Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-06-27

fed But that was so long ago, and
evenif history repeats itself tomorrow,
this is today. There's nothing to do
| but what you like and the whole earth
is one vast holiday.
Just before reaching the Bayfield,
school which occupies commanding
position on breezy hill the road
turns sharply to the right Thence up
hill into long lane. grassy on either
side-the earth rolling away into broad
| fields behind the fences along its bor-
| ders. Occasionally the song of bird
rose clear and sweet from neighbor-
| ing trees. Energetic bees buzzed
back and forth across the road lad
ened with spoils gathered from the
flowers OF the fields. From time to
time saucy butterfly came sailing by.
In twos and threes cows were grazing
along the roadside. steadily laying in a
supply OF material with which to while
| away their leisure hours.
| Busy cities? Oh, yes. but the coun-
try is buster II anything without the
noise and hustle for which the farmer
has become famous. Birds singing
flowers blooming. sun shining. breeze
blowing. trees growing-each doing its
appointed work. fulfilling the end to-
ward which il was created. 1t was a
pleasure to live in such a world. where
everything was lovely. and yet law"
| Zip-p-p' Alas for elevated moods
and exaltation of spirit. This is what
| happened A sportive breeze. a splin-
tered dress guard-a torn skirt. To
go on was impossible; to turn back was
delay-it was two miles to the near
est house. The market value of time
went up Immediately above par and |
was willing to echo the sentiments
| Take it single. or go it double.
Mans days are full of toll and trou
| BILE.
In quieter mood I returned as far
as the nearest house and asked for a
needle and thread. Although the lady
| in question looked somewhat surprised
she kindly gave all the assistance re-
quired. and. sadder hut wiser. | pro
ceed on the way.
| But who would let little thing like
that quench his enthusiasm and spoil
a whole long day? Too smooth a ca
reer would be monotonous. While
monotone in art may be perfectly sat
| isfactory. the less we have of 1t in life
the better,
Stopping at the few houses along the
way. ii was gratifying to receive such
a hearty welcome Certainly the Bay
field people are cordial and hospitable
to the stranger within their gates.
At length in the distance. from a
thick grove of trees. n column of smoke
rose black against the sky. From
time to time the curves of the road hid
it from view Drawing nearer, one
could hear n rumble which changed to
a screechy roar by the time the last
turn was made and the camp was in
sight
Perhaps one of the first impressions
n sawmill camp makes is that of size
One does not as a rule expect them to
occupy so much territory. The mill
which it was the writer spleasure to
visit that day formed a small settle
ment
In the center of a narrow valley stood
the mill with its tall pipe belchine
forth smoke continually. Sheds
buildings of various sorts. and big
piles of lumber were grouped around
IT. In between and dotted about as
far as the sleeper slopes of the foot
hills. were cabins. Everywhere was
the fresh spicy odor of pine, while
yellow sawdust by the ton came near
blocking the entrance to the camp.
Did you ever watch the saving of a
| log" 1t's n very iptaract prnrase
as well as very noisy one. When
you first enter the shed the main thing
you are conscious of is the noise OF
the saw. 1t spins and spins, split.
ting the once proud deni.
zens of the forest into long slabs. As
the bark is cut fine shower of choc.
olate dust flies in all directions. The
saw moans. er-ah-eek. at intervals
while as it strikes particularly tough
proposition 1t Just howls. Near by
is an automatic saw sharpener. Here
the saws are made ready for use.
The strange part of that was a sort
of magic hand that fed the teeth from
one to one to an emry wheel. There
was really something uncanny look
ing in the way the hand operated.
Sparks flew in all directions and a
very decided odor of gunpowder over
came the smell of the pine.
| Under the shed there are all vari-
eties of wheels and belts that make
you dizzy to look at. There are the
edgers and trimmers. where edges are
cut of and boards made even. beside
the planers where the surfaces are
smoothed. Then there is the machine
where laths are made from
waste lumber. Outside the pretty.
smooth planks are stacked in large
blocks. containing from 10000 to 25.-
600 feet In another part of the
same shed is the engine room, con.
tanning the engine, bright as work and
oil can make her. The boilers are
there also. AS may be imagined. the
temperature is a trifie high
Leaving he mill the cessation OF the
noise, or perhaps the lessening the
I - - q.