The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-10-28
A DOUBTFUL AFFAIR.

A DOUBTFUL AFFAIR.
| The factory hooter proclaimed to the
world within it's range the fact that 6
o'clock had arrived. The entrance of the
boilerroom abutted on the narrow quay
side.
Tom stood at the door, having closed
his hampers to check the draught for
there was an hours interval at o'clock
and the chief snubbed you if he came
round and found the steam roaring off,
TO watch big coal steamer coming in to
the opposite quay. Nearer and nearer
she crept, swerving to spin of her
wheel I'LL parallel with her berth The
weighty bights were carried along and
made fast; few feet farther glided the
great tramp steamer then, with a surly
backward swish of her screw, she came
| to rest.
A little waif, the kind of boy that
haunts all waterside localities of large
towns, also watched the arrival from
his post on the top of pile of timber,
and now, clambering down, came cham
bling aimlessly along the quay.
Burton transferred his attention to
the unkempt, grimy mortal as it moved
here and there. The boy was happy, it
seemed, for he whistled as he wandered;
brave blue eyes he owned, too; they
shone finely when he faced the sunlight,
although his cheeks were pinched.
From the deck of the tramp stoker
also watched the boy, contemplatively.
Presently banana shot over the inter-
vening strip of water and skidded at the
youngsters feet. He lodged after it
and made short work of devouring it.,
peering across and laughing, the merry
| little imp, when he caught sight of the
of the steamer.
Hungry, sonny ~ called the stoker,
his face wrinkling into cheerful, en-
couraging grin.
eyes," answered the boy, his eyes
glistening.
"Catch, then!"
boy rushed forward to catch it. slipped
and fell There was a splash,
and shrill cry There were two big
ger splashes Immediately after, and
numberless whirls of CRIME and dirty
bubbles, and dark, liquid lanes, marking
where the two men had plunged in and
the black mud of the bottom been dis
turbed. Together they brought the boy
to the boiler house, and there were
many encouraging shouts from those on
board the steamer who had heard the
splashes and crowded to the side
| Bedargled and painting they were, but
| their burden looked half dead and very
white He had not been in the water
more than a minute, perhaps, but his
reserve of life-force was too evidently
very scanty Tom kicked open the fur
mace doors of one of the boilers, and
dragged the bench in front of it, wrap
ping a sack tenderiy round the quiet
form The rich, strong glow of the huge
| fires beat straight on the boy, making
his soaked odds and ends steam steadily
betraying, as the men went through the
necessary movements to restore him, the
pitiful thinness of his arms. the leanness
of his poor body
His face, which had shown false
ruddiness in that warm illumination. by
and by was tinged with shade of real
color from within, and he opened his
eyes. Just then there was a sound of
running feet, and woman, hardfaced,
untidy, stood silhouetted in the doorway
against the outside radiance.
"Oh, my Gawd!" she cried, seeing them
bending over the listless FORM "Oh,
my Gawd is he dead?" And she reeled
to heap of coal in the corner, sat there,
planning, repeating her exclamation
wringing her miserable hands. The two
men took but little notice of her, striv-
ing to fan the tiny, Pickering life flame
into a steadier burning. Toms tea-can
had been placed in a corner of the fur
mace close to the door. in two minutes
its contents were nearly boiling; the hot
liquid revived the boy, and he came
round quickly.
Nov then, misses, you'd better take
him home quick, an keep him warm"
Tom said, gruff1y, for he did not like the
look of her. Can you carry hin?"
Apparently she could not, for even as
she stood waiting she swayed ominously
her eyes staring, her lips muttering I'M
ineligible words. So the boy was set
upon his feet, quaint, sad little spec
tace, to take the woman's hand. The
two men stood at the doorway watching,
comprehending dimly tragedy of life
that might he worse than the averted
tragedy of death. She led MIN off. Her
words came back to, them thickly and
lindistinctly as she jerked him along by
the wrist.
"Ah, you little devil, you The boy
began to cry quietly.
Tom and the stoker of the tramp ex-
changed understanding glances, and
stood for while talking, frowning, fol-
lowing with their eyes the two who shut
fled along in the sunshine. The snarl-
ing syllables gradually became unrecog-
nizable as words.
A bell tangled in the boiler house be-
hind. Tom disappeared in the gloom to
slice his fires, to open his hampers and
to change his steaming overalls; while
his companion, glancing thoughtfully at
the red sails of trawler that was run
ming out on the freshening wind, lit
short shabby pipe. Presently he turned
"Mate"
"Hello!" answered Tom, pausing and
looking up in the act of clearing out
the clinkers, bathed in the fierce heat
"Better've let the kid drown, p'raps"
shouldn't WONDER shouted Tom
slicing away vigorously. The other with
a brief nod, sauntered round the edge
IF ho ell L 4 1