Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-08-04

e e the engineer III cnafge OF
Us + the surveying of the new
aoE road to the Geysers; Shell
ley. rather too old for such mountain
work. but careful and reliable in his
reckonings; Denis, who was chain
bearer and four or five other men who
had been engaged in Cloverdale. Shell
ley and Denis had worked for many
years with Cady, and respected him as
just though severe man.
Besides those already mentioned
there was Cady's brother, a tall young
fellow, nineteen years old. He was at
home from Yale on his summer vaca-
tion and had chosen to spend it out
with his brother on this surveying
trip.
He worked or not as he felt inclined,
but working or idling he was the life
and pleasure of the party He had
merry brown eyes, blond hair and the
gayest laugh that ever woke the echoes
of mountain or vale. His upper un-
shaved lip bore fringe of silky hair.
rather softening the expression of his
mouth, which had not yet taken it's
final masculine expression.
He was junior at college and car
ried with him that undefinable air of
knowing everything, which always
seems so droll to men whose knowledge
is based on experience rather than
book learning. His name was Charles
Cady, but Shelley called him "The
Lad and the other men had adopted
the name for him.
1t was the Sd of July and had been a
scorching day. The engineers party
was high up on the mountain stalking
out the road. It wound up in a zig
gag, going first easterly on gentle
ascent, then westerly, each turn gain
ing little on the mountain side. They
had been on the present section for
about two weeks, and were nearing
the divide from which the road would
descend into the valley of the geysers
The next day being holiday, Cady
asked the men to work an extra hour
so that they might finish stalking up to
the ridge. They had driven the last
stake. and, throwing down their tools
sat down to rest before going down te
camp.
Their way had been tortuous an6
very difficult, because it had to be cu1
through the dense chaparral. Whe1
they looked down from their resting
place it seemed impossible that they
should have to come so far and yet b.
so near camp. The wonderful clear
ness OF the atmosphere in that countr.
IS world famed. They could see IA
down the mountain the gang of China
men who were employed in the con
struction of the lowest section of th
ioad, slowly vending their way t
,nelr camp, their pickaxes and shovel
hanging on the ends of bamboo pole
Whlch they carried across their shou]
uefs; higher up, in ravine throug
winch mountain stream ran, wa
unelr own camp. They had no TEN
every man preferring TO spread his ow
'iahkets wherever the fancy took him
Well, boys, we've got through
oesh piece of work to-day" Cad
e0lo' standing up and stretching hi
oils over his head. s'I am glad Il
inoffoW is a holiday, and 1 suppose 70
"ie just as much so. Here goes fe
camp ~
ne struck out down the mountain
no' following the trail, but goin
''alsht down, as nearly as possible,
bir u'tect line The rest stumbled att
gu n after the manner of tired men wi
me through their labor. They ha
Sone S some four or five hundred yard
"ngh lt1l Shelley stopped.
b. VINO has brought the theodolite
o"uy stopped at once. No one had
loe- ln!S remembered to have seen
boal hing against some rocks where th'
anu,n Anu peen sitting, but no one else klre
"htyything about it.
carta ie one must go back; that W
an n Cady hesitated, the men we
Soia mats as all rigth; I will get it, Tom
''Iq ~ Charley.
tho 'urned back and began to clin
50 mountain again.
"bo,n nUoo lad, good ladv' said Shelle
days :, make fine man one Of the