The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-06
DOLDn LDren's urinkle.
By 4lUdh Milton Kerr.
Copyright, 1905 by Lee d Shepard.
IN TWO PARTS.

A white rain noontide sunshine poured
ing Peevey Valley. Peevey curving
thru the broad hollow seemed at the shadows
to curl and burn in the glare like silver shavngs
here and there stood knee-deep in the stream
clankng their bells they brushed at the humming
insects The farmhouses set, for the most part
trees at the base of the ridge along
lifeless in the MONDAY browse; the town, common
size and of aspect, whispered sleepily along
the west side of the valley and up the slope
the dark shingles the barn-lke railway station
the river, seemed to lift little in the heat
they, too would curl but for the clutch of the nails
that held them down; pitch oozed from the knots in
the pine boards of the station platform; and odor
half savory, half acrid, from the
yard station
At time o'clock, young man came
outzand onto the platform He carried behind
and lead pencil behind the other. His eyes
were clear, direct and honest, his mouth firm but
kindly; his shirt open little at the collar
braces thrown from his shoulders hung his hips.
This Trueman Peters, the operator
at Peevey. had working on his month
y ticket report and deadly warm.
Arching hand over his he looked northward
where the valley bent around base Wren Noun
tain. The "mountain' simply enormous bluff,
mighty weller of earth waves known as the
Ozarks. Thru these the track southwestern
twisted and rose and fell boring way the zinc
mines and the great plains SPREADING bevond North
ward from Peevey, the rails left the valley grad
ually lifted in a long grade around the side of the
mountain climbing to get over Harner Ridge, farther
north. The track along the side of Wren Mountain
followed "a natural groove, kind of fat Of
earth, aptly Wrinkle, and the gisten of
the rails could be seen they lifted in
half way around the mountain.
There they come said the young the
boiler jacket of engine laundering down the wrinkle
"a little late to-day he added then dropped
and went inside the station. minutes later as
the freight he had been expecting rumbled along
s by the platform and stopped, he out with some
freight manfess in his hand ready deliver them to
conductor and aid in unloading loading Peevey
goods. But conductor, middle rear brakeman
appeared The train looked to be in apparent good
order but it not. queer thing happened
that it became story among the Southwestern men
The train consisted of long heavy string Of
- loads with empty plain-fat' the middle
s the crest Wren Mountain grade the sudden pull
lifted the fiat car which low coupled with
curved drop links, completely from the track The
middle brakeman had witnessed this and, with hair
end, and momentarily expecting the train to be
ditched, had fled back to the shouted the
The conductor the and the middle brake
man, and three travelling statesmen, then rashly
jumped off the caboose in order to their lives
they thought. The train however, had into
Peevey with the fiat off the rails About every
fifty feet-later investigation showed-the wheels
the fiat struck the ties smashing them in pieces
ward pressing train caught it and held
little space again. The head brakeman
in the cab of the engine, and the engineer
fireman had nothing of this. But person
very of it-a young fellow who bouncing
i about the deraed flat all the way down the
grade.
- AS Truenan turned about looking Wonderingly
the conductor he surprised to see a dusty di-
sheveled figure roll off the fiat hastily assume
upright position the platform. When the figure
Strengthened Trueman's wdened with amaze
ment, for the figure six feet four inches tall
had shoulders like Hercules, with big enor-
nous brown hands, while from short neck set
shoulders, the simple, sunburned
country boy looked down and grinned.
We'll, that thar tn ride tuck"
1~oxI al 1oofiy fho frNr hnyaa ra1~