The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 10, 1905, Page 9

THE ' SAR FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL. 3% contains: 3 B e e e 2 e e e e e /o i A A Al O ¢ s of ‘Yes, e had a ticket when € my n. 1 punched it it back to her. That's all do with the matter.’ ke up Collins, * woman -~ lost her husband and hasn't a either. She's going threugh to e Colorado to get work. Can't you just b § “Tales of the Road.” by Charles N. Crewdson, is a contribution to the mew literature that is an expression of our utilitarian age. It suit—that It is a new mnote in =nd finds responsive Interest. There is perhaps no teller than that has ploneered it Road,” amecdote Knight of the Sample “He is the =t business move,” panion, too, as Mr. “Tales of the Roan Ca is ar e in all his variety m—and a big part ¥ hix historian, Crewdson one is & poor calling—either trade or profession or commereial pur- cannot mame its poet liters modern activities into inviting form, but historian, or both. this putting of the romaxce of our it is a note ¢hat rings true alling that offers a richer field for the story- ommereial traveler, hered together in narrative and rnd Charled N. Crewdson ix velume, “Tales of the comment that put before you the and good fellowship. engine, too—that mukes human, delightful com- of the a very pictures him. 1 the commercial traveler will want to earry ooks of the year” that every in his grip when he is on the road, and that the lay reader will enjoy quite as much as the man on the inside. The meveral tales printed below are samples of the good things it ney T've got st t to m: w I at Ott And lost ticket too, my y sis- I can get had the umwa I had up 1 only get tq I guess my couldn’t finis he sen- ce the Fergu his e—who sat across the aisle beside a y looking old man, came over. t you worry a bit, madam,’ sald he 2l get through all right. T'll see tt —a stockholder ntinued From Page Bight learned—mere- me where we were ) miss, he sald, “and can Do 1 carry unde out my then we shal tead of re as, another the moored after then and and rfon-way ft rew trooped ar meanwhile many Captain Kettle essive and cheerful, and with hands in his jacke: pocket men, who by nderstand 6. began to Erow lads,” said he. she was Callao that ng elsewhere. Well, steame not for me now to say tand you original rdeck wa do as y that 1 be steamer In less than e his second mate main- ook a keen glance at cruiser ar peering thought- the clouds which safled in the sky her dived stood ing they different fida La Touche. returned to faced pock bulged with something this time Captain Kettle's quiet and nervous. to the point without any showy y “I told you shipped aboard this lavender- merely a a fine war steamer there's just off the starboard bow Her name's the Cancelario, and resent she geems to belong to Presi- he here (who is government of her own: {jarra’s Government. But Miss La wploying both me just for the present) intends to and, he hud a care of her xt division?" the next conductor that ticket and get him to take d pass her on to the n ‘ ‘Guess she’ll have d the conductor gruffly to carry no ome without All railroad men have that us horse sense means promotion. 1 began to cry, but my Dmv( cry, madam, Just stay tor started to move on. just hold on a mniute, sir, ‘When this trs —right here, I » to the superintendent in the de- don’t buttons much longer. o look after passen- busine ur né; but tend 1o 3 was lots bigger than « coward n elephant and I right, *brass I'll be here; but started down th to the woman an through ail r'ght, ey did you have ixty-tive cents go 2 peuny—three doliars and sixty-five cent and I'll bet she knew where every ckel of it came from! A cruel old world t ople, for a while! i tled for Lincoln. n took m’! his hat, dropped in a and passed it over to Billie hen he went down the aisle > boys, and aying husband just going to hunt Colorado, lost her purse with Il the money she had.' He came back with nearly his h. l( to doll iz 11' vou chip in, Colonel? said Fer- son to the oid man who had been his ling companion? No,” answered the old skinflint. ‘T think the railroad companies ought to look after cases this kind. Ahem' Ahem! “Well,” the valise enough silver in break cut the crown—eighteen said Ferguson out of his saw a madder fellow—We've enough w yours even if you are worth m 1 all of us. You're so stingy I won't even let my grip stay near you." hen the train stopped at Lincoln Billie 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 We've she wants that ship. b it for her.” got to gra ilence. the men laughed, and a dogen others joined in. “That's right,” said Kettle. Cackle away, you scum. You'd be singing a if- ferent tune if you knew what was be- neath ycu.” A voice from the gloom—an educated nswered him, “Don't be foolish, We're not, going to ram our