Evening star., 1928-04-29

A TUP Is the striking element in
~ a piie-driver A tup is a ram
"A used to upset masses Of metal
4 \ in foundry. A tup is a
PAYERS mallet. A tup is any,
thing fit 10 deliver a heavy and resist
less blow. Tup Morgan was a man.
His father was born in Wales, and
he worked in iron; he emigrated and
made his way TO Maine and found
congenial employment at the Katah-
din iron Works: when there was no
longer work for him there, he remem-
bered he had split slate for while
in the Old Country, ana so he went
to the slate QuarrieS But he always
benoaned the lost glory Of the iron.
He married late and had son, and
named hina--for he was a Bible-read-
ing man-Tubal Cain Morgan.
But that was too much of name
for a boy to carry around. and partic
ularlv a short, stout boy--rather slow
in his temper, in his speech, and in
his movements. So the boy came To
be called Tub Morgan; only ii was
lust as well not 10 use derlSive tonH
In thus addressing him. for no one got
any real. lasting pleasure out Of fight
with him. There might be momen-
tary eXhilaration, a momentary JOY III
outSpeeding him, hitting him here ana
there; but, soon or late, the boy mad
s. way Of coming TO grips, and, When
he did, he overthrew his enemies.
Yet the adventure was always tempt
ing: there was always newcomers who
refused 10 be awed by his reputation
and would put the matter to the test
for themselves. The boy learned that
he must expect, about 50 often, TO
fight; and he developed slow liking
for the business. BY the time he was
old enough to so to work, he WAS used
TO discovering challenges IN little
things. and. at such moments, he
would laboriouSly get himself in mo-
tion and move matters onward 10 their
appointed end.
He worked on the roads; he worked
on a tug III the bay. at the mouth OF
the river: he worked in the quarries; |
he worked In the forests and some |
where his name was changed. He be-
came Tup Morgan--a figure not un-
known, a successful fighting man.
THERE were good many stories /
about him. He was a human /
hammer. a human sledge. Once, by /
the impact of his shoulder, he slowed /
a load of logs of the road when the /
cable snapped and destruction was i'm /
pending. Once he tipped mass OF /
granite and sent 1t crashing down the /
grout pile: and it was mass three |
men had failed to move. And once. |
at a river-front saloon in Bangor. when |
the man behind the bar threw bottle /
at his head. Tup drove against the /
bar and sent 1t ripping from the floor /
to pin the other man against the |
shelves. His strength, he learned,
would solve most of the problems life
presented: 1t is not surprising that he
came to rely upon this strength Of his,
and to love to battle. if the odds were /
heavy on the other side.
But, when he whipped a man. that
man was not able to work for a day or
two: and the chances were, when he
was able. he would seek out another
Job. Hence, on jobs where Tup was
employed. the labor turnover was likely
70 be high. So he was often dis
charged. In the end, he came 10 East
Harbor; and there was a little man
named Pile Pile was small enough
70 be safe from Tup's assaults: he took
an inpish and malicious delight in the
others size and helpleSSnesS; and IL
occurred to him one night to take Tup
10 q dance in a barn on the road to-
ward Morrill,.
Pile vas paying court TO a girl
named Molly Worth, who lived out
that way. And he thought she would
be amused by Tup.
"If he tries to dance" he warned
her. he'll bust out the side Of the
barn"
Molly had spent one year at the
State university: she was a strong, full
figure Of a woman, and she had trick
OF sitting, thinking. dreaming OF mat
en-E mt n no discussed with her
father. or her brother, or the folk
among whom she dwelt Her hair was
heavy and black, and her eyes were
blue and deep She listened now TO
Pie. and made no comment on his
plan. But. at the dance, she had an
eye for Tup. And, as it happened, so
hzG he fNv her