The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-07-08

FLYER
IN COAL
kCopyrlghted by short storIes O., la
By ARTHUR M. CHASE

ny, Tor I've DrOuRn cOntaglon. Is the
boss in? Yes? Then Just wait till
give him a scare"
There was a heavy tread across the
noor and a shrewd, ruddy face under a
battered derby hat peered in at me.
My visitor, with an elaborate air o.
caution, advanced slowly, disclosing
underneath the ruddy face a weather
beaten overcoat buttoned up to the
chin, and beneath that again a weather
beaten, skinny skirt, worn however
with the untrammeled grace Of a pair
Of trousers.
Come in, Mrs. McGonigle," | cried.
"Glad to see you. How are your"
up and DOM" she replied, extend
ing a big, mittened hand. Il was just
after warnin' your boy, for three
quarters Of me family is down wild the
wh%oopin'cough. The balance, me old
man, is In the hospital along wild
Jerry McCafferty on account Of an ar
gument on the coal question. He's
doin' nicely, thank ye. Yes, McCaffer-
~ got all that was comm to him; but
the end of 1t was the two of them
threw each other into the hold of the
Peaceful Stream and there was some
damage done in the shape of broken
bones. Me old man broke an arm and
a rib; Jerry, he broke an arm and
two ribs. Yes, it's a bad thing to have
the purvider OF a poor family smashed
that way. But" said Mrs. McGonigle,
sitting down and liberating a sigh that
fiuttered the papers on my desk,
f'that amt ALL
Nat did | do? Well, Mr.. McNa-
mara, It was just the limit. / outs wild
me scissors and cuts off me hair.
There wasn't much of IT, but | hated
20 lose It. And | sneaked ashore wild
a pair of McGonigle's pants in a news
paper. In a tennymint house | made
a change and | went on uptown wild
me petticoat In the newspaper. And
me a decint. middle.aged woman.
Where was | goin'? To the Offices
of the Wyomin' Valley railroad. And
who should I go to see? Sure, the
main ~gazeyboo, the president himself.
SO | into the big offices and past all
them little scribblin' clerks to a glass
door marked president" and wldout
bein' asked. in stepped.
Who let you in here?' says a
sharp lookin' Teller behind a desk. i
cant see anyone. I'm very busy
tim lookin' for Mr.. Courtenay,
president OF the wyomin' Valley rail-
road. Are you him?' ses /.
Eyes ses he, very snappy.
@swell. Mr.. Courtenay,' | SEES, me
name Is McGonigle. Jack McGonigle,
captain OF yer canal boat Charity. I
Just thought I'd run up and see IL
there was anythin' ye wanted done.
I'm a within man for work. I SEES.
We'll. he hardly looked at me.
"'See Mr.. Wilson OF the lighterage
department he SEES. scratchin' away
wild a pen.
Il laid me hand on the door knob;
hut thinkin' that as long as I'd come
I'd make all the Impression l could. I
asks very perlite:
Where Is Mr.. Wilson, sir2'
4 thought he'd fly over the top of
me desk at me.
Go out into that ONCE ne bawls.
Annd ask. ask. ask
THANK ye. SIR SEES I. And I'd
Dpened the door when he gives a yelp:
Great heavens. who cut yer hair
BDr yer
4 put up me hand like a shot and
shere was a flstful OF II that me scis-
eors had skipped, hangin' over me coat
collar. gave 1t a quick twist, like
a wonan would. and felt for a hairpin.
And then-ye could have knocked me
owe wild a poke of yer finger.
What in thunder!' ses the presi-
dent, staring wild all his eyes.
4 got hold OF meself.
Me barber is an Eyetalian'-I be-
gins. but he begins to smoker. And
the harder | looked at him the worse
he snickered.
"sYe seem to see somethin' funny.
! ses. But he only Kept on snickerin'.
"sYe may be the president of a rail-
road, SEES and II don't forget yer
place or mine; but don't me gigglin' at
me I'm an honest and respectable
man. | ses. and I'D ask We not to be
snickerin' at me. Mr.. C~ourtenay Cut
IT, I SEES. "A workingman nas feelin's
as well as We. Il he's a man.
and wild that me petticoat fell out
OF the newspaper.
Il got out of that place somehow,
and Y stamped out to the elevator wild
all the clerks Stain At me. And never
q word.
~aIwas the next day ! read 4 piece
IN the paper about the coal famine in
Bayport. a place q bit OF the way up
the sound how the schools was elused
and the churches raInin' wild one serv-
Ice a week anil the people put q It
% keep warm Wild gas and oil and
~s<SA<gg 81
= Now. here's the f~bnlishness 80
Ehisfetds.e ses shoi3in' boatloads and
toat'pads % coal down here n New
fQgk hen there's 4 place ike 8ay,
peS4 where they waast It bsd. ana
1eaf' pey for Il, why. take this old