"Tales of tbe lto:ul." by Charles X. Crowdwm. 1« a contribution to
the new literature that !n an expression of onr utilitarian as*-.
It 1* a poor calling: — either trade or iirofennton or commercial pur
suit—(bat cannot name It* port or historian, or both. v. ..
It Is a now note In literature — thi» putting: of the romance of our
modern activities Into inviting: form, but it Is a note tliat rlngrs true
sad finds responsive Interest.
There Is perhaps no «-:illin;r that offers a richer field, for the *tory
tcller than that of the commercial traveler, rail Charles' X» Crewdnon
has pioneered It and feathered together In lilm volume, "Tales of • the
Iload." anecdote and narrative and comment tlint put before you the
Knight of the Sample Cane in all his variety and «<><>< l fellowwhip.
"He ts the steam— and a blp part of the enclne. too— that makes
business move," nays hi* historian, and a very human, delightful com
panion, too, as Mr. Crewdnon pictures htm.
"Tales of the Road" is one of the "books of the year" that every
commercial traveler will mint to carry in his crip when he In on the
road, and that tbe lay reader nIH enjoy quite as much as the mnn on the
Inside.
The several tales printed below are samples of the «:©«»<> thing:* it
THE helping- hand is often held
out by the man on the road.
Away from home he is depen
dent upon the good will of oth
ers; he frequently has done for
\u25ba him an act of kindness; he is ever
ready to do for others a deed of friend
ship or charity. Road life trains the
heart to gentleness. The liberality of
the traveling man does not consist
wholly of courting the favor of his
merchant friends— he is free with them,
but mainly because It is his nature; it
i.-= for those from whom he never ex
pects any return that he does the most.
X friend of mine once told this story:
"It was on the train traveling into
Lincoln, Neb., many years ago. It was
near midnight. It was, I believe, my
rirst trip on the road. Just in front of
me, in a double seat, sat a poor woman
with three young children. As the
brakeman called 'Lincoln, the next sta
tion! Ten minutes for lunchl' I noticed
the woman feeling In her pockets and
1 xjkir.g all around. She searched on
the seats and on the floor. A compan
ion. Billie Vollins, who sat beside me
leaned over and asked: "Madam, have
you lost something?'
"Half crying, she replied, 'I can't find
my purse — I want to get a cup of cof
fee; it's got my ticket and money in it
and I'm going through to Denver.'
\u25a0 'We'll help you look for it.' said
Silly.
"We searched under the seats and up
and down the aisle, but could not find
the pocket book. The train was draw
ing near Lincoln. The poor woman be
san to cry.
" 'It's all the money I've got, too,'
<he said pitifully. 'I've just lost my
.usband and I'm going out to my sis
ter's In Colorado. She says I can get
work out there. I know I had the
ticket. The man took it at Ottumwa
and gave it back to me. And I had
onougn money to buy me a ticket up
to Central City, where my sister is.
They won't put me off, will they? I
know I had the ticket. If I only get to.
Denx'er I'll be all right. I guess my
sister can send «ne money to come up
to her. I've got enough in my basket
for us to eat until she does. I can do
without coffee. They won't put me off,
wi 11 -?'
'The woman couldn't finish the sen
tence.
"One of the boys— Ferguson was his
name — who sat across the aisle beside a
wealthy looking old man. came over.
•Don't you worry a bit, madam,' said he.
'I'ou'll get through all right. I'll see the
conductor.* The old man— a stockholder
in a big bank. I afterward learned—mere
ly twirled his thumbs.
"The conductor came where we were
r-
THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN KETTLE
(Continued From Page Eight)
owner, miss," he said, ; 'and can do as
you wish. It is not for me now to say that
you are foolish. Do I understand you
still .wish me to carry out my original
"Yes." she said curtly.
"Very well, miss, then we shall be
aboard of that war steamer In less than
fifteen minutes." He bade his second mate
<all aft the crew; but Instead of remain
ing to meet them he took a keen glance
at the bark's canvas, another at her
wake, another at the moored cruiser
ahead, and then, after peering thought
fully at the clouds which Bailed in the sky
he went to the companion-way and dived
below. The crow trooped aft and utood
kit the break of the quarterdeck waiting
for him. And In the meanwhile they
feasted their eyes with many different
thoughts on Donna Clotilda La Touche.
