Mower County transcript., 1908-05-20


resign! Blast all this toggery, any
how. Spike-tail coats, dinner in the
middle Of the night Don't marry
Vincent, or you'll be tied for life to
just such petticoat tyranny
1--WE been accustomed to it in my
youth, sir, all except dinner at night;
that's new to me-"
Its the proper time to dine-at the
| close of the day-the only time; when
| there's leisure for guests, enjoyment
and digestion. AS for 'petticoat' tyran.
! n.y. Mrs. Harmon smiled indulgently,
what would the judges social position
| be with no wife to manage him? Why,
| he'd go with one pump and boot to
| ball! In dressing gown, too, per-
haps, if some sane person didn't look
after him.
The judge flung her a merry re.
| joinder and turned kind eyes to Al
fred Mother, the boys grown!'
;; Why the judge called his wife moth
err was a mystery to their friends.
The more observant noticed that he
used the name only when moved;
seers read in it undying regret for the
son that came but never breathed.
Yes, it's true, judge" Alfred ac-
knowledged I'm spite Of hardship and
roughing it I've laid on flesh"
The bell rang.
"tThere are Tie rest of the diners!
Come on, Vincent, into the den with
me. Therell be time for a good talk
before the madam's train and Toy are
ready fer dining-room conjunction. |
want to hear by eyewitness from the
Front"
The two went into a large rear room
overlooking the Bay, the Golden Gate,
Saucelito struggling down the Marin
county hills to the shore, Tamalpais
and all the rest of the blue and golden
brown panorama unrOlled before them
in eternal beauty.
Alfred declined cigars, but the judge
smoked serenely, quite Indifferent to
the nearing dinner hour.
"Tell me, how's the iron horse race
coming on out there in the sage-brush?
Crocker and Gregory getting in on the
last heat?"
"Yes, sir; they're making fair time
Alfred replied. "They expected to be
at Salt Lake City in the spring, but
they've had to change the route, you
know, to the north end of the lake.
Yes; on account of the great
swamps, they said. Was that neces-
sary? 1t cuts out a pile of good ter
ritory."
'They decided it was necessary. The
detour would carry the road far out of
line, and take too long. Our company
has already Tapped the Union Pacific
grade; still, it is uphill work; they
can't build as fast as they ought"
= "The refusal of the government to
accept that 100 miles of Union Pacific
road will delay them; I'm glad of
that"
But it hasn't. Those people are
rushing right along, regardless of
Uncle Sans disapproval."
'Our folks surprised those U. P.
chaps some, I expect, when we caught
up with their west section of grade.
What possessed the Union Pacific peo-
pie to begin grading as far west as
Humboldt Wells? They're poor cal
culators." =
"Theres secret about that, sir
Did Mr.. Crocker never tell you of MI.
Gregory's understudy?"
''Understudy? What of him."
Last autumn, when our people were
pegging along near Winnemucca,
stranger came to Gregory wishing to
study railroading at it's latest and
best; said he was contemplating an
Oregon enterprise; completely fooled
the old man."
Fooled Gregory!" The judges laugh
shook him as a craft tossed by high
wind. =
yes, sir. The fellow was U. P.
spy. He went back by way of San
Francisco and the Isthmus, and told
his people we couldn't get to Salt
Lake before II. You should have
heard Gregorys remarks. Good for
indigestion
But how came the spy to be so out
of reckoning?" asked the judge, grin
ming appreciatively. )
Based his calculations on the Pal
isade tuunel. That would have taken
good year.
!. "And our folks changed their minds
and walked around it. Bully! What
does Gregory say now?"
"oh, that's history to him. He's
busy driving his. white men and
Chinese like modern Pharaoh
'By hockey! 1t was lucky for us, that
brag Durrant made.'
"Durrant?' Alfred questioned alb.
sently. His mind was wandering with
Stella in the past, her memory vividly
aroused by Mrs. Harmon's description
of her protegee.
yes. Didn't you hear of it? Vice
President Durrant of the Union Pacific
telegraphed Stanford this: II we lay
any track on your grading we'll pay
you for your grading. If you lay any
on ours we won't charge you cent
I'm y<as01 ro% AZ