The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-02-09
BY Jovel Another woman, any 9th.

sentiment show; she couldn't have
helped 1t. But this one didn't. A
hoy couldn't have looked me I'm the
eyes any more frankly and squarely
than she did when she said '"Of'
course" Since had eaten their bread.
1 was, for 30 long as l chose to stay;
a member Of the clan ..;..
II was near the end Of the fortnight,
and Daddy Hiram and I had secured
and rubbed and scraped and reas-
sembled the engine and pumps and
were finishing the cleaning of the boil
ers. These were pretty badly rusted
ana scaled. and to do the job properly,
we had taken the manhole heads ont
or the holes left to give access to the
interior of the shells, and had had a
good-natured squabble as to which of
us should crawl inside to do the scrap-
ing; Daddy insisting upon doing it, be-
cause as he pointed out. he was the
smaller man, and l arguing that I
should because l was the younger and
stronger.
To settle 1t finally we fiipped a coin
one of those inch-wide copper pen
MES that Daddy carried for a pocket
piece-and / won the toss. The lob
wasn't exactly picnic, but 1 got along
all right until we came to the last of
the battery. / found that the repair
ers had at some past time inserted a
couple of extra stay-rods, so that there
was little enough room left in the old
steel shell for a professional boiler
monkey to wriggle about In, to say
nothing OF husky young chap who
tipped the beam at around a hundred
ana seventy pounds, stripped.
Just the same made shift to knock
the worst Of the scale Off and rattle
1t down so that 1t could be washed
out from below, and was backing out
to make my escape, when found that
one of the extra stay-rods was loose.
AT my asking, Daddy screwed up the
nut on the outside Of the boiler head
to tighten the rod, and then passed the
wrench In to me so that 1 could screw
up the nut on the inside. To this
good day don't know just what did
happen, but I guess the big S-wrench
must have slipped Off the nut while
was pulling on 1t. Anyhow, some
thing hit me stunning crack over
the eye. and I promptly faded out,
blink, like penny candle In a gust
of wind.
When I came to myself again II was
night, and l was lying undressed and
In real bed In room that was total
ly unfamiliar. In the looking-glass
which hung on the opposite wall I got
a glimpse of myself with regular
Turks turban Of white stuff wound
around my head and skew-angled to
cover one eye. When stirred Jeanie
popped In from somewhere to ask what
she could do for me.
What was it?" asked; IAN earth
quaker"
Daddy says you hit yourself with
a wrench. Does 1t hurt much now?"
mot more than having a sound tooth
pulled; no. But was inside the boil
er. wasn't I? How did you manage
to get me out7
She turned her face away and even
with one eye could see that she was
trying to hide smile.
ut was funny" she confessed,
though we were both scared stiff at
the time. Daddy called me and ran
over. You were all doubled UP inside
Of the boiler, and there wasn't room
for Daddy to crawl In and straighten
you out. And unless you could be
Strengthened out, we couldn't pull you
out"
"I see. What did you do2-send for
a boiler monkeyT
what Is a bOiler-monkey"
ut isn't what; it's man; usual.
ly the littlest man in the shop"
II was the monkey" she said.
I tried to sit up, but the binding
headache had somehow acquired said
No.
"You crawled into that rusty old
coffinT'
She nodded.
daddy lent me his overalls and
jumper. 1t wasn't hard; but when ]
got in and saw how badly you were
hurt there wasn't anything to
laugh ut, then. Daddy says you'll be
apt to carry the scar as long as you
live"
ilpiloluDic i LOU
Strengthened me around-Ill believe
1t II you say sound then what p
"Then l got out and we pulled you
out-Daddy and /. ! was glad you
didn't know that you were past feel.
ing fh'T2s. I mean. We must have
hurt you frightfuIly. ! don't see how
you ever crawled In through chat lit
lie hole"
"lt's much easier when you're alive.n
i offered.
I'm going to bring you a Gun of
herb ten, and then I'll go and lie down
for a while"
Since. as l afterward learned. the
dose she gave me was some sort of
h"me-brewed sleeping draft, I very
nearly slept the clock round. Daddy
came In and helped me into my clothes
they were eating their noon meal
when / woke up and called-and apart
from being still bit headachey and
lottery, / was all right again. But
for two whole days they made me sit
around and be waited on, hand and