* Presently Captain Kettle returned to
deck, sipgresslve and cheerful, and faced
the men with hands in hl» Jacket pock
rts. Each pocket bulged with something
heavy, and the men, who by this time
had come to understand Captain Kettle's
wajs, began to grow quiet and nerx'ous.
He came to the point without any showy
oratory.
"Now. my lads." said he. "I told you
when you shipped aboard this lavender
box In Callao that she was merely- a
f« v rry to carry you to a fine war. steamer
Tihich was lying elsewhere. Well, there's
Ah«* steamer, just off the starboard bow
Jt'nder. Her name's the Cancelario, and
'ff? present she seems to belong to* Presi
dent Quljarra's Government. But Miss La
Touche here (who is both me
and you. just for the present) Intends to
ect uo a government of her own; and.
FROM "TALES OF THE ROAD"
and said: 'Yes. she had a ticket when
she sot on my division. I punched ' it
and handed it back to her. That's all
I've sot to do with the matter.'
" 'But,' spoke up Collins, 'this woman
has just lost her husband and hasn't any
money either. She's going through to
Colorado to get work. Can't you just say
to the next conductor that she had- a
ticket and get him to take care of her
and pass her on to the next division?'
" 'Guess she'll have to get off at Lin
coln,' answered the conductor gruffly:
'our orders are to carry no one without
transportation.' All railroad men have
not yet learned that using horse sense
and being polite means promotion.
"The poor woman began to cry, but my
friend Blllie. said: 'Don't cry. madam,
you shall go through all right. Just stay
right where you are.'
"The conductor started to move on.
'Now, you just hold on a mnlute, sir,'
said Collins. 'When this train stops you
be right here— right here. I say— and go
with me to the superintendent in the de
pot. If you don't you won't be wearing
those brass buttons much longer. It's
your business, sir, to look after passen
gers in a 2x like this and I'm going to
make It my business to see that you at
tend to yours."
"The conductor was lots bigger than
my friend; but to .-* coward a mouse
stems as big as an elephant and 'brass
buttons' s.iid: *A 1! right, I'll be here; but
it won't do no good.'
"As tho conductor started down the
aisle. Ferguson turned to the woman and
said: 'You shall go through all r.'ght,
madam; how much money did you have?"
• " 'Three dollars and sixty-live cents.'
she answered— she knew what she had to
a penny— three dollars and sixty-live
cents; and I'll bet she knew where every
nickel of it came from! A cruel old
world this to some people, for a while!
"The train had whistled for Lincoln.
Ferguson took off his hat, dropped in a
dollar, and passed it over to Billie and
me. Then he went down the aisle, saying {
to the boys, 'Poor woman, husband just
died, left three children, going to hunt
work in Colorado, lost her purse with
ticket and all the money she had.' H«
came back with. nearly enough silver in
his hat to break out the crown— eighteen
dollars! ./«"' • J
" 'Will you chip in. Colonel?' said Fer
guson to. the old man who had been his
traveling companion? . '\u25a0]"••. -,-j
" 'No.', answered the old skinflint. 'I
think the railroad companies ought to
look after cases of. this kind. Ahem!
Ahem!'
" 'Well,' said Ferguson, snatching
the valise out of his seat — I never
saw a madder fellow — 'We've enough
without yours even if you are worth
more than all of us. You're so stingy
I won't even let my .grip stay near
you.'
"When the train stopped at Lincoln
Blllie and Ferguson took the conductor
to the superintendent's office. They
sent -me to the lunch counter. I got
back first with a cup of coffee for the
mother and a bag for the children:
But pretty soon in bolted Billy and
Ferguson. Billie handed the woman a
as a preliminary, she wants that ship.
We've got to grab It for her."
Captain Kettle broke off, and for a" full
minute there was silence. Then some one
among the men laughed, and a dozen
others joined in.
"That's right," said Kettle. "Cackle
away, you scum. You'd be singing a dif
ferent tune If you knew what was be
neath ycu."
A voice from the gloom— an educated
voice— answered him, "Don't be foolish,
skipper. We're not | going to ram our
heads against a brlcli wall like that. We
set some value on. our lives."
