This passing coal was surely the very beginning-unless the superintendent should take it into his head to send me to work in the mines from which the coal came in order to get a completer understanding of the genesis of electricity for street railways.
Work! I, who had worked with men, found that I didn't know the first thing about real work.

A ten-hour day! I had to pass coal for the day and night shifts, and, despite working through the noon-hour, I never finished my task before eight at night.

I was working a twelve-to thirteen-hour day, and I wasn't being paid overtime as in the cannery.
I might as well give the secret away right here.

I was doing the work of two men.

Before me, one mature able-bodied labourer had done the day shift and another equally mature able-bodied labourer had done the night-shift.