Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1914-10-23
CHAPTER v.
Crossroads

Stag that had foated on the metal was
now dripping into the cinder pit, send
ing up a shower of golden sparks.
Roman Andzrejzski, melter in charge
Of the furnace, was watching the
scorched. haggard face Of his second
helper" That young man, leaning
with an air of exhaustion and discour-
agement on his inverted sledge, was
coughing violently. He had been just
three months In the heat and toll the
open-hearth furnacemen must endure
and an unnerving fear was upon him:
that his steadily waning strength
would not hold out
vat iss it? Zick?" Roman spoke
In the slow, careful fashion that was
his habit when he used Engfish.
Mark shook his head "Tuckered
out"
"Tuckeredt oat?- Roman looked
at him gravely. you drink too much ?"
y don't drink at all"
THAT ISIS goot Minesalf," Roman
explained naively, Il drink too much
Unit that ISIS not goot But always ]
hat been very strong. 1t iss the douple
turn" he added 1T las very hardt
on the young. Later 1t gets not so
hardt-zometimes Vars do you lift"
With a Frenchman in Rose alley.
Rose alley--it ssinks! It's too near
the mills. ] can't sleep for the noise.
I'm tired and my head aches all the
time"
For two. three days then you must
not work but sleep"
Marks red eyes darted angry sus-
picion at his chief. Il suppose you
want my JOB for somebody else" he
sneered.
NO. You are goot worker. Unit
like you"
IAN the same" Mark answered dog
gedly. Il quit when have to-not be-
fore"
You do not belief me-" Roman
shrugged his big shoulders. Vat do
You eat?"
"oh, soup and brown bread and po-
tatoes mostly. That's the trouble, /
guess"
"Hundsrt t'ousandt deAlsl 70 little
unit you work herei You are Ameri-
can, you must eat Wy you not LII
another placer"
The Frenchtes sort o. think they're
friends. They wouldn't understand"
"Zcg But here Roman shrugged
his shoulders again, ''it ISIS a man muet
be for hilnself-Ve work now" They
returned to their task.
Even double turns have an end. The
night shift came on at last. At the
trough for cooling tools Mark washed
away the grimy sweat that streamed
down his face. Then he donned a dry
shirt and heavy overcoat. Despite
this covering his overheated body
shivered when the raw, early April
wind struck him.
Waltz" And Roman was beside
him Il haf 6ecitedt. You come LII
by my house"
4 guess not" Marx answered wear
lily. Il guess you don't want me-"
hat decitedt," Roman repeated.
You hat been goot friendts to your
friendts--you viii be to US also. | hat
big house. 1t ISIS still there; you
shall zleep unit not hear the mills. Unit
my Matka, she ISIS goot cook. Unit
meppy you make friends Wit my Piotr.
he bass no American frfendts."
You might get tired OF me-"
70? Then win tell YOU" said
Roman simply. 'Alzo, you viii tell
us, ven you get tirsdt of US. Unit you
VII not be chargsdt too much. You
win Conner"
Mark hesitated. then laughed grim
ly. 'Wnl comet"
"Gootl" Roman laid kindly hand
on Marks shoulder. Now viii YOU
belief me unit nos york till the coldt ISIS
veil. You VIII tome tomorrow"
And, the matter arranged, they part
ed for the nighs-
Romans house, big only by com
partson with three-room tenernents.
was on quiet street on one of the
cfty's seven hills. Mark was tucked
away In a thhd-story room. Not even
his fancy. less lively than In months
agone but still fertile, could conceive
the cheap bed and rocker. rag carpet
and unpainred table as the rappings
OF luxury. But 1t was clean and com.
Portable. through its windows swept
the clean air for which his country
bred lungs were starving and the mills
were heard only as a subdued, not un.
musical rumble. Also, immeasurable
bocnl there was in that house a bath.
tub; his attendance upon 1t astonished
even Kazia, who esteemed bathing
more highly than did the rest of Ro
mans household. The Matka's cook
Ing. supplemented by Kazia's arts. fel
little short of Romans prospectus ant
ths Tara bad substance.