The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-02-12

situation on a slight knoll at the fec
of Johns mountain had been chose
with view to the prospect. Standir.
on the steps of the veranda, Philip saf
a background of wooded-slopes risil
in green bravery to the line of ruga<
cliffs at the summit of Jubal mou1-
tain; a middle distance Of valley where
the course of the Chiwassee river was
defined by bed of teecy mist ruffied
into semi-transparency by the warmth
Of the morning sun; to the left, Ee-
vond the-ffarrower strip of mist mark
ing the windings of the Little Chiwas-
See, the bold forehead of Bull noun
tain overlapping the town. These were
the frame for the picture viii. 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 space
dotted with the stakes of the surveyo3
and heaped with piles of brick and lun
Der; uncounted numbers of half-fil
ished buildings upon which the worl
men clustered like swarming bees; the
muff1ed drumming Of hosting engines;
the strident exhausts of the lOcOmo-
tives in the railway yard; the clang OF
hammers in a boiler shop-everywhere
the sights and sounds of restless in
dustry and impatient progress.
Under such circumstances the gre
garious impulse asserts itself irresisti-
bly,. Thorndyke looked about him for
a possible sympathizer, and, by proc
ess of natural selection which is as I'M
accountable as it is inerrant, he pitched
upon young man sitting apart from
tile various groups on the veranda
Drawing up chair, he began to I'M
burden himself.
cit 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. *
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 hundred other
things besides"
''Are the coal and iron realities?"
ooh, yes, very much so; this noun
tain behind the hotel is 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 it..
So far as natural resources 60, the place
is solid. There is any 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 a 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 it remained for our friends the pro-
meters to find out that they would war
rant all this" including the visible part
Of Allacoochee by comprehensive ges-
tUre. "MOre than that, the same adj
antages may be found in plenty of 10
2litics in the south, some of them
i.Uch more accessible than this valley.
And then l have an old-fashiohed idea
that cities cant lie created arbitrarily"
They smoked in silence for little
while, and then Thorndyke took card
from his case and handed it to his com
panion.
''Let me introduce myself" he said
81 just got in last night, and you may
lie able to tell me what want to know"
Il am entirely at your service, Mr..
Thorndyke."
The reply was prompt and courteous,
and Philip read Robert Protheroe, C.
e. on the card which was handed him.
'My physician has sent me here" he
explained, "and he tells me 1 must live
out of doors. How shall go about it %
'How do you want to go about it?''
Philip laughed. "I'll have to confess
that my plans are a trifle indefinite.
had an idea that perhaps I might go
into the woods with the lumbermen or
the turpentine gatherers.'
you're still too far north for that:
there are no lumber camps or turpentine
forests in this part of the state, and if
there were, I hardly think the life would
be what you want. Your trouble is
pulmonary?"
eyes; pulmonary"
PrOtheroe reflected for a. moment.
This country is said to be favorable
or consumptives-on better authority
IAN that of our friends of the pros
ectus, l mean--and if you ask my adj
ice" He paused and looked inquir-
-ngly at Philip.
eyes; please go on"
81 should say that you might find out
what it will do for you by getting board
1t some farmhouse in the valley. You
could put in your time tramping about,
and the scenery would give you an OBJ
ject. There is only one difficulty"
"What is that?"
"Farmhouses where you can get any
thing to eat besides bacon and corn
pone are not plentiful in this part of the
country"
Having his recent experience with the
railway eating houses before him
Philip shuddered. I'm willing
rough it" he SAID, 'sbut I'm not anxiov
to add dyspepsia to my other ailments
Don't you suppose could find plac,
where the bill of fare wouldn't be quite
SO limitel?''