gainst a brickd wall like that. We set some value on,our lives. “Do you?" said Kettle. “Then pray that this breeze doesn’t drop (as it seems Hkely to do), or you'll lose them. Shall It ou what I was up to below just now? You remember those kegs of blast- ing powder? Well, they're in the lazaret, where some of you stowed them; 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 'vou try to lift it that pistol wil'! shoot into the powder, we'll all go up together without further pala- ver. Steady now, there, and hear me out. You can’t lower away buats and get clear that way. The boat's bottome will tum- ble away =0 soon as you try to hoist them off the skids. I saw to that last night. And you cam’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. “Now, don’'t spoii your only chance,” said Kettle, “by singing out. If on the cruiser yonder they think there is any- thing wrong they’ll run out a gun or two te get off at Lin- in stops you y—and go you won't be wearing it's a mouse new what she had to atching seat—I never /"\ nd I'm going to to see that you at- pass to Denver, and Ferguson dumped the eighteen dollars into her lap. ‘‘Oh, that's toe much! TI'll take just three dollars and give me your name so that I can send that back,’ \happier than ‘any one I ever saw ‘But we all rushed away Bill E ‘Oh, never. names, Duy the chiidren. Good-b; quickly, mind our something for God bless A drug ence: “A few years ago,” said he, “I was over In one of tho towns I make in Ore- gon. I reached thére on Saturday even- ing. I went to my customer’s store. Just before he closed he said to me: ‘T'll take you to-night to hear some good music.’ “ “Where is it?" sald 1. ‘T'll be glad to along.’ It's down the street . a couple of blocks; it's a kind of garden. A family runs it. The old man serves drinks and the rest of the family—his wife and three daughters—play, to draw the crowd. I want you to hear the oldest girl play the violin.' salesman told me this experi- traveling men are ready any 2o anywhere. Sometimes they d the arc l)ght, but they can buzz close and not.get thelr wings scorched. They must keen their heads clear and do, nowadays, you know. It's not as it was in the old days when the man who could tell the most yarns sold the most goods; the old fashioned traveling man is as much behind the timés as a bob- tailed street car. Well, of coufse, I tola my friend Jerry that I'd go along. I should have put in my time working on new trade, but he was one of the best in the world and one of my best 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 look over the crowd. It was a e e P s ) THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN "KETTLE- and blow us out of the water before we can come near them. I've got'nmo arms to give you; but you have your knives, and 1 guess you shouldn’t want more. Get in the shadow of the rail there and keep hid till you hear her bump. Then jump on board, knock everybody you-see ov.r the side, and keep the rest below.” “They'll see us coming,” whimpered a voice. “They’'ll never let us on board.” “They’ll hear us,” the captain replied, “if you gallows ornaments bellow like that, and then all we'll 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, and not another sound. It's your only chance.” Nearer and nearer she drew to the Can- tain Kettle himself took the wheel and appeared to drowse over it. He gave her half a spoke at a time, and by invisible degreeg 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 to the powder barrels, and in imagination every mind on board was following its race. Nearer and nearer she drew to the Con- celario, and ever nearer. The walting men felt as though the hearts of them would leap from their breasts, Two of them fainted. Then came a hail from the cruiser: “Bark ahoy! Are you all asleep there?” Captain Kettle drowsed on over the wheel. Donna Clotilde, from the shadow of the house, could see mm nodding ifke a man in deep sleep. “Carrajo? you bark, thue? Put down place for men oniy. The dozen tables were mearly all full. most of the seats being occupled 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 experlence in her life, though; te be gray. There was a tortured soul’ behind her musfec. Even when she played a ragtime tune she would repeat the same notes slowly and get a chord out of them that 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 two hours. The mu- slc 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. All were waiting for the final number, which was the same every night, ‘Home, Sweet Home.’ “There i1s something more enchanting about thiz air than any other in the your helm. Youw'll be aboard of us in a minute.” Kettle made no reply.. His hands sawed automatically at the gpokes and the glow from the binpacle fell upon 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 gates of*the pit had been suddenly unlocked. The bark’s crew of human refuse, mad with terrgr, rose v» in a flock from be- hind the bulwarks. As one man they clambered over the cruiser's side and spread about her decks. Ill provided with weapons though they . might be the Chileans were scarcely bet- ter armed. A sentry squibbed off his rifle, but that was the only shot fired. Knlves did the greater part of the work— knives and belaying pins and whatever else cam2 to hand. Those of the watch on deck who did not run below were cleared into the sea; the berth deck was stormed and the waking men surrendered to the pistol nose. A couple of desperate fellows went be- low, and cowed the firemen and engineer on watch. The mooring was slipped; steam was given to the engines, and while her former crew were being draft- ed down into an empty hold, the Can- celario was standing out at a sixteen- knot sped toward the open sea under full cmmna of the raiders. Then from be- them came the roar of an explosion n a spurt of dazzling light, and the men shuddered to think of what they had 80 narrowly missed. And as it was some smelling fragments of the old guano bark 1it upon the afterdeck, as they fell head- lou from the dark sky above. - © Donna Clotilde went on to tho upper — CrorzEs AcAL Q) z Iiustrations from *“Tales of the Rond,” by Charles N. Crewd- MWMW '®) world. Perhaps this is because it carries one back when he once has ‘passed its portals’ to his ‘Childhood’s Joyland—Lit- tle Girl and Boy Land.” It reminds him of his own happy voung 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 [ heard the strain. How that girl did play the splendid old melody! I closed my eyes. The garden became a mountain stream, the tones of the violin its beautiful ripples— which flowed 1ight on even wh 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; T owe her a whole lot. She's a genius.' I went. And I thanked her, too, and told her how well she had played and how happy she had madé me. “I'm glad somebody can be happy,” she answered, dropping her big, blue eves. “ ‘But aren’t you happy in your mu- I asked. si bridge, and took Captain Kettle by the hand. “My friend,” she sald, “I shall never forget this.”” And she looked at him with eyes that spoke of more than admiration for his success. “I am earning my pay,” sald Kettle. “Pah!” she said, “‘don’t let money come between us. I cannot bear to think of you in connection with sordid things 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.” 'There are not.” “Then you must be content with.the nearest you can get.” Donna Clotilde stamped her foot upon the planking of the bridge. *You are dull,” she cried. 'No,”_he sald. “I have got clear sight, miss. Won’t you go below now and get a spell of sleep? Or will you give me your orders first?"” “No,” she answered, “I will not. We must settle this matter first. You have & ‘wife in England, I know, but that is noth- ing. Divorce is simple here, I have influ- ence with thé church; you could be set free in a day. Am I not the woman you would choose?” “Miss La Touche, er.” nswer my question.” “Then, miss, 1{ you will hdve it, you are not." 2 “But why? Why? Give me your rea- sons. You are brave. Surely T have shown courage, too? Surely you must admire that?” “I like men for men's work, miss.” you are my em- To-ricr wE 2UNCE, TOMoORROI QViE S 2 8,” she replied In such a sad way that it meant a million noes. “When I went back to my friends they told me the girl's fither 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 cught to -be enough money in the town to educate this girl. I can’t stay here to do this (hlflg but you can put me down: for “Well, sir, do you know the people in the town did help that girl alomg? When tke women heard what a traveling man they no longer barred for bread, she played a arden, 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- in Boston, where she is studying to- Traveling men are not angels, yet in their black wings are stuck more white feathers than they are given credit for— The “But that is an exploded notion. Wom- en have got to take théir place. They must show themselves the equals of men in everything.” “But you see, miss,” said Kettle, “I prefer to be linked to 2 lady who is my superior—as I am linked at present. If it pleases you, we had better end this talk.” “No,” sald Donna Cletilde, “it has got to be settled one way or the other. You krow what 1 want. Marry me as soon as you are set fiee, and there shall be no end of your power. I will make you rich: 1 will make you famous. Chile shall be at our feet; the world shall bow to u “It could be done,” sigh. ““Then marry me.” “With due respect, I will not,” little man. “You know you are speaking to a woman who is nct accustomed to be thwarted?"” Cantain Kettle bowed. ““Then you will either do as I wish, or leave this ship. 1 give you am hour to consider it in." . 