The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-06-07
CHAPTER TWENTYNINE.
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briefly, anG with that he walked out
Of the ONCE,
| At the end of just two weeks, work
was at u standstill In the shops, ana
on the two most important contracts
Bently had ever been able to secure
Then he sent for Tom Benson. His
messenger-it was Williams, the book
keeper-found the mechanic In his
room at his boarding house. He was
sitting by his open window in his
shirt-sleeves, his elbows on his knees,
his chin sunk In his palms, and the
stem OF a short black pipe clinched
between his teeth. He heard Will
Jams quietly, then he sS,id.
| Tell Benty he knows where to fnd
me when he wants TO gee MO. Gha'n't
stir out of he:o for two weeks more"
The word being conveyed To Bently.
he swore he would close the shops
rather than again hold airy communal.
cation with the obdurate mechanic
Me go to him. when it's been me
paying MIN wages? guess when his
moneys gone he'll think differently
about who's TO DO tho running back
and forth! TIL quit business before
! III jump at the swapping OF his fin-
gers"
But q week later When 1t seemed
this was the very thing he would be
forced to do. he sent his bookkeepcr
once again to the mechanic
Sort of smooth him down. Will
iams!" he said. He always was a
cross grained cuss. Make him the
prettiest speech you can, but fetch
him back here with you, we're just
playing hell with them two jobs"
And Williams found Tom Benson
still by the open window. still in his
shirt-sleeves, still with his chin in his
palms, and still smoking He inter
preted Mr.. Bentlys request for a
speedy audience with all possible tact
The mechanic remained unmoved
"Bently knows where TO find me
when he needs me: anu don't you
come back here. Williams. unless you
want | should throw you down them
steps"
But Bently waited yet another day
in the hope that Tom Benson would
relent. then he hurried to the ma
chanic's boarding place. The latter
heard him on the stairs, and as he
entered the room. put out long mus
cular leg and courteously kicked a
chair toward him. He pointed to II
with the stem of the pipe he had TAX
en- from between his teeth.
Set down." he said.
What's your proposition. Tom"
demanded Bently gruffly.
Mech. | amt making none now.
I'd gone to you II I'd one to make
like I done before, but your coming
tn nP 40 TIL
he broke of to ask, How are you
getting on with them engines, any
how"
"All right" said Bently. with stern
untruth.
That's good" was Benson's only
/, comment.
Come, What's your proposition,
TOM" urged Bently irritably.
"Oh, we'll, you amt needing me so
very bad, guess you made mistake
in coming round"
What would you say TO fourth
interest in the shops!'
II wouldn't even say thank you.
shifting his position to spit out OF the
window.
You Wouldn't"
Il wouldn't. That was to have been
my proposition three weeks ago, but
the parts of them engines warn't lay.
Ing about the shops then, like so much
scrap iron. That makes difference. "
Il suppose you're standing OF for
more Of an interest, Pretty under
handed OF you TO creep up like this "
Well, I'm going to stop creeping.
reckon this will set me on my legs
good and fair" and Benson grinned
rs 1t half you're after. Tom" de-
manded Bently sourly
Well. yes, make il a fair half, and
I'm your man"
In the end Bently accepted his
terms, and few years later. Tom
Benson. who was a goodlooking lei
low. repaid his kindness by running
OF with and marrying his daughter.
The relations between the two men
we're never quite friendly. Bently
drifted more and more into politics.
, first holding one ONCE and then an
other: while Tom, at the shops. freed
Of HIS active opposition, began 10
build heavy machinery and secured
contracts his father-in-law would new
er have dreamed of taking and could
not have filed, had he taken them.
Benson was consumed by great
am bition, not for wealth exactly
though wealth must have been an Incl
dent. The railroad had already great
ly extended their market, but this did
not satisfy him; he felt that the world
was at the beginning of an age when
iron and steam would be used for q
multitude Of then unknown purposes
He was experimenting with improved
machinery, machinery that was t.
largely displace the costly hand labor
which at its best could not be counted
on for results that were always uni
form, since the human equation seem
ed to combat organization TO limi,
production. He imagined machinery
! tireless, and skillful far beyond the
skill OF men, and unvaryingly effec
tive; but above all. his great dream
was to cheaper iron and steam. To
ward this end, he was always plan
ming, always contriving.
| Mr.. Bently. now established at the
postoftice. swore n good deal at what
the energetic Tim was doing:o how.
ever. when he ventured into the shops
The was meek enough, his displeasure
and disapproval manifesting itself
only in All air Of cynical derision with
which he listened To the Yankee me
chanic's plans and theories.
Yet at the end OF ten years. under
Benson's management. the works Gov
cred an acre Of ground. and employed
l. Il