The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-04-13

But It'll have 10 come. I'm Wililn 10
try that knot another week or SO lon
ger. Josie, since you want me to- but
it's time wasted"
The cotton mill was small affair,
built many years before and still who'll
ly dependent upon Its water wheel for
power. Its help was almost as crude
as lis motive force, being drawn main
" from the wild country In back and
learning here inadeQuately upon the
very machines they Were later TO use,
In each department a few experienced
operators had been brought up from
the more concentrated mill section be-
low. and these few were expected TO
show new hands about the work In ad-
dition to running machines. Josie
Brock was one OF these operators In
the weave shop and Melindy Weeks
perhaps the crudest OF all the new
hands. But then Mellndy Weeks had
come from the widest OF the back
country, walking thlrU-hye miles with
her baggage tied in newspaper,
The water supply was small stream
as inefficient as the rest OF the mill out
fit During seven months of the year II
did all that could be asked. aud the mill
ran full time, but through the other
i've. when little rain fell and there was
no snow TO melt. the stream often
shrank to tiny thread, and then the
great water wheel ceased to revoiye
until the stream rose a few Inches,
when it would start again and run for
an hour or so and then stop for the wa
ter once more to rise.
During Melludy's first week the mill
had made full time, for there had been
rains, but the day after her talk with
Josie this temporary supply became ex'
nausted, and the stream commenced to
shrink. When they went out TO dinner,
Josie cast an anxious glance at two
sand bars which were beginning to
show In the middle of the stream,
when the sand bars run together"
she said to Melindy, "the water II be
too low to move the wheel. and then
wen have to stop. And from the way
I the bars look now it'll be by 2 o'clock.
Well likely stay shut down TIL or
I so, then start up and run an hour or
| two In the evening to help make up.
| It's likely to be that way right along
/ now until another rain. Well, I'll bring
| In some crochet work to help I'LL In
time, but / guess my So this week
won't be over 81"
| 81 can't do crochet work an things
Ike that" returned Melindy. so II we
stop | guess I'll go out an look round
some"
So at 2 O'Clock, when, as Josie had
predicted, the machinery began to go
slower and slower and finally stopped
with the necessary shutting of OF the
vanishing power, Melindy took her hat
and went out. But instead Of looking
/ around the village. as she had first
thought, her steps took her naturally
up the stream toward the woods. She
had been away from them a whole
| week. In few minutes she had van
ished among the foliage.
/ An hour later she came hurrying
back, an odd look Of interest in her
face.
where can | find a shoyelT she
asked the yardman.
He jerked his thumb toward a small
building. "In the tool house there, |
guess" be answered. Found some
wild posles ye want to take up, Ell?
Well. wipe the shovel of dry when
we're through an put 1t back jest where
ye find It."
Mellndy nodded and went on to the
tool house, from which she presently
emerged with a long handled spade.
At half past 4 one Of the owners and
the superintendent were walking on
the dam watching the water 1t had
risen about three inches.
Not much show for more than an
hours work, | think" said the super
intendent
Pm afraid so. In the end we shall
have to put in steam power, | suppose
though that will be more expensive
than our little mill warrants"
They walked on to the end OF thu
dam and leaned against the log frame
Of the water gate. Fifteen minutes
passed Then the superintendent ut
tered a wondering exclamation ant
leaned forward, peering down at tn
water.
Great Scott" he exclaimed, "fou
inches Of water since we've beel
standing here. That's seven inche
and plenty enough to keep Us goin
till 8 o'clock. And look yonder up tn
stream! There's regular freshe
coming down. What's 1t mean, any
how? There isn't a cloud In the Sky
80 It isn't a cloudburst But neve
mind, though / know what 1t means.
hastily. 1T means a full days wor
for tomorrow and the next day an
maybe for the next. Excuse me nov
sir. You can stay and watch the ph'
nomenon if you like. must run an
get that mill started"
Twenty minutes later the owner wa
still standing there, beaming, but pc
picked. Then he saw girl comm
8 toward him with a spade over be