The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-08-13
A Fight
at
Zero
B4 ALBERT W. TohMAs.


The junior clerk in Ford & Hans
CONS wholesale meat house, Charley
Corey, was arguing with the book
keeper a. Pollard Brothers refrigerat-
ing-plant ON Commercial Wharf.
Mr. Remy"-Remy was Ford C
H0nscom's manager-.says the lex-
press left those five boxes of chickens
here Saturday"
well, I'm sure it didn't" snapped
the bookkeeper. He was tired with
adding figures through the long, hot
August day.
no objection 60 my looking round
q bit?'
go ahead if you think your Mr..
Remy knows our business better than
we do. But you'll find it shivery
job Better get into this overcoat"
mo, thank you. MY blood's pretty
good, and I'll keep moving"
IAN right. Only remember we
close at six sharp, and it's past five
now"
Charley went out to the wharf
through the ammonia-scented engine
room, with its red-lettered danger
placards and frosty wall pipes. Barely
noticing the little steamer from which
nets of silver herring were being
hoisted to the loft over the freezing
floor, he unhasped the double-thick
door and entered the refrigerator.
Br-r-r! It was chilly! His teeth
chartered as, with al familiarity. horn
Of previous trips, he threaded the
narrow, electric-lighted alleys be-
tween boxes piled ceiling-high. and
soon was climbing the first stairway.
slippery with frost and grease. An
other flight took him to floor three.
Remy had told him to rummage the
giant from top 60 bottom for that
poultry.
How cold today?" he asked a
man in thick REFER and mittens,
Z spreading fish ON boards between
fuzzy white layers Of ammonia pipes.
"Just Zero"
"Only eighty degrees lower than
Il Ia outside commented Corey, as
he began exploring for the chickens.
A careful search discovered moth
ing with Ford & Hanscom's mark.
The story below yielded no better re-
suits. Returning to the ground floor,
he found the street door open, and
several men hustling in boxes and
barrels from a newly arrived car, and
stacking them everywhere for the
night, even in the passages. BY the
time he had CONVINCED himself that
the missing birds were not there. it
was founeen minutes to six, and he
was nearly frozen.
''I7l look over little of the cellar,
and finish tomorrow morning." he
decided.
Lifting trap-door, and pushing its
edge under a notched stick fastened
30 the wall, he descended short
fight OF steps. Al the dimly Mlumined
end of the first alley he came upon a
case stenciled "Ford & Hanscom."
Close by he found the four others
Corey waited for nothing more. His
watch said five minutes to six. A
tremendous banging and humping
overhead told that the men were
making haste. He hurried toward the
scuttle
Springing up the stairs, he slipped,
and caught at the edge of the door.
Down it crashed on his straw what,
and he knew nothing further.
1t was absolutely black and still
and cold when the clerk came to him
self. He ran his hand along the CO.
ment. hard and smooth as ice, and
touched the stairs. Gradually he
realized where he was. A big lump
ON his head under his crushed straw
nat told that the falling door must
have struck him senseless.
Charley stood up the stairs, he
pushed against the door. To his alarm