The San Francisco call., 1910-09-25


afford to keep even cat Once a
lady offered him a beautiful Maltese.
but as it kept him busy earning his
own board and keep, he knew Tabby
couldn't have the bowl of milk and the
good things to which she was accus-
toned. Being too kind hearted lad
to keep an animal that he couldn't
feed, he refused the gift.
Some boys would have sulked and
scolded about not having any pets,
but that was not Toms way. He still
had his jackknife, for knives don't eat
anything, you know, and the sky was
just as blue, the birds sang as sweetly
in the cottonwoods along the slough.
and the poppies were as yellow on the
sand ridges for him as for Frank Ar
leigh, the superintendents son, who
had only to ask for thing and get it.
In fact Frank was usually in furry
of trouble because he hadn't selected
something else, and as Tom never had
anything but what he made with his
knife, he was spared all of Franks
worries. If the thing wasn't right at
first he just made it over again.
1t was wonderful what he could do
with that knife. 1t, wasn't very good
knife, either, for one of the blades was
broken, yet his collection of handmade
furniture. wagons and oil derricks was
the envy of every boy at Midway.
The queerest part was that he was
just as fond of games as the other boys.
He was the best pitcher the school
nine had, and whenever there was a.
tramp into the hills Tom was along, SO
his skill wasn't due to the fact that he
spent all his time whiting, but just
because. as very little fellow, he had
formed the habit Of keeping his eyes
open
Tom lived in the Kern county oil
fields with John Hopper. teamster.
Hopper wasn't any relation Of his. but
had worked for his father In the east
ever since Tom was born. When the
father died and there was no one to
care for the boy-for he hadn't rela-
tive in America-Hopper brought him
along to California. Tom made himself
useful In many ways. helped the men
care for the horses morning and even
ing, and after school ran errands for
the woman who kept the boarding
house.
1t was in the summer of 1909 and San
Francisco had announced to the world
that she would commemorate the COM
ing Of Gaspar de Portola. Tom was
much interested in the preparations to
honor the Spaniard. for he liked history.
and found the story OF early California
as thrilling as the tales Of Sir Walter
Scott. SO he read all the newspaper. ac-
counts Of the preparations for the ju-
bilee. One day. as the boy roamed
around the derricks he heard the men
talking about it. for some of them were
going up to San Francisco
The thought stayed with him
throughout the day and he lay awake
far into the night thinking about the
festival and wishing he might see 1t.
but he knew he couldn't So making
up his mind to make the best of 1t and
to get the men to tell him all about it
when they came home. he soon went to
sleep.
Next morning he was up with tho
first call of the meadow lark. for Mr..
Burton. the president OF the company
for which Hopper worked. was coming
up from Los Angeles on his tour of in
spection. Tom wanted to be on hand
and get look at his fine new touring
car, which had just come over from
France.
The rich GILMAN was very gracious.
1t pleased him to see a boy interested
in mechanics and knowing so much
about them. He explained minutely
how the car worked, and even offered
to take Tom along on the trip through
the fields. The teamster's protege didn't