The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1897-02-13

80. Ana Phlnp followed his coffee-col-
ored guide to the elevator with an un-
comfortable conviction growing upon
him that he had somehow stamped him
self as provincial by suggesting supper
instead of dinner.
The meal was excellent and well
served; and the comfort of his room.
after two weary nights in the sleep
ing car. made Thorndyke late riser on
his first morning in Allacoochee. After
breakfast he went out upon the veranda
to give the feeling of appreciative sur
prise chance to expand with wider
view. The Hotel Johannesburg was
owned by the Town company, and its
situation on slight knoll at the foot
of Johns mountain had been chosen
with a view to the prospect. Standing
on the steps of the veranda, Philip saw
a background Of wooded slopes rising
in green bravery to the line of rugged
cliffs at the summit of Jubal noun
tain; middle distance of valley where
the course of the Chiwassee river was
defined by a bed of fieccy mist ruftied
into semi-transparency by the warmth
of the morning sun; to the left, be-
yond the narrower strip of mist mark
ing the windings of the Little Chiwas-
see, the bold forehead of Bull noun
tain overlapping the town. These we're
the frame for the picture which human
activity was etching into the level area
inclosed by the two streams. Long
vistas of streets marked by burrows
turned at the curb lines; open spaces
dotted with the stakes of the surveyor
and heaped with piles Of brick and lum-
Der; uncounted numbers of half-fin-
ished buildings upon which the work
men clustered like swarming bees; the
mufiied drumming of hosting engines;
the strident exhausts of the locomo-
tives in the railway yard; the clang of
hammers in boiler shop-everywhere
the sights and sounds of restless in
dustry and impatient progress.
Under such circumstances the gre
garious impulse asserts itself irrcsisti-
bly,. Thorndyke looked about him for
possible sympathizer and, by proc
ess of natural selection which is as I'M
{ accountable as it is inerrant, he pitched
upon a young man sitting apart from
the various groups on the veranda.
Drawing up a chair, he began to I'M
burden himself.
at beats anything | ever heard Of"
he said. what is there behind it all?"
Standing as target for the gunnery
of other peoples surprise was no new
experience for the man of Philips selec-
ton. and he smiled good-naturedly. "A
good many people have asked that ques-
ton ! can't answer it TO my own salts
faction, but others would say the coal
and iron the lack of important manu-
featuring centers in the south, and the
consequent pressing need for one just
here; the climate, and Il hundred other
things besides
"Are the coal and iron realities?'
"Oh, yes, very much SO; this noun
tain behind the hotel is a vast coal bed,
and that one over there"-pointing TO
the cliffs across the Little Chiwassee-
sis equally rich in iron of fair quality"
"Then the people are not merely crazy
enthusiasts, after all"
That's as you please to look at 1t.
So far MS natural resources go, the place
is solid. There is amy quantity of build
ing material, marble, sand and lime
stone, fire clay, timber, coal and iron
If city may be built upon the mere
presence of raw material, Allacoochee
is fact accomplished"
THAT implies doubt; may ask the
reason"
Certainly, though I'm not at all sure
I can make it plain. All the advantages
have named and dozen more are here,
to be sure, but they've always been here,
and II remained for our friends the pro
moters to find out that they would war
rant all this" including the visible part
of Allacoochee by comprehensive GEES
ture. More than that, the same adj
vantages may be found in plenty of To-
calities in the south, some of them
much more accessible than this valley
And then have an old-fashioned idea
that cities can't be created arbitrarily
They smoked in silence for little
while, and then Thorndyke took card
, from his case und handed it to his com
panion.
"Let me introduce myself" he said
az just got in last night, and you may
be able to tell me what want to know
~ am entirely at your service, Mr.
. Thorndyke."
The reply was prompt and courteous
and Philip read Robert Protheroe, c
L." on the card which was handed him
MY physician has sent me here" 1T
! explained, land he tells me must liv'
out of doors. How shall ] 80 about it?'
"How do you want to go about it"'
. Philip laughed. "I'll have to confes
= that my plans are triflc indefinite.
: had an idea that perhaps | might g
2 into the woods with the lumbcrmen o
a the turpentine gathcrers.'
r YOU'RE still too far north for that
e there IRE no lumber camps or turpentin
: forests in this part of the state, and
: there were, hardly think the life woul'
t be what you want. Your trouble
$ pulmonary
S "Yes; pulmonary"
!, Prothcroe reflected for q moment
I This country is said to be favorabl
n for consumptives--on better authorit
c than that of our friends of the pro:
y pectus, l mean--and if you ask my &C
! lpT,l..,A ipnniI