The Washington herald., 1914-03-15
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TTE WASN'T what you'd call a
II handsome guy, but many was
= = the ,unr,,er, a, lnnl. af him fyuice
fcournrht. alal

handsome guy, but many was
the women to look at him twice
aud have her eyes light up bright
Duffy had a four-alarm head of hair
red as lumber yard fire. and he went
to the barber so seldom that when he
did get a cut II was hard to recognize
him.
He wasn't tall man, but he was a
big one. and sound one with chest
enough for two fremen- From driving
Number Twenty-nine's big team his
muscles were punched up behind his
shoulders and mis- biceps were as big
as two cocoanuts.
When a steamer ss big as Number
Twenty-nine, with three horses as pow
erful as ours, begins TO eat up the
asphalt of Chambers street the man in
the drivers seat finds it easier to get
along without hat or coat. So when
Duffy leaned over the big white but
tocks of our team, his blue flannel shirt
open at the throat, his sleeves rolled
Up to give his muscles full and easy
play, and his red hair flowing straight
back from his coco, he was some sight
to see, take it from me, the captain of
Twenty-nine.
Three years ago that Tad was as
cheerful a fellow as ever swapped a
joke in an engine house. was lieu
tenant then and had just taken my ex-
animation for promotion. l remember
the change when it come over him. He
had a weeks vacation, for sickness and
death had cut into the company and he
had been working overtime like Tro-
jan. He left the house rigged up in
a dandy new suit and laughing and
joking with the fellows as he told them
good-by. After his week off he come
back and got on the job without saying
a word to a man of us. After that he
minded his own business strictly, kept
10 himself, and when things were dull
and the men were all skylarking he
would sit in chair in corner, silent,
smoking, and peering- out at nothing
with his keen little blue eyes.
Everybody liked Duffy. and that's
why we noticed il so much. Blue spells
come to the best of us, but when a
thing like that runs into a month and
then into months, and finally into two
years, by cripes. its awful
No captain ever loved his men better
than | loved mine, and Duffy was the
best in my crew. He was clean.
straight as string. powerful as Jim
Jeffries in his best year. and gentle as
a girl. He loved his job so that saw
him cry like a child once when | or
dered him to quarters because his lungs
was caked with smoke and cinders and
he was breathing like an elephant with
the Group. During the first year of
this change AaIgued with him every
now and then to forget his crouch, but
he would just sit still. smoke, and say
nothing.
Duffy" l said to MIN one Thanks
giving Day, my Mamie has got a turS
key that would make the glummest of
the holy martyrs mighty glad to see.
Its a fat hen turkey. and it cost so
much around in Washington Market
that the old girl asked the poultryman
if he thought she was Mrs. John D..
Rockefeller, jr. l want you to come
over to the fat for the big eats"
I'm with you," he said, without tax
ing his pipe from his face.
We went over to the fiat.
The turkey was ready for US, brown
and steaming.
sit in, Mr.. Duffy. please" says
Mamie, pulling up his chair.
Bless US, o Lord. and these Thy gifts
which from Thy bounty we are about to
receive through Christ our Lord. Amen.
/ didn't miss word of it, although
] don't get to say it every day, being a
fireman.
You got 'em already, Captain" said
Duffy as Mamie passed him his plate.
Got WHAT" | asked him
you done received EN- he replied.
Received WHAT" l didn't get him
at all. -
The gifts of God"
1t sounded solemn as it came from
mis- lips. | didn't know what TO say,
but Mamie was there to save me-
You're right, Mr.. Duffy" she says.
There amt anything else God could
give Mike and me except strength to
bear any affection He might send us"
When we had that turkey looking like
the washed down she'll of the old Equi-
table Building me and Mamie took
Duffy into the bedroom to see the new
kid.
Duffy looked at it like horse would
look at piece of paper that had been
blown from the street into his stall. /
was afraid he would stampede.
He's two months old Mamie told
him. Gee, just feel his hef:T
With that the woman dumps the kid
in Dufy's arms.