, 1886-06-25
THE MULE-SHOE CURVE

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AS long as the railroad. for over 100
miles of its course, meekly traversed the
valleys at the foot of the range, the great
mountains. seemingly secure in their
height and majesty, regarded 1t with
seeming Indifference. This changed to
contempt, when. at n certain point, 1t
turned and faced them; to alarm. when 1t
began TO climb their sides, and to n Ger
tain humiliation, when it successfully
surmounted them, and gaily danced off
TO the westward.
Just before the daily passenger train Is
due from the north, there ssues from the
engine-house a large and powerful locomo-
tive, expressly designed for the heavy
grades ahead. On a certain beautiful
September afternoon, not long ago, 1t was
in its place, giving signs of life in the
shape of occasional threads of smoke from
the stack, and little puffs of white steam.
In anticipation of the trains arrival, the
stations platform was occupied by a grad
ually increasing line of idle citizens, and,
on the bottom of an overturned gravel car
not far away, were sitting Tom Lewis, the
engineer who was shortly to go out, and
two of his "pards"-Tom Burke, road mas
ter. and Jack Harris, station agent.
To understand their conversation, we
should know something about them. Do
you ever realize, gentle reader-as you sit,
magazine or paper in your hand, at the
wide window of the drawing-room car on
the fast express-how completely got are
in the hands OF some hard worked, under
paid mem Suppose the grimy fellow in
overalls, sitting in the "cab" Of the great
engine, with his hand on the throttle
valve, and his eyes fixed on the line ahead,
should relax his vigilance for a single mo-
ment-should even stand up to stretch his
cramped limbsi Suppose the official who
is charged with the care of the Roadway
should forget one lftla-SuIvert some Sat
urday ni...io, when his wife and children
zdfe waiting upper for himi Suppose the
tired tr~ain-dispatcher, his head aching and
his eyes din with hard usage, should make
the least little mistake in the world, and
order the east-bound freight train away
from the siding towards which you are
speeding
1t was a little full at times in the new
town and, II one had no liking for drink
ing and gambling, he might find the even
ings long. should he stroll, however,
along the adobe buildings of the older set
Element, he might detect signs OF n certain
sociability. From some OF the houses
came the tinkling OF the rude harp Of the
dlu uh Otth1hOAhA iiPltC VI u
ter; from some doorways there emerged
figures, clad in mantilla and rebozo, and
escorted by rather sorry cavaliers, who
FASTENED. to the aforesaid houses, and at
intervals there was talk OF n grand bale
or ball.
Between the average Mexican who
dwells under the American flag and the
average American pioneer, there is apt TO
be but little affection. There was not a
male %inhabitant of the "old WI whom
Tom Lewis regarded with the slightest
complacency; but 1t was quite different
with little Mariquita, whom he met at Ala
mosa on Christmas Day, and who asked
him to come and see her when she re-
turned. To be sure, the acquaintance was
anything but intimate, and Mariquitn
would never cause Tom to forget a certain
blue-eyed maiden in Denver. But, as be
fore said, 1t was very dull in the town, and
when he had n might Off, while they
were repairing the big engine, and there
was a bale the same evening, and Mari
quita asked him to come, OF course he went
Otherwise, this story could not have
been written.
"Wa'al, Tom" said the roadmaster, Il
allow yer'd better be mighty keerful. |
amt a-sayin' the little gal amt poorly, an
good, too; but them greasers is a queer
lot. | seen that Teller Jose looking mighty
black when you was q-dancin' with Mari
quita the other night, an he's part of tibet
mean cuss Carlos thet you fired out of the
engine house the other day"
THANK yer, kindly, old man. said Tom
an try to take keer of myself, but Mari
quita's n daisy little gal, ez you say, an
ez long ez she's willin', You bet Ill dane,
with her in spite of all the greasers from
here down to Sonora. Hellol there's tn,
train" Ten minutes later he was on his
engine, and had begun the ascent Of the
grade.
1t wal anything but dull at Manitou, at
the foot of Pixies peak, that season. Peo-
pie had come thither from all parts of the
country, and, If the society reporters
were TO be believed. there were more pretty
girls there than ever before. For only
one OF them is there room In this brief
tale. md Nellie Stevens needed no "local
Endorsement for she had attracted atten
ton even Mt Newport. Clifford Stanley
met her there, and forgot everyone else
from that moment. A good fellow was
Clifford; manly, upright, and well-to-do.
lie had enjoyed life thoroughly, but he
convinced himself that it would be thence
forth II blank, unless Nellie smiled. lie
dropped everything and followed her to
Colorado, MS he would have followed her
to the end Of the earth.
Had she smiled All no one knew.
toge,ber y c~ortoi, giI1ed youth ogored
o1ds in tho hiniorJ ,oom that thav yvars
eng,ged. I'm, he found mo- one in tate him
mn for tbe simnle reason that the bet
conld no, hs decided
Aftero ,yhiIe Ntanitou heoor IN mil =.
nttle on fine %visitors The grent neak Ind
heap cIimhod. Gler Evrio IA ia cordan
Of the Gods visited. cheyenne and WIN.