"Do you?" said -Kettle. "Then pray
that thi* breeze doesn't drop (as it seems
likely to do), or you'll lose them. Shall
I tell you what I was up to below Just
now? You remember tiiose kegs of blast-
Ing powder? Well, they'rein the lazaret,
where, some of you stowed them; I but
they're all of them unheaded, and- one of
them carries the end of a fuse. That
fuse is cut to burn just twenty minutes,
and the end's lighted.
"Wait a bit. It's no use going to try
and douse it. There's a pistol fixed to the
lazaret hatch and If 'you try to lift it that
pistol wll! ' shoot Into - the powder, .we'll
all go up together without further pala
ver. Steady now! there, and hear me out.
Yon can't lower away boats and get clear
that way. -The boat's bottoms will tum
ble away co soon as you try to hoist
them off the skids. I saw to that last
night. And you can't require; any telling
to know there are far too many sharks
about to make a swim healthy exercise."
The men began to rustle and talk. :.~iX<
"Now,! don't spollJ your only chance,"
eald Kettle, "by singing out. If .on the
cruiser - yonder : they think ' there Is any
thing wrong they'll run out a. gun or two
pass to' Denver, and Ferguson dumped
the eighteen dollars Into her lap.
""'Oh, that's too .much! I'll take just
three dollars and' give me your name
so that I can sent! that back,'^happier
than any one I ever: saw.
"But we all rushed away - quickly,
Billy . .saying, \u25a0\u25a0 -Oh, ' never, mind ' our
names,, madam. Euy something for
the children.. Good-by. ; God bless
you!' •'
A drug salesman told me this'\u25a0experi
ence: .- ... \u25a0 ' .- ,' . \u25a0 \u25a0 ;, \u25a0\u25a0 , \u25a0• . :
"A few years ago," said he, -."I was
over In one of tho 'towns' l ;make in Ore
son. I reached there on/Saturday even T
Ing. I went to my, customer's stored Just
before he closed he said to me: ;. 'I'll take
you to-nisrht to ; hear some {rood music'
"'Where Is it?' said; l." 'I'll be glad to
go along." -/•/ • ::L -..' : ; • I ;.''"
"'lt's down the street .a couple, of
blocks; it's a kind of garden^ A family
runs it. The old man serves drinks and
tho rest of the family— his wife and three,
daughters— play, to draw" the crowd, i I
want you to hear the oldest 'girl play the
violin.' .
"Now, traveling men are ready any
time to co any v/here. . Sometimes they
fly around the arc light, but they can buzz
close and. nol..eet., their: wing3scprched.
They must kee;i their jj heads clear and
they do, nowadays/you know. It's not as
It was in the old; days when the man who
could tell the most yarns sold- {he most
goods ; the old fashioned I traveling man
is as much behind the times as a bob
tailed street car. Well, of course, I tola
my friend Jerry that I'd ,go ( , along. ' I
should have put Jn my. time working on
new trade, ; but he was one of the best
fellows In the world and- one- of my; best
friends. Yet he would not give me much
of his business; we were too well ac
quainted. . .
"When we went to the garden— Jerry,
his partner and myself— we sat up front.
We could iook over the crowd. It was a
and blow us out- of the water before we
can come near them. I've got*no arms
to give you; but you have your "knives,
and I .guess you shouldn't want more.
Get In the shadow of the rair there, and
keep hid * till you hear her J bump. . Then
jump, on board, knock; everybody you-see
ov v r the side, and keep the rest \u25a0 below."
"They'll see Us coming," whimpered a
voice. "They'll never r let us on' board." '
"They'll hear us," the' captain replied,
"if you gallows .ornaments' .bellow like
that, and then air we'll 1 have to ; do ; ,will
be to sit tight where 'we . are till, that
powder blows us like a thin kind of. spray
up against the stars. ; Now, get to cover
with you. all .hands, v and "not another
sound. It's your only chance."
Nearer and nearer she drew to the Can
tain Kettle himself - took the wheel i and
appeared to drowse over it. "He gave her
1 half a spoke at : a time, 'and \ by Invisible
degrees the = bark \ fell . off till; she headed
dead on for the cruiser. Save for the faint
creaking of her gear no sound, came from
her, and; she slunk on. through the! night
like some ( patched and tattered; phantom.
