Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1915-05-07
Fred Underwood Began Business
Life as Driver of An
Ore Cart.
FIDDLED FOR COMPANIONS
Admirer of His Music Got Him Job
As Freight Handler and Now He
Is President of Big
Rail Line, but Still
Unpretentious.
BY OSBORN MARSHALL.

Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicate.)
Some forty-five years ago a youn,
boy, fresh of face and bright of eve
applied for work at the copper mines
situated at Fort Howard, on Green bay
Wisconsin.
Ever had a job before?" demanded
the mine foreman as he scrutinized the
boys face.
NO." admitted the boy frankly. g.
have never worked for wages any
where before. have just come from
school at Wayland academy"
"Schoolboys aren't fit to work in
mines,' said the foreman bluntly
why don't your folks support you
| and give you a chance to stay al
school and amount to something some
time? This is no place for a green
horn, anyway"
"Well, you see,'' the boy explained
my father can't afford to keep me in
school any longer. He is a minister
in the country near Milwaukee. His
salary isn't much, and it isn't always
paid at that. There are a good many
of us children, and so thought I'd go
to work. l guess am not so green as
I look" The boy stretched out his
muscular young arms to show how
much work they were capable of do
ing. II know a lot about work, even
If / have been to school. l can saw
wood and drive Il nail. My grandfather
taught me that"
"You do look pretty husky" agreed
the foreman, and then he looked over
the list of vacancies in the mind. did
you say, boy, that you can drive a
horse?" he asked.
What l said was that could drive
nail" admitted the boy. He hest
tated a moment before giving the an
swer that might cost him the chance
of employment. well, l honestly
haven't had much experience at driv-
ing horses, but l don't mind trying.
You see, we never could afford to keep
horses at home. Will you give me a
try at it,"
Promoted BY Runaway.
The foreman consented and the next
day Fred Underwood-for that was
the young fellows name-arrived
early at the entrance of the mine and,
after the proper credentials had been
presented, he was assigned his cart
and horse and told the simple duties
of mine cart driver.
Fred took his seat on the cart with
citation and confidence.
Anyone could drive a horse like
that" he thought as he looked at the
mute companion of his toll. Don't
believe that a cannon ball could start
him running"
1t was easy enough, the work, and,
aside from the dirt and the CRIME, it
the second day-tradition does not say
exactly what hour it was-an inspira-
ton came to the horse-an intuitive
knowledge that the man at the end of
the reins was a greenhorn; that he
didn't really know anything about a
horse and therefore had no right to be
driving one. The horse accordingly
pricked up his ears and-with a speed
that belied his worn appearance
dashed away, with poor Fred Under
wood helplessly tugging at the reins.
When Fred gathered himself to-
gether after the runaway and went to
the foreman to report the mishap he
was convinced that his services would
no longer be needed at the mine.
An unexpected greeting was in store
for him.
"You had bad luck with that horse, -
said the foreman, ''but don't give up
yet There is room for a gang fore
man in the mine. Can you boss gang
of miners better than you bossed that
horse?"
Fred went to work at his second job
with enthusiasm He used to work
hard all day and at night at the cheap
boarding house he would get out his
fiddle, which he had learned to play
in his fathers home near Milwaukee,
and he would play for his companions
till they forgot their troubles and the
dirt and the CRIME and the toll of the
mines.
What His Fiddle Did For Him.
Among Fred's best friends in the
mine was man who carried the mail
from the railroad to the mines. This
man, older than himself by many
years, was one of the most eager ad-
mirers of the newcomers simple, me-
lodious playing, and so a strong
friendship had grown up between
them.
One day when he was at the rail-
road station getting the mail bags the
freight master offered him position
as freight handler. He was eager 10
accept the position, for it carried Win
1t the munificent wage Of dollar
day. but when it came to the real Is
sue the mail carrier had to admit that
his sole knowledge Of the art OF writ
ing was limited to the shaping OF the
letters of his own name.
But l know man that Will SUIT
.o;d thn mail carrier to the