 see Ue?~ says the boss.
Yes" says Brooks. Il hit this town
on the last train. with a jackknife and
a briar pipe for baggage. but 7 shifted
around little. and Il smelled as II some
body in this factory had just left job
with the cover on Foreman Of the stiCh-
ing room. they said. Makes me think my
iUck's got back from China. Stitching
room Is my long suit
'Where'd yOu work last the boss asks. |
and Ed kind Of rubs the back OF his
across his mouth and grins- It's this
way" he says. I'd rather not get the
job than tell I could say come from
California and lost ny papers, OF Il 1 got
into good form I'd probably say lust
come steerage from England. What's the
use2 A feller might just as well be on
the level Just let me Try the Job for
week without pay, and If I deliver the
goods. why twenty-five per. what?"
The boss looked him ali over as II he
was new machine. Then he turns 10
ne and says Jim. I'll 20 over that
matter with you later. I want 10 lay out
the work for the new foreman OF the
stitching ROOM ne SAYS
We'll, that's the way Brooks came 10
US, and he made good All through the
winter he worked hard. and he didn't dis 4
appoint Us any. But Il wasn't till the 4
next July that he unfol5ed. To tell
the truth, he only unfolded IL for lust
two people IN this town. and one Of EN- /
was me and the other was Nelson p \
ztwateT
Atwater was the bOokkeeper. and he
was a neat. pale-Iooking felier. with
little mustache. and getting bald very
Young. from studying In a commercial I
COliege-a nice feller. a hard working .
teller. a fsIler that didn't hit the nail 4
very hard but kept right on hitting Il. 4
He came from some place IN Massachu-I
sets and used % write q lot Of letters
20 q girl there, SO Grace Doian. the ste
nographeT. said He was getting SIS a !
week. and I guess Il looked as II there-d +
he q lot more letter writing and So for !
coed many more Saturdays before there'd 4
he any Jingle Of wedding bells. as they
say.
That Friday rad been a whale for heat
one Of those July DAYS that makes the
tongue OF everything hang out. man and \
dog-a day when there amt but a speck
Of wind. and that gasps like IL was suf-
fering from the heat. toe And the even
ings weren't much cooler. either YOu
couldn't stay Indoors and going 70 bed
7
steps in my shirt sleeves. listening 20 the
rattle OF the dishes nv wife was wash
ing. and about million crickets squeak
Ing and footing in the gras.. when seen
somebody scratching gravel I'D the road
u was Ed. Brooks.
He sauntered in the gate. and as I'd .
thought he was kind OF unsoeiable
feIler I was as surprised as II II had
been a talking horse. He was putting
I'D a sort Of blum AT being careless and
easy. but 7 could tel by hts breathing
he had hot-footed il Up over the hin. I
and he kept his hands moving like
some one who's got ten pounds Of /
thinking on their minds
-'Ffow's how says he. sitting down
and. by the way. when 90 we get paid
off?"
"To-morrow.~ says I. and wen you
know II"
That's a fact he says. so We do.
II must take a lot Of money to III
everybody's envelope
Just short two thousand I SAYS.
wondering a DIT 70 myself
That's lot OF stuff. isn't il. JIM
Where does IL come from2 How do
they send IT." he says. kind of care \
less
Why. they send it I'D from the bank
at the Junction BY the express com
pany." says I 1T comes Saturday
morning on the first train. except \
once in a while Il comes I'D Friday
nights. and the boss locks Il I'D in the
safe"
Friday nights" says he sharp. put
ting his blue eyes on me Did vou
ever see how & looks when il comes"
CT course I didn't know much about
him and he had me full OF suspicion
by his words. but 7 couldn't see anv h
use in lying 20 him Sure. saws I II
1T comes in wooden box wrapped h
with paper and sealed"
The fool" yells Ed, "the blamed
muttr'
Anybody who'd seen the look on his
face would know well enough he
weren't crazy. Il was nonsense 10 ne
but I could see II meant something TO
him. al right. and 1 jumped I'D. /
Jim" says he. I'll put you wise 70
this business About $50 this afternoon
I vas coming I'D from the sole-leather
room and I was walking BY the parti-
ton that separates the Office from the
factory. and I thought I'd look in and
see II the boss was there There's 2
knothole in one Of the boards. see2 Wen.
took a sqCint, Ike kid on the out
side OF the baseball grounds. Well the 1
boss weren't there. but Grace Dolan was
playing Sweet Saturday Night on the 3;
typewriter. and I see a feller pull
wooden box that had paper and seals
on il out Of the closet and swap Il for
another box just like 1t. that was sitting
on the top OF the iron safe. and then {
the boss comes in. ard he puts the fake
box into the safe and locks II up for the
right L
eff weren't Atwster2-' / shouts.
eyes. Atwater he says. soft and look