Far down in her lazaret the glowing end
of : the fuse ' crept nearer i to V the \u25a0 powder
barrels, and \u25a0In imagination every : mind
on board Iwa g ; following its 'race.
Nearer and nearer: she "dreY to the Con
celario, and "ever, nearer., The waiting mem
felt as "though the hearts* of 'them would'
leap from their breasts.'- Two 'of .them i
fainted. -Then came a' hail from; the;
cruiser: ' "Bark ahoy!i Are you all T asleep
there?" -"!;:,* rJ-:':~~- ;-'\u25a0"-.' .- : -' r-'l \u25a0 -\u25a0\u25a0''\u25a0-'\u25a0'. - ;\u25a0 '
Captain Kettle . drowsed on over the
wheel. Donna; Clotllde; from' the', shadow
of, the 1 house," could" see "him nodding like'
a man \u25a0 In deep sleep.' >. V .
; "Carrajo? you bark, there? ; Put .down -i
/THE SAnHfRANGISGO^: SUNDAY ,CALLS
CHARLES N. CREWDSON
place* for men only. The dozen tables
were nearly all full. . most of the Beats
being: occupied , by men ; from the mines
some of them wearing blue flannel shirts.
But the crowd was orderly. .The! music
made them so. The oldest daughter was
only 17. "but she looked "23. She: showed
that she'd, had enough experience in her
life, though, 1 to be i gray. .: There was a
tortured soul '. behind music. \u25a0 Even
when' she .pla'S'ed"* ragtUnc ', tune she
would repeat the same notes -'slowly -and*
get a chord out •' of them tha t went
straight to, the : heart. The men all
bought rounds •: of drinks freely between
the numbers, but they let them remain
untasted;. they drank, rather, the music.
"We listened- for" rwo, hours. The mu
sic suited, my mood. I was a long way
from home. Most of the men there felt
as I did. Twelve ; o'clock came, yet : no
one had left the garden- More had come.
Many stood. AH were waiting for, the
final, number, which I was the same every
night, , 'Home, Sweet Home.'
"There is something more enchanting
about this air than any other in . the
your helm. You'll, be ab6ard of usjln a
: minute." •:• '.'i ••:•'." : - : " : -\.. '\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0;, / ; .~. \u25a0
.. Kettle, made : no i reply.; Hia. hands \u25a0sawed
automatJcally a t the ppokes . and ; the" glow \u25a0
from \u25a0: the binnacle ; fell upoh^ close-shut
eyes. It was a fine bit of acting. >;
'< The -Chileans- shouted, but they could ,
; not prevent ' the collision,, and when it
came \ there broke ; out a ; ; yell' as - though
the ; jjates- of*the: plt'.had been 'suddenly
unlocked.'..- .1- \u25a0 ,~\, %. -\\, wl I '-.?, '
! The bark's crew of human refuse, mad
with terror, /'rose up' in :, a, flock from-be
hlhd ,th<e< bulwarks. As^' one . ma n they,
clambered : over,/ the * cruiser's' stde- and
spread about, her decks. ; ' ,; .
11l • provided Lwlth: weapons though they .