2 “You will find my second mate the best navigating officer left,” safd Kettle, and Donna Clotilde, witheut further words, left the bridge. The little shipmaster waited for a de- ceut interval and them and gave orders. The men on obeyed him with auickness. A pair of boat davits were swung outboard and the boat plentifully victualed and its water-break- ers filled. The Cancelario’s engines were stopped and the tacklgs screamed as the boat was lowered to ‘water, and rode there at ‘the end of its puinter. Captain Kettle left the bridge in charge of its first said Kettle with a said the * gon. Donna Clotilde ‘- his this Is because some of the feathers grow on the underside of thelr wings. Mu'h of evil. anyway, like geood, is in the thinking. It is wrong ta say a fruit is sour until youStaste it; is it right to con- demn the drummer before you know him? Days—and nights, too—of hard work 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 his busi- ness; he does. Less frequent I wag than university st@dents, yet someti the drummer will try his hand at a mod- erate limit In the great American game A year or more ago a party of f commercial travelers were making a trip from Portland to San Francisco, a ride of thirty-six hours—two nights and one day. They occupled the drawing-room After breakfast on the day of the journey one of the boys proposed a game of 10- 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 untll time for luncheon. About 1 o'clock the train stopped for half an hour at a town in Southern Or The party went out to take a Instead of going into the dining-room they bought, at the lunch counter, some sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, doughnuts and ples 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. stretch. The train was delayed longer than usual. The boys, tired of Walking. 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 T trawberries. Nice fresh stra berries, misters—only a dime a box called out the boy. “Three for & quar- ter if you'll take that many.” There he was, the youthful drum- mer, doing In his boyish way just what we were—making a llving, and sup- porting somebody, too, 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 mow one of th let’s make a jackpot, the winner to give all the winnings to the boy for nis berries,” spoke up the oldest. The pot was opened on the first hand. The limit had been ten cents, but the upener said ‘I'l erack it for ffty 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 fifty,” sai@ numbers and three, dropping i their chips. “Raise It fifty,” spoke up number four. The other three “saw the raise. “Three Jacks,” sald ghe opener, “Beats me,” said number two. “Three queens here,” sald number three. “Bobtail,” spoke up number four. “Makes no difference what have,” broke in number three. the top hand, but the whole longs to the boy. The low though, shall go and get berries.” As the train pulled out, the little barefoot drummer with 36350 Hhobbled across the muddy street, the proudest poy in all Oregen; 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 his brother—no more, no less. He feels that he is as good as the Go ernor, that he is no better than the boy who shines his shees. The traveling man, if he succeeds, soon becomes a member of thé Great Fraternity—the Brotherhood of Man The ensign of this order is the Helping Hand two you “T've pot be- hand, the out War Steamer of officer and went below. He found ti lady sitting in the commander’'s cabi with head dillowed upon her arms. “You still wish me to go, miss?’ he said. “If you will not accept what Is of- tered.” § “I am -sorry,” sald the Iit sallor, “yery sorry. If I'd met you, miss, Dbe- fore 1 saw Mrs. Kettle, and if youd been a bit different, [ belleve I could have liked you. But as it is—" She leaped to her feet, with eyes that blazed. “Go? ‘she eridd. “Go, or I will call apon some of those fellows to shoot vou.” “They will do it cheerfully if you ask them,” sajd Kettle, and did not budge. She sank down on the sofau again with a wail Captain Kettle bowed and went deck. A uttie later ne was aione the q.arterboat. The Cancelarto was drawing fast away from him into the night apd the boat danced in the cream of her wake. “Ah, well,” he said to himseif, “there's another good chance gone for ‘good and l)ways What a cantanker- ous beggar I am.” - And for a moment thoughts went eisewhere and he got out paper and a stump of pencil and busily scribbled. an elegy to sewe popples in a cornfleld. The lines had Just flitted gracefully aeross his mind and they seemed far too comely to be zllowed a chance of escape. It was a movement characteristic of his queerly ordered brain. After the more ugly nts of his life Captain Owen Ket- ys turned to the making of on n tle ‘verse as an instinctive relief.