The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-17

NON~
not yet used.
us she straight" asked Gordon
pointing to the upright.
Il think so, said Kelley, almost sui
lenly.
But Gordon put the scantling's two
inch side against the huge balk and it
only touched it closely on one place
inst in the middle. On the other side
of the balk the two ends of the scant-
ling touched, but the middle was an
inch away.
she's just buckling, man." said Cor
don.
But to be sure Wen try some mair."
With three out of five the result was
the same.
"She talks a deal too much" said
Gordon. you've laid too much on the
wood. l always said l had my doots.
But now I've nae doots-deevil doot!
"WellY said Kelley.
She's coming down, man-slow but
sure. When We hear timbers crack
wee bittee, its naething, for they'd
crack wi heat or wi cold, but it's this
talk. talk, talk all the time that's fear
some. for timber only talks naturally
when the strain varies-when one rubs
against another And too much talk.
in wooden ship means a shortening
Efe, and there we know the strains.
Who knows 'em here? I've nae dOots,
man. But let's haze dinner"
Mr.. Gordon thinks we're gone up,
Bill" said Kelley when they were at
the table.
The Scotchman had his mouth full and
could not speak, but he held up his
finger and struggled with half-chewed
chunk of beef. When he had gorged 1t
he spoke.
THAT was my hungry opeenion, boys,
and maybe my afternoon one Wilma diff
fer much. But though they say a
Scotchman fights best with his belly
empty it was never my way, and I've
mair doots in the early morn that any
other time. Courage comes out of feed
ing and a moderate use o speerlts, ana
above all, not too much tobacco. AND
I've mair faith full than hungry, wheth-
err it's in materials or in providence
And that's strong good argument
against asceticism and silly scorn
Gods good creatures"
He showed no scorn of them till it was
obvious he could eat no more.
Barring the pipe, I'm done till supper
time" he said presently. "And after one
smoke I'll play the wise physeecian
again ana put MY uuStl vi OIlC Pui0N "
the big hill, and tell you what's what in
two shakes O. lambs tail. And don't
mind sayin' out straight that my ex-
perience is as big as that of carload o
the common run O engineers
He went through the tunnel again,
and the brothers followed. Once or twice
he stopped and spoke to laborer as well
as the foreman.
"Ye wonder" he said to Bill Hold
redge, 'that I'd speak to these men and
hear what they have to say, for | see all
they see and mair. But I've learnt to
trust to feelings. man, as well as coid
knowledge, and till We do We may be
school engineer, but the books are across
your eyes and heavy ON your mind
When they reached the far end he in
vited them to sit on a fallen tree.
And now We want my second
thoughts
"Ay." said Kelley.
And Gordon filled his pipe.
IF We can drop it. and if We have
enough to start on something else, my
advice is to do it. I'm not askin' any
thin. and don't know how you and Ross
fixed it up. But to go on is to gamble.
"A gainst certainty" asked Bill
Gordon screwed up his mouth and
shook his head slowly.
I'm no say that, but it's long odds
And if we 90 ON, what?' asked Kee-
ley.
Double timber her throughout, and
get some hard wood if You can. But my
advice is to cut your losses and your la
Dor. There's naetb.n' iii the world so
peetful as honest labor wasted. Good
by. boys, and good luck to your
He rode back to Laggan whistling.
They'll try it. they'll try it," he said.
And I've nae doot they'll bear the ca
tastrophe like men-nae dOot at all.
And that very night the second set Of
timber was ordered. What they conld
buy they bought. But suitable harl
wood there was none within 1000 miles,
and to set that hill on oak pillars was to
buy SO with IA golden eagle. As make
shift, new pine and fir fell ON fat and
mountain slope and the trees of day
light were daily buried in the pit.
They found the western end, which
was clay bottomed. hardest to deal with.
and there they doubled the steps and
struts first and drove some hardwood
wedges in, and under each they blocked
the inward, thrusting mud with heavy
green planks, measuring 4X10 that came
from saw mill humming near the sum
NIT. But that here the uprights showed
no sign of buckling at first was the
deadliest sign Of all. For where the
cement bottom was it was necessary to
put in square blocks betwixt each huge
standard. And even then the groaning
was more horrid new strains were es-
tablshed, the mass of timbers became
more organic, and piped perpetually.
Day by day the forests sent tribute to
no Il of ho
and soon it was almost impossible to see
the clay save upon the bottom. Yet
here and there it squeezed out between
close set balks and cants of sawed lum-
Der in thin ribbons of deep pure blue.
and sometimes it protruded through
knot hole, hanging down like solid pour
ing water
And hour by hour day or night, Kee-