might: be the Chileans; were scarcely bet- "
ter> armed. A Kentry.:;squibbed" off his *
rjfle, % but that was the ; only, shot ; fired. - ;
Knives did the greater : part of . the \u25a0 work— t
knives sand belaying lupins % and-f whatever J
; else 'carha : to hand.^ ; J.Those ' of ".the ] watch -j
~oh i deck * who™ did "f not ; fun ' below '\u25a0'\u25a0 were
cleared 'into; the sea; > the berth ; deck : was> '
; stbrrried; and the waking men ' surrendered '
; toUhe v plst6Hnose. '\u25a0•-.•\u25a0\u25a0 ' V '-v V'
:/ A>, couple ; of desperate \u25a0 fellows went" be- •
low,'; and, cowed 'the firemen and engineer^ '
• onr > watch."*- •' The. mooring, was ; sllppedr ,
;steam \u0084was, was , given ;. to J the ]{ l engines,; and
while; her. former; crew; were -being ; draft- 'V
red r- down ; into , an : empty hold, f- the' Can- *
celario f.was duf at :a^ sixteen-"-'
; knot : eped ; toward .' the : open : sea under - full
I command [of { the > raiders. 'Then* from \ be- ! 'v
! hind : them \u25a0 came the roar of an '-explosion ~£
and a ' spurt of ;dazz!ihg/llght,"Tand: the
: men [shuddered ;to ; think' of \ what thejri had L-;
so narrowly i missed.'; ; And as ; it .was \u25a0 some v
smelling, fragments^of, the old; guano « bark V:
[ lit lupon * the : af terdeck,' as : they- fell ; head-"-J
long fiomithe'dark'.s'ky.above. - - \u0084
•Donna- Clotilde, went -ohf-to the; upper::
world. Perhaps this Is because it carries
one back when' he once has 'passed its
portals' 'to his' 'Childhood's Joy land—Lit
tle Glrland Boy Land.' It reminds him of
his own happy young days or else re
calls the little ones at home at play with
their toys. ' I know I thought of my own
dear little tots when I heard the strain.
How that girl i did play the splendid old
melody! I closed -my eyes. The garden
became a mountain stream, the , tones of
the. violin its beautiful, ripples— ripples
which flowed 'light on. even when the
sound had Ceased.*
-."". 'Home,. Sweet Home!'' I thought of
mine. I thought of the girl's— a' beer
garden!
.".'Boys,' said I to Jerry and his part
ner. '1 am going up to shake, hands with
that girl: I owe her a whole lot. She's a
genius.' ' .: I'\u25a0 went. : And I thanked her," too,
and told iher how' well she had played
and how happy she had made' me. .* '•
".'l'm glad somebody can be happy,"
she answered, dropping her big, blue eyes.
. " 'But , aren't you happy in your mu
sic?' I asked.; >;y.' >
bridge, and ' took . Captain Kettle by , the
.hand.'.- :.;^v^,.;.7 I *;''-- : ' .-'.'\u25a0..\u25a0- '\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 : \u25a0
• "My friend," she : said, "I shallnever
forget this." And she looked at him with ,
eyes that spoke of more than 'admiration
forhis "success.'. (:'.;: ' .
; "I am my pay," said Kettle.
;. "Pah!". she said, "don't let money. come*
between us. ; I ' cannot bear *to think of
you in ; connection _, ; with ' sordidithings 'like
that, ; I. put you on . a / higher, plane, cap
. tain,"^ she';sald,", and - turned - ;; her «. head
away. "I 'Shall choose a man like you for
a husband." ', *
"Heaven mend your, taste, miss," said
Kettle;.' "but— there may. be. others like
me." .-".' '-' t 'ri \u25a0'-::'_
"\u25a0"There are not." ;
"Then mupt. be content wlth-ithe
; nearest .'you- can* got.", '" . ;,.;,:
r^Donna, Clotllde stamped her foofupon-,
Z the j planking of the I bridge. : I ' .
\; "You fare dull;*': she* cried.. -
VNo.VJhe said.' "I -have got clear sight,,
'miss. . Won'ttyou'go belov/ , now /anil! get 1
ai spcll>of -sleep? • Or : will you give- me 1
your, orders first?'; ;
VNo,"," she Answered, "I will not.; We
must: settle' this"; rriatter r first: 1 ? You i have A
;wlfe In Englandil know. 7 " but that Is nbth->
- ing. i Divorce Is , simple': here.*; I j have - ihflu- 'J
lenceI ence ; with 1 the ; church ; [ you : could , be " set
'free : in Ja; day."";, Am ; I not the woman 'you .
'. would ; choose ?".*'' -."-.
V; "Miss •La ; Touche, you are my em-.
:p\6yeT."r/ ""-.•<;:- '. ''.. '.'• ''iv'~-' '[\u25a0:. .-' ' :
'\u25a0 "Answer^ my question." ".'
> .''Then, rrilss, If :. you will ". have \u25a0 it, you "
' are s not.--' 1 . .' ' '":-. \u25a0^^S^^^S^SaS^jMfflH
.7'VBut^ why ?..";; Why?, Give, me > your rea
:sons.' -You are' 'brave, i 'Surely -' I • have;
f shown 'courage, too? \u25a0 Surely you must
admire; that?'' / .;\u25a0:*,*
: "Ilike men: for men's work,- miss."
