The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-08-28

desert, and through it the rail-
= road track was lost to sight in the
distance. Years ago, when silver min
ing was at It's height, all the six alkali
bleached mills near the mountains
made loud music for the people who oc-
cupied the liveliest camp in that sec
ton. But now all was quiet, and to
the few remaining citizens the passing
trains were the only noisy machines. to
boast of thereabouts.
Jack Howard lived there. His father
was a section hand on the railroad. and
the trains, pulled by the swift, putting
engines, seemed to draw him to the
tracks and force him to take an inter-
est In railroad work. Often in the dusk
of the evening he would wander off,
and standing by rock pile watch tho
headlight of a locomotive quickly adj
vance out Of the gloom of the desert,
growing brighter and brighter as it
bore down on the station. Away to
the south on the railroad line was
deep gulch called Hooker GuIch, and
as mining had been done above 1t much
Of the debris and waste ore was
dumped into its depths, until the deep,
steep cut near the track was filled by a
pile Of rock.
Jack often walked by it and wondered
II 1t was solidly braced. Once he no
ticed that some small stones had rolled
on the track; but as that had hap
pened, elsewhere, he only tossed them
to one side. Often when his father re-
turned home after a hard days work
he sat with him on the porch and lis
tened as he explained about railroad
work.
Jack" he said, as the through train
passed by, going East, "see that train7
Why, it's a little world to itself, with
it's own peculiarities, SO to speak. Even
the people have their own railroad
ways Look at the mail clerks, por-
ha 90 ma
man, fireman and the engineer, who, to
my mind is the most important man
there. He understands every part of
his engine and all the track he runs
over Yet how in the power of others
he is, when one mistake on their part
might send him and tra1nload of peo-
pie to their death"
One day as Jack was passing the
gulch he saw several boys rolling large
stones down the steep bank to see them
skip the track. Quickly climbing to
where they were he said: stop that,
fellows If any hit the rails they might
make trouble"
Mind your own business" shouted
one boy; land you think you can or
der us you are mistaken. Don't listen
to him, boys. Go lead and roll all
you please"
each boy trying to see who could roll
the farthest.
Jack stood by, trying to convince
them it was not safe. Seeing they
would not listen he went down and
started back to town. He had not
more than cleared the gulch when,
hearing the boys shout, he looked back.
They had started a large boulder,
which, as it bounded from place to
place on the down trip, started earth
and rock, which gathered in volume
every second, till a huge slide came
surging down over the track, covering
it deeply for several feet. The boys
stood still at the top till it reached the
bottom, and then came stumbling down
in great haste
Just look what we have done. boys"
said one quickly. who would have
thought that boulder could have start
ed all that slide? Pitch in and let's try
to get it off before a train comes
along"
The boys walked some distance and
getting picks and Shovels worked hard
to clear the track. But as fast as they
shoveTed it off more dirt slid down from
the dump, till at length they said 1t
was useless.
1.-The best things for us to do is to
leave things as they are and skip, and,
when we reach the point, say we saw
it as we came by. No one would ever
think we started all that, and if Jack
Howard dares tattle we will pay him
back. I mean just what I say, too.
Don't i, -fellows?"
Yes said the boys Then they
started for the point, leaving Jack
alone. The landslide had occurred on
level ground, and as the engineers ex-
pected clear Roadway there, they gen.
orally made up for lost time on that
level stretch of country. 1t was nearly
night and Jack decided to go to AlkaH
Point and get help. He hurried on,
but before he had gone far ne heard
the echo of train along the rails COM
ing from the opposite direction. He
was very much frightened.
What could he do? That flashed
through his mind as, turning back, he
hurried over the landslide. and-there
was the train! The headlight was
glowing, the cars lighted and sparks
from the srnokestack trailing on behind.
Jack thought quickly. Taking off his
coat he lit one end, waving it over his
head. 1t quickly burst into bright
blaze, which was seen by the engineer,
who brought the train to a standstill
within ten feet of where Jack stood.
well. what's the trouble here?'
asked some of the trainmen as. Ian
terms in hand, they came up. why.
it's a landslidei''
yes" said Jack. at is. I came along
and saw it. so 1 was able to let you
know in time.
AFTER a time the other boys learned
now JdCh .Ado oeFCN AAiestiJ PeAssOheCAS
from death. They We're afraid that
Jack would accuse them. But no. Jack
kept his own counsel. and from that
time he was the most popular boy In
town.
Teacher-Do all kinds of birds have
feathers?
Bonnie Bright-An but the parrot.
ma am.
Yeacher-Not the parrot?
Bonnie Bright-No, ma'am; the par
rot has grass.-Harper's Round Table.
"You speak,, said fond mother,
.about people having strength of mind.
but when It comes to strength, of don't
mind my son William surpasses anybody
ever knew"