The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-07-01
THE MULE-SHOE CURVE.

miles Of its course, meekly traversed the
valleys at the foot of the range, the grea5
mountains, seemingly secure n tneT
height and majesty, regarded 1t WIN
seeming Indifference. This changed 70
contempt, when, at a certain pom9, u
turned and faced them; to alarm, when IL
began to climb their sides, and to cer-
tain humiliation, when it successfully
surmounted them, and gaily danced OH
to the westward. 'r'
Just before the daily passenger train Is
due from the north, there issues from tne
engine-house large and powerful locomo-
tive, expressly designed for the heavy
grades ahead. On a certain beautiful
September afternoon, not long ago, it 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
ualIy 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, anu
TWO Of his tpardse-Tom Burke, road mas
ter, and Jack Harris, station agent.
To understand their conversation, we
should know something about them, 10
you ever realize, gentle reader-as you sit,
magazine or paper in your hand, at tpe
wide window of the drawing room car On
the fast express how completely you are
in the hands Of some hard d-wcrked, under
paid .men? Suppose the grimy fellow in
overalls, sitting in the .aeab" of the great
engine. with his hand on the throttle
valve, and his eyes fix ID on the line ahead,
should relax his vigilance for single mo
ment-ss:cUld even stand up to stretch his
Graz. ped limbs? Suppose che official who
is charged with the care Of the roadway
should forget one little culvert some Sat
urday night, when his wife and children
are waiting supper for him?' Suppose the
tired trlin-dispatcher, bis head aching and
his eyes dim 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?
It was little dull at times in the new
town. and, if 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
tlement, he might detect signs of a certain
sociability. From some Of the houses
came the tinkling Of the rude harp Of the
country, and an occasional ripple Of laugh
ter; from some doorways there emerged
figures, clad in mantilla and rebozo, and
escorted by rather sorry cavaliers, who
hastened to the aforesaid houses, and at
intervals there was talk Of grand bale
or bali.
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
male inhabitant of the "old town" whom
Tom Lewis regarded with the slightest
complacency; but it was quite different
with little Nariquita, 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 Mariquita
would never cause Tom to forget q certain
blue-eyed maiden in Denver. But, as be-
fore said, it was very dull in the town, and
when he had might off," while they
were repairing the big engine, and there
was bale the same evening, and Mari
QUITS asked him to come, Of course he went
otherwise, this story could not have
been written. ..-
"Wa'al, Tom,n said the roadmaster, u
allow yer'd better be mighty keerful. !
amt a-sayin' the little gal amt pooty, an
good, too; but them greasers IS a queer
lot. / seen that feller Jose looking mighty
black when you was a-dancin' with Mari
uuita the other night, an he's part of thet
mean cuss Carlos thet you fired out OF the
engine house the other day."
"Thank yer, kindly, old man." said Tom.
"I'u try to take keer Of myself, but Mari
uuita's daisy little gal, ez you say, an
ez long ez she's williu', you bet I'll dance
with her in spite Of all the greasers from
here down, to Sonora. Hello! there's the
train.T Ten minutes later he was on his
engine, and had begun the ascent OF the
grade. ...'
1t was 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 werc more pretty
girls there than ever before. For only
one of them is there room in this brief
tale, and Nellie Stevens needed no "local
Endorsement" for she had attracted atten-
ton even at Newport. Clifford Stanley
met her there, and forgot everyone else
from that moment. 4 good fellow was
Clifford; manly, upright, and well-to-do,
He had enjoyed life thoroughly, but he
convinced himself that it would be thence
forth a blank, unless Nellie smiled. He
dropped everything and followed her to
Colorado, as he would have followed her
to the end Of the earth.
Had she smiled? All! no one knew.
When they came down from Pixies peak
together, a certain gilded youth offered
odds, in the billiard room, that they were
engaged; but he found no one to take him
up, for the simple reason that the bet
could not be decided.
After while, Manitou began to pail
little on the visitors. The great peak had
been climbed Glen Eyrie and the Garden
OF the Gods visited; Cheyenne and Will
iams' canons explored. They sighed for
new worlds to conquer, and planned trip
to the Grand canon Of the Arkansas, and
then to Wagon Wheel gap Just IS they
were to start, adverse fate, in the shape
y. IL