"'Yes.' she replied in such a sad way
that -If meant a million noes. :
"When I went back to my friends they
told me the \u25a0 girl's fdther was not of
much account or otherwise he would send
her off to a good teacher.
"'Now, that's going to be only a few
hundred dollars.' said I. 'You are here on
the' spot, and there surely ought to *be
enough money in the town to educate
this girl. I can't stay here to do this
thing, but you can put me down< for
fifty.' -
"Well, . sir, do you know the people' in
the town did help that girl along? When
the women heard what a traveling man
v.'as willing to do they no longer barred
her out because, for bread, she played a
violin in a beer garden, but they opened
their doors to her and helped her along.
The girl got a music class and with some
assistance went to.a conservatory of mu
sic, in Boston, where she Is studying to
day.!'
Traveling men are not angels, yet .in
their black .wings are stuck more white
feathers than . they are given credit for—
"But that is an exploded notion. Wom
en have got to take their . place.. They
must show themselves the equals of men
in everything." - . ' • . ,
"But you see, .miss,'.' . said- Kettle, . "I
prefer. to be linked -to .'a '- lady . who Is my
. superior— as I am' linked at present.- If It
pleases you, we had better end this talk."
•,'No,"'sald Donna^ Clotilde, "It has got
to .be* settled "one; way ior- the other. You
": know what I want. Marry, me as soon
tas :you are set -ft ee, and there shall.be
no' end of your power. ; I 'will make you
rich; I will make you famous. Chile shall
beat our feet; the world shall bow to
"It could be- done.", said Kettle .with a
V {',' With: due respect,;! will not," -said the
\ "You' know; you are speaking to a
woman who. is n«.t accustomed to be
\u25a0thwarted?" ._
-Captain Kettle bowed.
. . "Then you will either^ do as ; l wish." or
leave I this ship. I \ give * you an hour to
\u25a0consider ; it. Jn." .">;.: .=
i; I "You i will find ray second mate . the best
navigating ; officer, left.'l- said Kettle, and •
Donna =ClotUdp;. without further words,
left the bridge. l -" \u25a0
The little • shipmaster waited >. for a de- ; ;
cent interval :; and ithen t sighed and : gave ;'
• orders. The .. men on : deck obeyed - him
with r»'.:ickness. A ~ pair of boat davits,
were ; swung •-; outboard - and ; the boat
plentifully victualed , and ; its water-break- ,^
ers ; filled. The ! Cancelaiio'3 engines were
.stopped "and. the '•"% tackles: screamed as the %
'boat >was lowered to .the watery and . rode •
there •at the -end <of [Its. painter. \* Captain
.Kettle left the bridgein charge of It 3 first
this is because somo of the'f Gathers grow
on the underside of their wings. \u25a0 Mu"h
of evil, anyway, like good. ' is ; in tha
thinking. It in wrong W». say 'a' fruit Is
sour until you* taste it; Is it right to con
demn the drummer before you know, him?
Days— and nights, too — of hard work
i often come together In the life of the
road man. Then comes one day when- he
rides many hours, perhaps • twenty-four,
on the train. He needs to forget hta busi
ness; he does. Leas frequently, I wager,
than university students, yet sometimes
the drummer will try his hand at a mod
erate limit In the great American game.
'\u25a0\u25a0) A. year" or more ago a party of fou?
commercial travelers were making a trip
from Portland to San Francisco, a ride
of thirty-six j hours— two nights and one
day. They occupied the drawing-room.
After breakfast on the day of the journey
one of the boys proposed a game of -lu
cent limit "draw." They all took part.
There is something in the* game of poker
that will keep one's eyes open longer
than will the fear of death, so the four
kept on playing until time for luncheon.
About 1 o'clock the train stoppecrYor half
an hour at a town in Southern Ore
gon. The party went out to take a
stretch. Instead of going 'into the
dining-room they bought. at the
lunch counter, some sandwiches, hard
boiled eggs, doughnuts and pies and
put, them in their compartment. On the
platform an old man had cider for sale;
they bought some of that. . Several
youngsters sold strawberries and
cherries. The' boys also bought some
of these. In fact, they found enough
for a wholesome, appetizing spread.
