Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1921-09-01
75e
Conbustible
Limited
(Copyright)
IL
BY AUGUSTUS WHITFIELD


Landing. -Four in number, they had
been thrown together by the cosintc
swirl which governs the movements
Of the derelict volition TO them was
negative factor
Say. Fellows remarked phono-
graph Pete, I'll bet that the man who
invented work was a professional Ia
bor agitator.
what you want to talk about work
for? growled Sleepy Sam. You make
me tired"
81 rise to a point of order" inter
rupted Loquadous Louie. IF Pete is
prompted to put in n record merely
for the sake of standing before his
own megaphone and hearing himself
vociferate, I protest. but if he can
slip in something that possesses the
quality of novel entertainment, I'm no
protestant"
What YOU got on your mind, Peter
asked Pugilistic Patrick
"A couple Of years ago" began Pete.
Il was doing some topographic re-
search work up in Pennsylvania. In
vestigating the lay of the land with
an eye to the future. Locating Ravens
Of rest where a fellow might secure
three meals and liberty without the
consequent ennui of ringing up on the
time-c clock.
zone day, after shaking the dust OF
buff burg from my clothes and the
constable from my trail hit the rail-
road track few miles out and wait
ed the arrival of my private ear. There
must have been holiday on the line.
for nothing came along, and ! was
finally forced 70 locomote by my owr
powers Of locomotion.
"A little farther on, the village
doomed into view. 1t was a fair-look.
ing town, Judging from my point Of
vantage, and hoped to add it to my
list Of eligible localities.
"The sight of that likely looking
burg put ginger into my hating foot
steps and | soon arrived at the out
skirts. There was n string n cars
drawn up on siding along the fence
which surrounded some buildings.
Il was wondering what kind Of plant
1t might he, when on passing a place
where the string of cars was broken
about fifteen feet I saw painted on the
fence in huge white letters against a
black background
DANGEROUS: POWDER WORKS.
Il quickly put out my pipe, which 7
was smoking and stuck it in my peck
ct. had no desire to start on an ex-
petition In search Of the milkmaidS w
in the milky way.
Work, In the abstract, has never
appealed to me. ana how a man in the
full possession Of his faculties can as
sociate with job in a powder fac
tory beats me.
Just think f'evS, Of working
along for five days With your eve OF,
the clock, calculating how many more
hours it is before payday comes
around, and then, when the timeniece
mas only one more lap to go, somebody
does a fool thing and the whole out
Mt blows up, sending you to kingdom,
come with a full weeks pay uncol.
lected."
well, | knew from hesrsay that .
powder works is a sort OF slumbering
Vesuyius, so I proceeded to disassoci.
ate myself from the proximity. hot.
footed 1t past that open space in tho
string Of cars. As I was passing tho
last car in the bunch, happened IA
look at 1t, and | nearly Jumped out NJ
my socks when saw thin wreath Of
smoke coming out from it.
! did a hundred yard dash down tba
track in record time, then STONED
looked around to see If I could locate
any one who was trying to qualify for
the Nobel courage prize but the
place was shy on candidates.
i ran back to the car and tried
TO open the door, but found II locked
l thought that If I could find ont What
the car contained l could proceed moro
intelligently with the first.aid stunt
but it was clean lockout SO I WINS
forced to proceed along other lines.
The smoke was pouring out in thick
volumes by this time, and | realized
that had TO get It moving pretty soon
or hustle myself out of the DANGER
zone. I worked the bar until 7 had
a crop OF blisters 90 both hands. buf
the fiery freight was imnovable as >
tenement house rent collector.
Suddenly I made the startling dis
covery that the brakes were set. r
ran around TO the front end Of the car
and climbing up ! quickly loosened tho
brake. Then climbing down. | rushed
back and had that car going In no
time
After moving it along a few feet
the car started to run Of its own ac.
cord, and ! realized that there was
slight grade at that point sufficient 70
allow 1t to travel by gravity.
7 ran ahead and swung aboard. As
I climbed to the top the flames began
10 eat their way through the roof. at
the rear end. | grssped the brake.
wheel and spun II around SO as to get
control Of the car should the grade
get too stiff
Slowly my fiery chariot gathered
speed. and by the time we struck the
VILLAGE we were pvrppdFrc 80 ...s