The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1882-03-30

0ne aef NsO hfle. tAptN'~ ""7 N"N'sA z
eItrayAgan, prices for horse, mule or oH
teams 10 haul stone. lie had taken con-
tract 10 supply from bis quarry the stone
for the railroad bridge over Rushy Run,
aud nov the time Of delivery was pear at
hand and no teams could be- had, All the
! horses were at work on the crops and II
began TO appear that old Riley must either
lose money or fill the contract by hiring
horses and mules and teamsters at ruinous
prices, and forfeit the contract itself He
tried in every direction 10 get mules aud
wagons, offering twice the usual wages,
but still he could get very few. He was
ia real trouble with q loss OF several thous-
and dollars threatening him.
One day Hamp who knew what trouble
Riley was in, went down to the creek and
cutting several twigs began setting them
up al distance from each other. The
few teamsters who were at work watched
him curiously. but could not make out
what he was doing. He went mp the
creek with his sticks, moving one OF them
at a time and always sighting from one to
another, or rather from one over another
to third. In this way he worked up to
the quarry, which was Immediately on the
creek nearly mile above the point where
the bridge was TO be built. When he
had done he walked back, examining the
banks as he went. Then he presented
himself before Riley Vaughan.
Mr.. Vaughan, he said, I've an idea tha
will help you out of your difficulty.
Will it hire teams to haul stone? asked
Riley.
No; but 1t will enable you to haul stone
without teams.
If it will--Well, let me hear what it is,
said Riley, changing his purpose while
speaking.
Raft the stones down, said Hamp.
Now look here, Hamp See, said old
Riley, / stood up for you, said you want
no Ounce when everybody else said you
was, but this here looks as If they was
right and was wrong, How in natur kin
/ raft down creek that amt got no NOR n
six iches o water IN it, a.bobin' round
among the stones of the bottom.
Well, you see, SAID Hamp, I've levelled
from here to the quarry, and there's only
two feet fall or little less, and the banks
are nowhere less than five feet high; and
as there's good deal more water
running down in day than anybody
would think, it's my notion to build a
temporary dam just below the bridge you
have enough timber and plank to do it
with two hours work Of your men, build
ing it say six feet high, there where the
banks are the closest together Before
noon tomorrow the water will rise to the
top of the dam and run over. Whe" .
does vor1l have six feet Of later mere. amt
four feet at the quarry, aud your men can
push RATS down as fast as they can.load
them.
How do yon know there's only two foot
fall asked Riley eagerly,
I've leveled it, said Hamp.
That is, you figured it out with them
sticks?
Yes.
Are you sure you've got the answer?
asked the old man with eagerness.
Perfectly sure You see it's simple. |
plant my stick
Never mind about how you do it; can't
understand that if you explain it; but look
me in the eyes, boy. This thing means
thousands of dollars to Riley vaughanlif
you've got your answer right. kin un.
derstand that much; an ef you We worked
ont this big sum right for me, I'll choke
the next man who says you're a Ounce,
jest kase you don't take kindly to old Pen
ruddock's chatterin' sort o learnin'. I'll
do it, or my name ain Riley Vaughan, an
that's what I've been called nigh onto
fifty five years now
oIu hiltl wa fisapi1 cASitcu iic
called all his men to the place selected,
and set them to work buiI0ing the dam,
while Hamp looked on, occasionally max
ing a suggestion for simplifying the work
The dam was flushed at three o'clock in
the afternoon, and at six clock the water
had risen two feet six inches while the
water had passed the quarry.
There said Hamp, that proves my work.
The water is level Of course as far up as
back water shows ITSELF and we have six
inches OF back water at the quarry and two
feet six iches at the dam; so the fall is two
feet
1t looks so, said Riley, who was watch
in the rise Of the water The workmen
had gone home, all OF them convinced that
his attempt to back the water mile up
the creek was the widest foolishness, but
old Riley and Hamp waited and watched.
1t doesn't rise so fast now, said Riley
That's because it has larger surface; but
it still rises, and the surface won't increase
much more now, ss there's a steep place
just above the quarry, and il can't back
any further up.
The two waited and watched Midnight
came and the measurement showed three
feet six inches depth at the dam. Still
they waited and watched. AT six O'Clock
in the morning the depth was four feet
two inches Then Riley sent negro boy
to his house with orders TO bring big
breakfast for two. At seven o'clock the
breakfast arrived, and the measurement
showed four feet three inches and half
It's a risin' faster again, said Riley.
Yes; the lcval.is climbing straight up
the bluff bankysass, and no spreading out
as il rises, said Hsmp.
.fr. ofntaaL tia lcuth W faft faot