The train was delayed longer than
usual. The boys, tired of talking,
came back to their quarters. They
asked- me to have some lunch." with
them. Just as one of the party open
ed a bottle of cider a little, barefoot,
crippled boy. carrying his crutch under
one arm and a basket half full of
strawberries under the other, passed
beneath the window of their drawing
room.
"Strawberries. Nice fresh straw
berries, misters — only a dime. a box,"
called out the boy. 1 "Three for a quar
.ter if you'll take that many."
... There . he "was, the youthful drum-,
mer, doing in his bbylsh way just what
wo were — making a living, and sup
porting somebody, tpo, "by finding his
customer and then selling, him. He was
bright, clean and active; but sadly
crippled. -
"Let's. buy him out," said the young
est -of our - party — I . was . bow one of
'. them. JBfSfßok \u25a0 \u25a0
"No, let's make a Jackpot, the winner
to give all the winnings to the boy for
his berries," spoke up oldest.
The pot was opened on* the first hand.
The limit. had been ten cents, but the
upener- said Til crack it for fifty
cents. If all are agreed."
Every man stayed in — for the boy!
Strangely .enough four of us caught on
the draw. , .
"Bet fifty cents." said the opener.
"Call your flftv." said numbers two
and three, dropping m their chips.
."Raise it fifty," spoke up number
four. - ... Z:.'> , .
The other three "saw the raise." •
"Three Jacks," said $he opener.
"Beats me." said number two.
"Three Queens here," said number
three. HftSS
"Bobtail," spoke up number four.
"Makes no difference what you
have,"-, broke In number three. "I've
the top hand, but the whole pot be
longs to the boy. The low hand,
though. - shall go' out and get the
berries." \u25a0' ... .. . . .-
As the train pulled out, the little
barefoot drummer with 15 50 hobbled
across the muddy street, the proudest
boy in all Oregon; but he was not so
happy as were his five big brothers in
the receding car.
Brethren, did I say. Yes, brethren!
To the man on the road, every one he
"meets Is hl3 brother — no more, no less.
He feels that h,e ia as good as the Gov
ernor, that he is no better than the boy
who shines his' shoes. The traveling
man. if he succeeds, ' soon becomes a
member of the Great Fraternity^— the
Brotherhood of Man. The ensign of
this order. ls the Helping Hand.
officer and , went below. He found the
lady sitting -in the commander's cabin,
with head Dillowed udoh her arms.
"You still wish -me to go. .miss?" he
said.* . .
. "If you will not accept what id of
fered." > \u25a0-. \u25a0 ?~Av*£
"I am -sorry." said the little sailor.
*S-ery sorry. If I'd met you, miss, .be
fore I saw Mrs. Kettle, and if- you'd
• been a bit different, I believe I could have
liked you. But as it Is— "
She leaped to her feet.- with. eyes that
blazed. . .
"Go!" 'she cried. "Go. or I will call
upon some of those fellows to shoot
you." '.-• :.\u25a0'-*?
'•They will do it cheerfully If you a3k
them," sa^d Kettle, and did not budge.
.She sank dowa on the sofa again
with a wail. ptSP
Captain Kettle vfcowed and went \u25a0 on
deck.
A ;itt:e later ne was aior.e In the
\u25a0 quarter boat. The Cancelarto was
'drawing fast away -from him into the
night and the boat danced in the cream'
of. her wane. .
"Ah, well," he said to himself,
"there's another good chance gone for
\u25a0 -good and < always. .\u25a0 What' a , cantanker
ous beggar; l ; am." -And for a moment
his, thoughts went elsewhere and' be
; got out paper and a a tump of pencil
.'and '-busily scribbled, an elegy to-some
popples in a 'cornfield. The lines had
Just flitted gracefully across . hi 3 .mind
and; they 'seemed far too comely to be
allowed -a -chance of escape.' "• It * was a
movement characteristic at hi3'.queerly
; ordered brain. After the more, ugly
-moments of his life' Captain Owen Ket
tle alw-aya turned , to the making - of
'verse'as an instinctive relief. *