Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-05-18

f"We are ready to proceed, puJ HnaI1y
the day came. 49,
Everything was completed. Three Of
the wagons were secretly loaded with
gold by night and stood ready to depart.
Pierce was to convert the metal into
currency and act as financial agent in
the great operations to follow. Supplies
of all sorts in immense quantities were
to be bought-an electric light plant,
mining and milling machinery, horses,
fine cattle and other stock, farming inn
plements, looms, clocks-everything, In
fact, that civilization could furnish from
its plenteous store was to be procured
and brought to them.
The task was great, but Pierce felt
his blood glow as he thought of it. AS
the greatest buyer upon earth, the rep
resentative Of unheard of wealth, he
would fairly rival Monte Cristo, if he
did not eclipse him, and in the building
of a railroad across the desert, one OF
the first enterprises to be launched, he
saw most interesting and exciting pro-
iect, which alone was worthy of any
man. What more noble ambition could
he ever have desired than this eminently
proud one2 And now they were ready.
Each step in the great undertaking care
fully considered and planned, nothing
remained but to act.
Leila stood on the threshold as the line
of wagons filed past, with drivers and
escorts waving their hats in farewell sac
lutes; Eric and Pierce in the rear, ex-
changing last words of caution and adj
vice. When they reached the house
Eric dismounted and grasped Pierce's
hand, with moist eyes:
sNow, goodby, Harold. God bless
YOU! Be careful and remember you
hold us all in your hand"
"Don't worry, my dear boy. You'll
hear from me very soon, and let me tell
you," he added, with an effort at face
tiousness, "there will be lot of news
paper men here inside of ten days, mark
NV words, and they will give You some
thing to bother about. And besides
they'll establish a mail service for you,
depend upon it. Goodby, goodby."
he mounted and galloped away. Eric
led his wife to the housetop. They could
see the train wind along the river until
it disappeared behind the canyons out
reaching spurs, and then she turned to
him, with great, hopeful look in her
ewes, and kissed his lips. Together they
stood there, the morning breaking rich
ly and warmly over the red cliffs, when
Iklapel emerged from below and stood
beside them. His eyes were full Of
great fire as he gazed down the canyon
/ where the, dust still rose above the trail Of
the wagonA Then he turned toward the
city and stood silent, regarding it for a
long time; then raising his arms Like a
prophet Of old he cried out:
"Rise up, o City of the Sunl Behold,
the day has come; the serpent is dead!
Behind you, o city of my fathers, lie the
untold cons of superstition, of blood and
darkness, reaching back, back to mans
first feeble steps! Men came and men
went away, but thou hast remained. D
hoary city of the past, look up and see
the light! Before you the future stands,
its unknown space illumined by an un-
speakable glory. In its beauty yit is COM
ing to be thy bride. Ihear it's voice; ]
hear its approaching footsteps. Oh, that
my eyes may see its glory and my lips
taste its sweetnessl have said tit is
good"
He turned to his only hearers, and his
voice grew low and sweet as he looked
at Eric and said:
'And SO it has begun, o my brother,
! and to you we owe it. Yea, I see it be-
fore me plainly, the story Of this great
city, for it will be greater than ever be-
fore. Its story will go out before men,
and they will wonder at it ages hence,
and it will be told to the children and
sung by the poets, and the world will
marvel at it, for It's the work of a god!"
.Nay," said Leila as she threw her
arms about her husbands neck, It's
the work of man, and it is begun by a
man, and, 10, he is mine, my QuetzelP
THE END.