The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-10-01

The president of the Great South
western Railway Company tapped i'm
patiently on. the table. The ether
members of the board kept n con-
strained silence, and the second vice
president, in charge of extension,
gazed longingly at plebeian sign of
beer" across the street and seven
stories below. 1t was at him the
president was directing his remarks.
1T is ridiculous" he said, that
we should be blocked by the obsti-
macy of one man in our endeavor to
build this branch line. A casual OBJ
server would certainly suppose that
the executive department of the COM
pany had sufficient brains to over
come such an obstacle as this. The
situation is simple enough. Here is
our road and here is the mountains in
which the new strikes have been
made. To develop them, machinery
must be Iauled in and ore hauled
out. That means branch line. One
man owns all the land-mesa and
foothills-between the railroad and
the mines. We must cross his rancH,
but he declines to sell a right of way.
He is pioneer and is bull-headed.
He says the country was getting
along without railroads when he
came here, and that it can get along
without them still. We must over
come his objectiols-but how? We
offer to pay him we'll for all damage
done, and he replies by suggesting
that our grading outfit bring along
one flat-car of collins. He is GER
tainly a contrary individual. Have |
stated the case correctly?"
You have" said the second vice
president, removing his gaze from
the sign below to the map on the
table, with one exception. Colonel
Snortally is not an individual; he is
community, and more; he is a cor
poration, because he owns 10000
acres of land; he is a political party.
! cause he employs more cow-punch-
ers than YOU can ordinary get togeth-
er at country dance; he is a law
giver, because of his wealth and the
taxes he pays; he is law-enforcer
so far as he sees fit, because he can
shoot straight and haG men with him
SOClGlN.
because his daughter, whom 1 have
had the pleasure of meeting, is the
most beautiful young lady in the
territory What can poor, ordinary
railroad company do against such a
combination? We can not condemn
until we can get right of way from
the board of supervisors, and he is
the county government"
The president mopped his brow.
HIS gaze wandered across the street
and down seven stories to sign. He
arose and picl-ed up his silk hat.
All right" &c said. 1--WE must get
across that rlnc,, some way"
A cloud Of dust was coming down
the road. Theophilus Smith careful
~ watched it for n moment and then
turned Bucyrus among the boulders
by the 70 dsidc. Bucyrus was his
mule. Just ahead of the dust-cloud
appeared a franctic horse, tearing
wildly DON the road toward him.
Now an then he could catch glimpses
Of swaying blackboard and young
lady cli.ging to the seat. Theophrus.
who was y careful young man. put
his briarwood pipe i'm the inside
pocket of his jacket, drew his SOM
6rero down tightly upon his head,
ard then disinterestedly watched the
approaching runaway AS the dust
cloud and its contents passed, Blu
cyrus wheeled, and they, too. went
Tying down the road. Through sand
and over boulders they went, horse.
blackboard, mule and dust
Excuse me, miss said Thcoph-
Illus, as he came alongside and
reached for the bit of the running
horse; pleasant day, is it not?"
He gripped the bride hard, pulled
sideways AM backward, and Bucyrus
3heerfully sat down to the occasion
and slid. There was more dust, and
.hen they stopped.
TheOphilus rubbed some of the
dirt from his eyes and raised his
sombrero to the girl I'm the buck
board She looked at him with wide
open blue eyes.
81 am very sorry" he said. polite
iy, to stop you so rudely merely to
ask you a question; but will you
kindly pardon me and inform mo
where Colonel Snortally lives9"
The young lady's lip qmvered.
and, instead Of replying. she burst
into tears. Then, recovering from
her embarrassment and fright. she
drew deep breath and smiled faint
ly, and, as the color came back to
her cheeks. she answered.
II am the colOnel's daughter. and
] will gladly show you the way
home"
TheOphilus spoke "a few words to
the still restless horse, handed the
reins up TO the young lady. and led
Bucyrus to the rear Of the buck
board to which ne tied him
~ suppose, said the coloneIs
daughter. as they started up the
road. that 7 should thaIfk you for
saving my life and my fathers best
blackboard Really. ! thank you very
much If you will stop at the house
for dinner, 7 viii try TO show my
gratitude with some tortillas and
friioles OF my own cooking
"Tho debt Of gratitude is ON my
side. and not yours" Theophnus an.
swered ~ am I'm search of work as
cowboy, and / can not but hope
that your acquaintance is an auspic.
ious omen"