Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-07-01
The Special Correspondent
yes, sir" l replied in his.

ENluently we could understand each
other The ice was broken, and then
question followed on question rather rap
idly between us.
wait Bit" said my American. "Ill
lay ten to one that you are a reporterr
and you would win! Yes. l am a
reporter sent by the Twentieth Century
to do this Journey"
'Going all the way to Pekin? So
am l."
Same trade?" said I, indifferently.
mo. You need not excite yourself.
We don't sell the same stuff, sir"
"Claudius Bombarnac, of Bordeaux, Is
delighted to be on the same road as"
"Fulk Ephrinell, of the firm of Strong,
Bulbul & Co., of New York City, New
York, U. S. A"
We were mutually introduced. 1 a
traveller in news, and he a traveller in
in what? That l had to find out
Have you ever been in the United
States, Mr.. Bombarnac?" he asked.
mo, Monsieur Ephrinell."
You will come to our country some
day. Then you will not forget to explore
the establishment of Strong, Bulbul &
Co. ~
Explore it?"
"You will see one of the most remark
able industrial establishments of the New
Continent Imagine a colossal work
shop, immense buildings for the mount
ing and adjusting of the pieces, steam
engine of fifteen hundred horse power,
ventilators making six hundred revolu-
tons a minute, boilers consuming hun
dred tons of coal a day, a chimney stack
four hundred and fifty feet high, wash
outhouses for the storage of our goods,
which we send to the five parts of the
world, general manager two sub-man-
ayers, four secretaries, eight under sec
retaries, a staff of five hundred clerks and
nine hundred workmen, a whole regiment
of travellers like your servant, working
in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Aus
traliasia, i'll short, a turnover exceeding
annually one hundred million dollars!
And all that Mr.. Bombarnac, for making
millions of-yes, l said millions"
At this moment the train commenced to
slow under the action of it's automatic
brakes, and he stopped. Our conversa-
ton is interrupted. l lower the window
on my side, and open the door, being de-
sirous of stretching my legs.
AS soon as the bell begins to ring l
return to our carriage, and when 1 have
shut the door l notice that my place is
taken. Yesl Facing the American, a
lady has installed herself with that
Anglo-SaXon GOODNESS which is as unlim-
tied as the infinite. My French gal
lantry prevents me from claiming my
corner, and 1 sit down beside this person,
who makes no attempt at apology.
Ephrinell seems to be asleep, and that
stops my knowing what it is that Strong,
Bulbul & Co. of New York manufacture
by the million.
1t was nearly midnight. WEAKNESS in
vited me to sleep, and yet, like a good re-
porter, | must sleep with one eye and one
ear open.
In this way 1 heard the shouts of
Geran, Varvara, Oudjarry, Kiourdamid,
then Karasoul, Navagi. l sat
up, but as L no longer occupied the cor
ner from which 1 had been so cavalierly
evicted, it was impossible for me to look
through the window.
And then l began to ask what is hid
den beneath this mass of wells and wraps
and petticoats which has usurped my
place. Is this lady going to be my COM
panion all the way to the terminus of
the Grand Transasiatic? Shall 1 ex-
change a sympathetic salute with her in
the streets of Pekin?
l must gradually have fallen sound
asleep. Withdrawn from exterior influ-
ences, l did not even hear the stentorian
respiration Of the Yankee
"Baku BakuI"
The word repeated as the train stop
ped, awoke me. 1t was seven o'clock in
the morning.