Gloucester County Democrat., 1909-07-15

as HnShakaDie as the rock or Gibral-
tar. As fitting. almost necessary
complement Of such a nature he was
endowed with a sense of humor that
added not little to the attraction he
exercised for those who knew him
Sufficiently well to be able to appre-
ciate his qualities of heart and mind.
He took a calm. all embracing survey
Of the office as he entered. looked over
to Brooks desk and saluted him with
cordial motion of the hand and in
structed boy to notify Captain Will
liams of his arrival. He was ushered
Immediately into the chiefs presence.
That worthy, who. AXE his superin-
tendent. was clean shaven, was seated
at his desk in his shirt sleeves and
the whole room. despite the wide open
windows. was thick from the smoke
from an old blackened corncob pipe at |
which he was putting vigorously. He
was a burly man, and the short, thick
neck. the broad shoulders, the power
full. big jointed fingers and the mus
cles that stood out in punches on the
hairy arms disclosed by his rolled up
shirt sleeves denoted that he possessed
unusual physical strength. An ugly
man to get into an argument with was
Williams. one who. it needed no mind
reader to judge. would be capable of
following the word with a blow that
would crush an ordinary opponent
For years. as Brooks had intimated
he had led the toughest life a man
90 ,es.f,, Ir- c,H< -
strength way to wealth by ways in
which scruple had coun$d for nothing
at all and expediency for good deal.
and his entrance upon a higher plane
of civilization had not impaired much
polish to his appearance, habits or
speech. which were those of the old
time sailing ship mariner. although of
late years he had striven to conform
more closely to the examples of re-
finement he witnessed in the only po-
lite society he cared for. which was
that of the family of his dead friend.
Stanley Harris. who was general man
ager of the Latin American line when
he obtained control of it, He had
way of glaring at person from un-
der his bushy eyebrows with a scru-
tiny that seemed to read through and
up and down him and made him most
j Ill at ease under it.
He made his decisions promptly, au-
thoritatively after the manner of a
man accustomed to command and to
be obeyed without question, and he
| never changed them, at least In his
business and administrative dealings
Add to all this voice like foghorn,
the effect of which. when he raised
1t. was. as he knew full well. to make
his subordinates quake and to intimi
date others who had to do with him.
and it will be realized that he lived up
fully to his reputation Of being hard
man.
For his quiet. unmovable and thor
oughly capable dock superintendent he
entertained certain respect He
knew from experience that the man
was not the least bit afraid or even
disturbed by his bullying manner and
his believing and that his glare. al
ways squarely met, had no more effect
upon him than it would have upon the
bronze statue of Washington which
stands sentinel on the steps of the sub
treasury in Wall street.
Smith lowered himself slowly and
easily into a big armchair beside the
presidents desk.
1.-Two delegates from the Longshore-
mems union were here just now" an
nounced the captain. "They say the
freight handlers are going to strike"
"Ya-as?' said Smith interrogatively.
.'Yes. What do you know about it?'
Nothing. except that they came to
me with a demand for higher pay for
the men. referred them to you"
"Well. didn't leave EN- any loop
hole for doubt as to my position In the
matter"
You turned them DOWN.
Turned EN- down! OF course.
What do you think? Suppose hand
ed 'em raise on a silver platter and
bowed 'em out of the door?"
81 don't suppose anything about it.
I'm asking for information"
Them two blatherskites came syag-
gering and clustering in here and said
every last one of the men would quit
tomorrow morning at II o'clock unless
they got cents more an hour. They
wasn't staggering when they went
out OF here. ! tell you. pretty soon
took the starch out of 'em."
faint smile fitted over the superin-
tendents face. but he yentured no re-
mark.
81 told 'em." Williams went on. that
| wouldn't give 'em cent century
more and to strike and be ID. | also
told 'em that any man who did go out
would never get another job with this
company, and. by Sam, he won'tl"
The captains voice had risen to a
roar. and he brought his fist down on
the desk with such force that pens and
pencils went flying In all directions
ond fhn ink cnla 10 hnd fr0m the wells