Putnam patriot., 1914-11-20


 job driving a truck. Throttle-pull on a Brooklyn per ambulator. Hire out to the push-eart trust Baht
 Yen run this old eow-killer into the turntable pit one day, You forget you ever heard of injeetors the next. You let her water fall two feet below the glass. and she drops a crown-sheet. And then you try 10 Adam It of on this poor Eve pointing to the fifth button of his waistcoat @I get called up on the carpet. and accused of negli- gepce on duty. And me peacefully and innocently eating lunch when it hap pened."
 Yes, eating lunch" CockriH went on. trying to be calm and judicial; eating 1t on that very seat where you're sitting now. Twas your fault, and you know it; and if l didn't de- fend you. and plead for your job with tears in my eyes, you'd been fired. you good-for-nothing loafer Then you go and blame 1t all on mel"
 Weren't you under the eneine?" ask ed Dorgan. with frigid politeness. Hadn't you just left the cab? Was I any where around when you left2" You were. AS l remarked a min ute ago. you we're sitting in the same position you now occupy"
 T was not said Dorgan.
 You were" retorted Coekrill; "and if you get me any madder than l am I'll drop this can and lick the ever lasting bla2es out of you"
 Yes, you'd drop the can" said Dor gan seornmlly, and pick up the shoy- el. You couldn't licA stick of candy. You're wrong about my blaming it on you, anyhow.
 eOur genial and loyable superinten- dent, John Flathead AcKinney-worse luck to him-asked me distinctly who was to blame, me or you, and who did 1 say? Who did I say, you ungrate- ful, bum engineer?"
 You said me. of course" respond ed CoekrilL You turned and betrayed me and lied about me, and l ought to have you fired. I think l will yet" The rattle of mutilated English over came even the sharp hissing of steam in the engine-eab. Fireman and engi- neer were having 1t out for the sixty first time. and it was now four weeks since the locomotive had blown off an upper sheet.
 The roundnouse door swung open on creaky hinges, and attention 10 duty prevented further war for the mo- ment Cockrill opened the throttle. and the big engine glided softly into her stall
 In the perpetual dusk of the round house a fat, red-faced man picked his way among the tracks and over the pilots. It was Superintendent McKin- ney.
 Where's Cockrilly' he asked of a wiper.
 He just. came in, sir" answered that menial person. His engine is on the last track"
 Mckinney strode forward. and Cock Till saw him. coming.
 Shut up, now" he cautioned the suddenly mute Dorgan. Here's tho old snake himself. with more ques- tions to ask"
 The cinders crunched under McKin- ney's tread. Are you up there. Cock rill?" he asked
 T am," replied the engineer.
 80 am l." put in Dorgan, his sa~ casm totally lost on the fiorid super intendent, who climbed heavily into the cab.
 Now" began Mckinney judicially. when he got his breath, flor the last time, l want to find out about that crown-skeet. That thing cost one hun dred and eighty dollars to fix up, and I want to ind out why 1t happened, and which of you let it happen?'
 MT. Mckinney" Dorgan broke in eontritely, there's no use obscuring the issue, as they say in law. I am to blame. I did it. Mir. Cockrill here had nothing to do with 1t any more than you. If there's any punishment, I deserve 1t. and I'm ready to take it."
 Before lie had finished the "t" in fit" Ceckrill's voice filled the cab.
 "Mr. Mckinney, this young fellow is giving you the finest example of loy- alty to a comrade you ever heard of. He is deliberately lying to save me.
 .'The truth of the matter is that Dor gan was eating lunch in the station when the sheet blew of It. was due solely to my own negligence. and I'm ready to suffer the consequences"
 There was a brief pause. The si- lence was broken only by the chuck chuck of the air-pump. Mckinney turned right-about face, and laid his hand on the rail. A half grin wrin- kled his faee and deepebed its ruddy bloom
 You swo are the eheerfulest liars ever saw he said. Don't let t hap pen agztD." Thereupen he descended from the cab
 Skeleton Is Proof.
 That California was al one time the <~F xfrau al