The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-10-11


works put the railroad through. We
find salvation on the bedrock"
But Archer had no love for theology
then or at any time, and he growled.
"Here we are, sir" said the senten-
tious man at the lever.
They pulled up at bit Of Il wayside
shanty that is now 4 dandy station,
| and Archer lit off the locomotive into
puddle.
He found gang Of melancholy max
ers of railroads awaiting his coming.
They looked very much ashamed Of
themselves.
$50 you've let her through, have
you?" cried Archer reproachfully.
And Scott, the chief Of them, nod
ded. The others nodded, too, like ar
tomato Chinese mandarins.
"We've let her through. sir" said
Scott; that's fact"
Archer nipped him by the arm just
above the elbow.
"Come in and let's have q look" said
Archer. And he went out Of the shell
ter into the rain.
Behind them tailed the gang Of sub
dued subordinates. A dozen Of the
men came out of their tents and fol-
lowed.
"Think bully Archer can cure her?'
asked one.
"He's rustler.''
"Rustles u.s.
"And himself, sonny. But this yer
swamp! DR.. Archer can cure swamps
and give new life and tone to the
whole railroad system Of the c. P. r.
Do not delay till it is too late. Men
ton this advertisement"
The tail Of Archer's group laughed at
the Joker. But Archer overheard, for
he had ears.
"You heard that" be said to Scott.
young Wade is saying I'm the swamp
doctor. If so, it's my first case"
They came down to the creek or lit
tie river which bounded the swamp.
The bridge was wrecked, and the rails
gradually disappeared into bubbling
slime on the far side Of the water. And
right across the swamp which now
glimmered in pools lay broad band
of this same black slime, marking
where the road to the Rockies and be-
yond had once been.
"Oh, British Columbia:" said Archer
to himself; 'oh, British Columbia, must
you waltz"
He spoke out.
$50 the gravel train went through
"Yes,' said Scott, with the curt
American affirmative, ''it did So"
'Then she's deep?''
.She is so" said Scott, pulling his
mustache.
We'll report this when we've cured
it." said Archer. ooh, hang this rain!
How shall we cure it?'
Scott put the end Of his mustache
into his mouth and chewed it.
"Mr. Archer, it's my opinion that it
was a mistake to take this line. 1t
would have paid us to so Up yonder."
Extra miles cost dollars. Mr.. Scott y
snapped Archer, "and never mind
about the ought. What's to be done
now? For I just mean having it done,
and that settles it."
He sat down on baulk Of pine lying
on the ground and motioned Scott to
sit beside him. The others retreated.
"He says HE just means having it
done,'" said Charley Wade. "He's a
tough, isn't he? I'll bet drinks be does
| it too"
And he and his crowd argued all the
way back to camp.
"a swamp can be drained" said
Archer.
"This one drains ITSELF" replied Scott.
.We're sitting beside the drain now"
"Then we want another"
81 don't see how it's to be done, SIR
.T just mean having it done! cried
Archer. "But for raising difficulties
give me your expert. This man who
knows too much knows too little"
aAnd the man who knows too little
often knows too much, sir" said Scott
sharply.
"Oh, pshaww cried Archer. 'I'll cure
this swamp or bust It's late now and
getting dark, and I'm wet to the skin
But tomorrow I'll so through this
swamp and fix it. 1 tell you I mean
having it done. Think it out, Scott
I'll give months pay to any man
who makes q feasible suggestion
whether it works or not"
He went back to the camp and staid
| by himself, sweating over the swamp
problem, while the crew Of engineers
and the men argued till the night fell
on the lake and the vast fertile north
ern prairie. And it rained nightly till
dawn, when the sky cleared in the east
and the sun came up from Ontario to
see how the work got on.
It found little Archer sitting over his
swamp. thinking it out, anil went on to
| inspect the Rocky AIountain division
where 10000 human ants strove among
the great hills. And when the SUI
came round again it still saw the mai
who meant having it done sitting over
his swamp, thinking it out.
He called all the engineers up one
after the other and found them fixed
in cursing the surveyors for having
struck this swamp in fine, dry weather
But none Of them had any notion OF
clearing up the difficulty without de
lay.
| 80