The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-09-25

~ 'he bay and mingled with the odor OF the new
saNn fir it struck him with a sharp glow Of pleasure
That life had never before so much of interest for
hi'n He looked over the town which he had done so
much TO make and it seemed to him that his work was
good The distinguishing features of the town were
It's raWness and rustic. Jim il had the germ OF
perfection It's very newness and crudeness were
proof Of its vitality and quick life Il was typical
Of the wes-pushng, self-assertive public-spirited
Fortunes were to be made and lost in a month Al
ready it almost cosmopolitan in it's citizens and
u was just six months
Surely Messiter liked the town no less because It
hked MIN. He had deserved we'll of the town, had
pushed it insiste ty out of season. and
had stood by ii nanfully rival city across
the bay had been backed by certain coast railroad
company and had almost beaten wjllapa Bend out
of existence. He had been the Spokesman Of the dele
CATION which had waited the president ana board
of directors of the great Transcontipental railroad
10 show them why Willapa Bend should be the ter
minus Of their line, and he had done his work so well
that he had shaken the presidents already formed
verdict in Of Inverness. When the committee
fled into the Wiapa Bend had not one chance
in thousand but before they left Messiter knew
that the matter would be decided without more
thorough investigation.
The still in the midst of its first 'boom
but every man. and child there took pride in
it, and believed Loyalty that the town was to be a
big city in the future. Men were pushing to
and fro quietly buying and selling a businesslike
Not who busy; one who
did not believe he the high road to fortune:
everywhere rustic, life and. hope: in
the making. At least that was how Messiter il
he turned into the offices of the company and his
opinion went for a good deal among people who knew
him.
He was a well ,set up young fellow and worth a
second look, not because he pretty handsome
for he was neither His mouth was too large and
his features were altogether irregular thing
that impressed a stranger his clean blooded vi
tality He showed alertness and vgor in every
of his healthy, athletic body There was some
thing the lines his mouth the expression
NJ hTYr1O that's
ton and fertility of resource. /
On his desk a dozen letters from people in
the east who wanted to know all about Willapa Bend
But Jim Messiter tossed these aside and settled himself
expeetany to read letter in square envelope bear
ing the monogram ''E. D." the seal. One para
graph he read over several times. Like its writer,
direct and frank
IF I to put the brutaIly you viii pardon
me, and will remember that you have insisted my
speaking frankly. 1 do not how the situation has
changed since 1 answered you before 1 cannot help
feeling that you deliberately away from your
sponsibtes and duties when you buried yourself in
the west. You had honorable career awaiting you
here. and you threw it up to go wandering. 1 do
any to modify my previous Judgment in re-
gard your present Leaving entirely the
morality Of it, specializing in boom towns cannot be
regarded as a serious business In life, worthy of a
who has the opportunities that you have had and
still have SO far / Judge, your philosophy of
life seems TO be about the that it used to be
when you at college and then you regarded it
huge joke.
Relieve me- do not intend to hurt you needlessly
YOU convince that you are honestly and Sc
rously graphing with the work of life, my resolution
must remain unchanged If you show me I
mistaken. none of friends Will be quick to
joice with you as ]. Sincerely,
EDITH DELAFIELD."
Messiter strolled to the door, anxious. harassed
look on his square-jawed bOysh face Again his eye
wandered over the place and again it seemed to him
that he doing something worth while He
in the thick Of Hfe-n the heart Of big thing he
admitted himself mpartialIy, with Of salts
faction. He had got to Edith in that way
even il he ha0 go New York to do
He sat down at his desk and wrote immediate
answer. First he told her of what he doing and
of the busy life around him. In conclusion he wrote:
Il certainly not booming this town for the
money there is be made in fleeing innocent buy
ers. You know better than that. To open up a
new and rich country more servceabe work in
my opinion. The country out here is rough and
it contains wonderful possibilities, and do not
think that the pioneers who giving themselves to
development be said to be skulkers in fes bat
tie believe in this country and this town. intend
rs stay here, and not trying to induce working
people to invest their money in what know TO be
cheat and lie.
Il cannot hope to make you feel about this as
who thick OF it do; but if you could the
progress have made the tide fats that have been
reclaimed that have been cleared and the
homes that being built feel sure that would
not think it useless and futile.
II have been asked stand for the state senate.
For the next week shall be straning every nerve
to get terminus of the Transcontinental for
town. Whatever else I doing, L not trifng.
1T is the work ! best fitted for. Yet If l do
get one little girl in New York believe in and
You have got to believe in and the town for
we are both tremendously earnest. cannot leave
my work now. but may I not come later say next
month? May not, dear JAMES MESSITER"
He was just finishing the address when two visitors
dropped into the Office. One Of them the
= who wanted be governor. He introduced his
panon as Mr. Roberts, looking for site for some
mills. Thought he ought TO your town. Mr.. Mes
sitter"
TITS the only town he needs to see. lumberman
has better chance here than in any other place in
the state and that in the world" retorted Mes
sitter promptly and a matter of course
Presently, they bowled over the planked roads
in surrey Messiter found himself Keeling out by the
yard facts figures and prophecies to the town and
surrounding country. The politician occasionally
helped him out with remark for he wanted Messiters
help at the coming convention but the mill owner
smoked his cigar stoldly, except for occasionally
sharp pertinent question
tell you sir, this town is bound 10 grow; nothing
can keep it back. The proposition is just this have
practically only good harbor between Frisco and
Puget Sound No, sir. Portland isn't in it as sea-
port town. Then tap one of the richest lumber
districts in the world-and practically untouched The
lumber is easy OF access and can be ioated down the
river. You it right the waters edge, load il
from you own wharves and send il all over the world.
The supply of lumber is practically unlimited. too. L