Murder in the Mill
Chapter 1 Abraham Gets a Job
The sign above read: Stemple's Mill; Mr. Aaron Stemple Proprietor. He looked up at the sign and then took the stairs to the office. He was a skinny lad of only 19 years. He hailed from the East Coast and had experience working with wood all of his life. His father had been a lumberjack and he wanted to run a lumber mill. He opened the door, without knocking and walked up to the desk where a man was sitting looking at his books. He seemed to be a very well-ordered person, precise in his mannerisms and tidy. There was not a place on his desk that looked cluttered. He wrote what he needed to write in his notes and then placed the book back in its place on the shelf of books next to his desk. He was about to take another book out when he sensed someone was standing at the front of his desk waiting to be acknowledged. He turned around and was about to say:
"Jas-… Oh, hello, may I help you?"
"Yes, I am looking for Mr. Stemple!" the young man said.
"I am Mr. Stemple, what can I do for you?"
"I would like a job in your milling business. I plan to learn as much about milling as possible to open my mill someday!" Aaron was somewhat taken aback. This young man dared to stand in front of him and tell him he wanted a job in the mill so that he could take Aaron's mill away!" Aaron looked him up and down. He had short dark hair, rather straight, he was about 6ft. He looked strong. He picked up the man's hands felt for callouses, and looked at how he was dressed. Aaron stood looking at him for a little longer than what an owner of a mill would do, but Aaron felt that if he asked too soon, he would lose this man.
"What do you know about wood?" Aaron asked. The young man listed different kinds of wood, and what each could be used for, explained that his father had been a lumberjack and that he had learned the trade himself. He did not like it but instead, he left his home and was searching for a mentor to teach him how to run a mill.
"May I ask your name?" Aaron asked after the information the young man gave.
"It is Abraham Lincoln. Like the president! Sir!" Aaron looked at him and then asked;
"Do you have identification on you?" He asked it was hard to believe that this young man had been named for the 16th president! Abraham dug out his pockets and pulled out a small, folded paper. He handed it to Aaron, who took it and looked at it. He was mulling over questions when Jason walked in.
"Aaron, I think that we need to talk about your men and my men, it seems that there is talk…." Jason then noticed the young man standing at Aaron's desk. He stopped talking long enough to introduce himself:
"Hello, my name is Jason Bolt, the manager and owner of the Bolt Lumber Company, you look like you need a job and you would be a great addition to my lumber crew!" Jason said without skipping a beat. Abraham smiled and shook his hand but waited for Aaron to speak.
"Oh, hello Jason, give me a moment here. I am just about to be finished with this interview. Abraham, I will hire you and be your mentor, but I will have you start working on the mill first. Then I will transfer you upward until you have learned every aspect of this job. I need you to go through that door over there, see Harve, you can't miss him, he has a black mustache and a balding head!" Aaron pointed him in the right direction and gave him back his papers.
"I am sorry, Bolt, he came to me first for a job!" Jason smiled at Aaron, there was always a friendly and sometimes not-so-friendly competition for workers and jobs.
"What did you need to see me about?" Asked Aaron.
"I wanted to talk to you about how your men are coming into the saloon and taking every table so that when the loggers come in there is no table for their ladies'." Jason said to Aaron. Aaron looked at Jason and smiled and said:
"What does Miss Lottie say? It is her establishment so unless she comes to me personally, I can't do anything to help you Bolt!" Aaron went back to his desk and took out the next book to be worked on. Jason stood there a few more minutes and decided to leave. He would talk to Lottie and see if he could get her to say something. Jason, went out the door silently, he did not slam the door, he had plans but he did not want to say anything to Aaron. Aaron watched as he left the office. He breathed a sigh of relief and finished the last book of the day. Standing up from his chair, he looked at his watch. He decided to find his new employee and find out more about him.
Abraham was working with the circular saw, and one of the other employees was telling him that he had to be sure that the saw was set in his housing, otherwise, the potential for maiming or death was extremely high. The employee showed him how to set the logs in just the right way, and how to measure and measure again the size and length of a board to be. How to tell which saw or cutting instrument to use when making a board. Also, how to season the wood so it would not warp or bend.
Aaron's right-hand man, Harve was watching as the young man obtained the skills of an apprentice sawyer. He did a very good job as he told Aaron two weeks after Abe had started to work there, they might want to keep him on. His work was excellent!
"Abe, after you cut that last log, It will be time to leave," Harve said to Abe above the sound of the machines.
"Make sure you put the safety on and lock up for the night!"
