AROUND THE STOVE. 85 



rich through his main strength and ignorance." No 

 one knew what he meant, and I doubt if he did him- 

 self, but before the end of the year every man in the 

 outfit saw the prediction fulfilled. 



The foreman was always up in front when the 

 boys were telling tales "around the stove of an even- 

 ing." You could find more "hot air" there than at 

 the nozzle of a blast furnace. A sitting or two also 

 proved that Ragan could put a spoke in the cleverest 

 man's wheel and block more yarn spinners than a 

 strike at Fall River. Charlie Sing was at every ses- 

 sion. He sat on a feed box in the corner, but never 

 said a word or ventured more than a nod to those 

 with whom he was acquainted. When the spring 

 came I moved out to Island Park, and for all that I 

 knew the Chinaman went back to his tubs. Ragan 

 drove out occasionally, but had nothing to say until 

 the Monday before the Grand Circuit meeting. I 

 had come in the night before from Utica and was 

 busy fixing up my stall when the door opened and 

 who should walk in but Ragan. He looked as spruce 

 as a pin in his light fedora hat, checked suit and red 

 and white striped shirt. You could see yourself in 

 the shine on his shoes, while the diamond in his pin 

 made the horse cast a shadow on the wall. I had 

 come all the way down from Cleveland without see- 

 ing anything like this and, to tell you the truth, I did 

 not look for it at the Island. But there it was, and 

 aside from the brogue you never saw a more correct 

 fashion-plate for what Ragan would term a "sporting 

 karakter." 



When my eyes became used to the sight I asked 

 him to sit down on the trunk if he was not afraid of 



