The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-24

| stop, and therefore was called Camp
| Nineteen. Thelast one had been named
Eighteen and the next would be Camp
| twenty.
Half hundred men were erecting
poles short distance further along, but
ne wire had not been carried beyond
he spot where the night camp was
iEed, and there the only person besides
ne busy cooks Immediately discernihle
when the pedestrians arrived was a
young man busy at Geographic insru-
ment. A tripod made the legs of ANAL
table, and On it was the apparatus for
sending and receiving messages over the
wire, which was brought down from the
last pole to which it had been adjusted
The operators name was William Brown,
and it goes far toward describing him to
tell that IN the rough and irnpohte com
pany of telegraph constructors he was
called VIII Brown and not Bill Brown
No doubt some Of this consideration on
the part Of men given TO hard hickman
ing was due to young Brown being the
electrician Of the expedition, and there
fore a scientific mystery to most Of them:
but more than that, his unvarying
suavity Of manner, modesty Of speech
and careful retention Of eastern deport-
ment characterized him so markedly as
TO make Bill a missioner and viii"
appropriate.
Look, dad, " the dusty girl whispered
70 her companion as her eyes fell on
VIII Brown; I'VE haven't seen a thing
like that since We quit railroad tracks
and took 70 footprints. Isn't he pretty"
'Re glads my eyes, daughter - he
glads my very gaze the man returned,
eying the busy operator, who had not
yet seen them"
The cause of the weary travellers glad
ness was understood by the girl when
she saw him advance with an enlvened
stride, and heard him say briskly: "Ah,
a telegraph station, Ell? That is fortu-
nate. Is this money order Office, my
young friend? l would ike to send a
message TO Fort Smith at once for a
transfer of funds"
VIII Brown Strengthened from his bent
posture over the instrument, looked at the
exaggerated dignity of the inquirer with
a twinkle of merriment in his honest
blue eyes, and urbanely replied: This
isn't a money order station; it isn't any
sort Of station; its just the temporary
end Of the line and doesn't take any bust
ness"
oh, don't say that-pray don't say
that and the disappointment of the ap-
plcant looked ike genuine anguish. Il
shall be distressed-we shall be dis
tressed-daughter and If we can't get
a remittance by wire" VIII Browns
eyes turned TO the girl, and saw in her
face as wOebegone an expression as she
could command without hurting her
prettiness. After a pause, TO let the
young man appreciate the comeliness of
the maiden in spite Of her bad attire.
the father continued: I'VE have walked
six miles this afternoon and intended to
90 as far as Wealth City
Wealth City, came in cultural
voice from the center Of a clump of low
bushes, and then a red face, fringed
with whiskers from one side of a straw
nat brim around 10 the other. and stub
bled over with an unshayen weeks
beard, lifted into view. What n
t-h-u-n-der's Wealth City, the grim
voice demanded, spelling out the first
syllable phonetically, with heavy en-
phasis on each letter and an equal stress
on the rest Of the word.
The rise Of this individual was so
much like that of a jack-in-a-bOx carica-
ture that the girl exclaimed, like a sur
prised child, oh, that's funny and
one Of her -ret leaped clear of the ground
in little tHper Of merriment. The OBJ
ject of her glee displayed no resentment.
He was amiably drunk and disposed to
crafty, with all particulars about him
self, the curiosity which he had aroused.
My names Old Jugg Brown, he sen
tentiously said, addressing himself di-
rectly to the girl, and speaking as a hu-
man exhibit in a museum might in lee
turing on itself. 4 was born Brown,
and now they call me Old Jugg because
I'm such an almighty hard drinker.
Yes; I'm Old Jugg Brown, and this
young gentleman IS my son. I'm proud
Of my son, and he amt proud of me.
He's a refornin' me, VIII is, but I got
hold Of bottle o whisky, and I've been
drinhn' here IN the brush"
He told this ~ something that had
casually happened TO hin, something re-
gretable, and yet nothing that ne could
have been expected to prevent. He held
up the half ernpUed bottle and swayed
with it to and fro until the son took il
from him and smashed it or stone. He
regarded this summary action apathet-
icaly until the aroma OF the spilled
whisky reached his nose. and then he
shifted feebly, his bland smile changed
to a grOtesque pOut, and he sank slowly
down into the bushes as though an in
visible hand was shutting him down into
his box.
Il was saying that we meant 10 get TO
Wealth City before night, the strutting
stranger resumed. We understand that
Wealth City is a new name for 8 sudden
place-the name about day old, snd
the place something Ike a week. l VIII
not conceal the fsct that We sre-in
sense-weu, call Us fortune seekers, and
We haven't yet found II. May be 1t is IN
Oklahoma, and what We wish Is to get
there. At this moment and here he
snapped thumb and finger Of each
hand airily, we are tired, We are hun
Ely and we sre penniIeSs.'
VIII Brown was not unsccustoned TO
wandering adventures IN a similar
plight, and he would have rapulsed this
man, doing II not the less decidedly De-
cause politely; bat at that instant the