The San Francisco call., 1910-11-20
BY JAMES NJ. rELLoM


camp of Bellevile It meant stocky,
good natured Is year old Guy Fletcher.
1t was becoming name. A worm OF
his size could not have been slower.
Sent on an errand, he would crawl
away carefully hitching up his trou-
sers as he went. The more important
the errand, the less Gusano cared for
haste Brick" Dunbar, the wag OF
the town, was fond of saying:
II you want to know If that kid is
on the move or not, get him on a line
with White Mountain peak"
But Gusano did not mind He was
TOO contented to let anything like ridi-
cule or abuse or a willow switch in
terfere with his theory of life When
ne did anything, it was not from choice.
IL was more interesting to see others
work Much of his time he spent
watching the fremen sweating over
their tasks before the boilers of the
numbering quartz mill. BY lazily
studying them day after day, he found
at last that he could foretell their
every move and knew why 1t was made
me discovery caused him great pleas
ure, and for a week he tried himself
out AT the end OF that time, he told
himself he was a fun fiedged stoker.
Pshaw," he said to one of the men,
you fellers got it easy"
fHow's that, Gussie?'
oh. I've been watching you. The
super amt got you beaten for snaps.
II you just had on halfboots and a
corduroy suit and smoked two-bit
cigars, you'd"
The firemen and engineer laughed.
Tell us what's hard about the lob
Gussie. prompted the amalgamator.
who had stopped to listen
1t amt hard" sneered the boy with
a dlsda1nful upward glance at the
speaker.
well. what's easy about it, then?'
Gusano flashed an experienced eye
over the huge boilers. The men winked
knowingly at one another
It's as easy as BEANS" he continued
All you got to do is to keep a-looking
at them there clocks" pointing to the
steam gauges. "and when the hand
starts to drop below 120 stick in more
wood, and perhaps give her the draft
Then you got to watch that water
glass, and when she falls to about an
inch of the bottom shoot her with the
injector--turn on that there cock and
this here one, when she gets too much
steam on board. she blows off herself.
Then you pull the whistle for noon and
Quitting time. They amt nothing to
it."
There was no answer; he had ex-
pected one-a word OF praise or of
ridicule. He cast a furtive glance at
his begrimed audience. One and all
were laughing quietly at something or
some one behind him. He wheeled
The boss" of the mill, Superintendent
Graves, stood within arms reach. He
was smiling kindly.
so you think the work is easy,
Gussie?" Gussie slowly edged away
come, now" added the man. laying
hand upon the boys shoulder; you're
not going because l Gamer" The other
nodded
You're not afraid of me- are your"
Gusano was not certain of this, so he
made no reply. He contented himself
with raking a bed of cinders over with
his big toe
How would you like trying 1t half
day, Gussie? Harper. here, has to go
to the doctors this afternoon to have
his sore foot treated. You can take his
place IL you want to-"
Gusano Strengthened with a Jerk He
did not Immediately answer, but his
big toe dropped it's Iabors and he looked
up into the superintendents face to
make sure Of his ground
What do you say?" inquired the mill
boss.
"Orright," he replied, shortly.
The man consulted his watch
Better get your lunch, then, Gussie.
It's II o'clock"
"Orright." and Gusano. hitching up
his trousers, threw a shameless swag-
ger into his walk as he strode away.
Once over a low ridge and out OF
sight, he broke into run He was
proud, happy. His head throbbed with
thoughts of success and pay checks.
He pictured himself carrying a dinner
pail, and felt a spiteful gladness over
the surprise and envy that his posi-
tion would cause his playmates. for
whom he had always been the butt.
Arrived at home he tore into the
Kitchen and shouted the news TO his
mother in such breathless, uninteIli-
gible speech that the good woman
feared for his health, and nearly de-