The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-03-27
ON SECTION NO. Y.
What We, Us and Company Did
With a Firm Hand to Guide
the undertaking.
~ JOHN PHILIP ORTIZ.

4 new railroad had been surveyed
through the country within two miles
Of Major Charlton's country homa.
and the retired army onicer had maAs
. bid for and secured the grading 70
b done on section No. II.
Tho major was . widower With only
one child-e daughter named MY.
She had returned from school end
was waiting. % oil girls must wait
and II was generally understood that
she was rather strong-minded for .
young girl. II was rather independ-
ence than strongmindedness. Not
that she was mannish. but that she
rode around the country on her pony
without . chaperon. nshed. swan and
hunted At her pleasure. and could beat
her father At billiards or at almost
any other game When the major
came home and announced that he
had secured the contract for section
IL Miss May applauded and said:
You will want a bookkeeper and .
paymaster. and will serve az both. )"
But you don't understand what
sort Of help must employ" he ~
piled.
Foreigners. and mostly Italians. It
will be tough crowd. but that
doesn't scare me-"
TOO tough a crowd for q girl to be
mixed with. shall count myself
lucky to get along with q row every
two weeks. I am told that l can't
carry my contract through. do tho
best ! can"
Don't you believe It, daddy. We.
10 and company will start In with .
firm hand and not let the padrones or
Black Hand take the authority out
OF our hands. I shant expect to do
much bossing. but II called upon to
take 4 hand | shant run away from
t."
Il SHALL Of course. get 4 man for
bookkeeper and cashier" observed
the father as he turned away.
But he did not. From the time the
work began until the Office Of the con.
tractor was ready to step into. Miss
May spent most OF her time on the
ground. suggesting and bossing. and
when the hour arrived she took on
her hat and gloves and opened the
books and pocketed the key of tho
safe.
wait until you see the sort OF
laborers that are eoming!" said the
major as he shook his head.
Two days later 300 men arrived
italians. Slavs and Huns. They had
heir own quarters, but they could not
TALL to hear Of the girls presence. In
deed. she must come and 60 In their
FULL sight. They were hard lot and
one or two men dominated all the
others. One Of the leaders visited the
'ffice to say to the major:
"Why you have the girl here!"
She is my daughter"
1T makes no Difference No girl
should be here She makes mistakes
ind we are cheated"
when you think you have been
cheated come and tell me so"
But the men don't like It. You
must get man to take her place."
Two or three Of the unsuccessful
'idders had evidently tempered with
he men with q view Of getting up Q
trike at the very outset. It was Q
'uerile excuse they advanced. and II
reused the major into saying:
Il shall not get man. II you want
o raise row 60 ahead"
1T IL not me, but the men,"
Tell them to strike at any hour
hey want to-"
"BuIly for you, daddy" exclaimed
he daughter as the fellow left the of. ,
ce
Il didn't want you to come, but I am
ct going to let them run you out
hey won't strike until they can and
better excuse"
Neither did they The road.bed for
he new railroad ran parallel with the
tghWay for n mile and Ne Afs.. Ns>.I