The Yale expositor., 1908-10-09

given had delayed the precious
freight. had lost Ogden for his COM
pany. and 30 miles of road.
Idle men make no muscle. Gregory
knew it, and chafed still more, as he
fretted about the camp, keeping away
from his guests and his anxious-eyed
wife. And now the welcome whistle
once again. Preparations so carefully
made were reinspected. The camp
awoke. Idle men stretched themselves;
lazy ones regretfully, honest ones glad
ly. Buttons, straps, buckles, shoes. hats,
tobacco-all were made ready, for every
one knew that tomorrow would spare
no moment for broken gear, for long
ing tongues.
To the very tip-end of the last rail
the construction train had been
pushed the iron train close behind it,
and iron dropped in piles beside the
track, when both trains had backed to
the rear The little, low car that moved
the iron was loaded; every foreman
charged his gang, looked after his
tools; every man set his teeth for to-
morrow's work.
Long before daylight the camp was
aroused. The cooks calls followed
| quickly, and breakfast was taken a.
gulp. With the first dawn-glow that
could show hammer head where to
find spike, the ringing racket began.
Men on the trot pushed the little iron
car-little, yet how heavy!-back and
forth over the newly laid rails, drop
ping fresh supply at the track end,
each time the previous load had been
spiked a few rods to the eastward
Another footing of whistles, and the
trains moved up. The rails rang loud
upon one another as they fell to the
ground, half a mile ahead of the morn
ing camp. The foremen urged, en-
couraged, inspected, hurried. Faster
and faster the rails dropped into
place! Blow upon blow, spikes and
bolts were driven home. And so on
through the hot, late April day. Every
boss was alert. Every man did his
best; perhaps was sworn at for not
doing better. Only Bennett, calm, I'M
| hurrying, held his men to their task
with neither curses nor buster; and
BENEFITS gang had the brunt of the
fray.
Mrs. Gregory and her guests
watched unwearyingly the great work
drama unfold; the miles, rail by rail,
banded together in the glorious iron
way. At what cost was it done! Yet
| how great was the result!
rs it always SOP" Esther asked,
looking up at Alfred. Must the road
to great achievements be always by
way of the sweat of the face, the
hearts blood?"
His look was tender, comprehending.
Are they not worth the COST"
Yes, yes l must believe they are. "
Yet she turned away. her eyes blurred
with tears. She was thinking of Gid
con alone under his posies.
Dinner was farce for time, II not
for quantity. And all the afternoon
men with pals and dippers marched
up and down the sweating line, serv-
ing TO the thirsty incredible quanti-
ties of warm, brackish water that was
nectar to the sweating men.
A short pause for supper, and at 1t
again. Night came on, and a moon.
Eastward they could see the camp.
fires of their oncoming rivals. They
answered with their own huge bon
fires, built TO reinforce Luna's pale
ray.
On and on, hour after hour; there
was no talking, not even the desultory
intersections of the day, or the raucous
orders of the foremen. Muscles moved
automatically. Hammers struck as
rhythmically, but more slowly. Each
man bent to his task with grim endur-
ance, too weary to protest. Some sank
down and we're allowed to crawl away.
All day Gregory. pale and tense, had
ragged up and down the line, directing,
crying orders far and near. calling for
the impossible. often getting the I'M
expected. He hurried men, scored in
dividuals. mathematical tools, earth,
iron, heat. He was impatient, fiercely
eager; yet. with 1t all, not far from
every honest heart there; for he was
fighting for the company-and sue.
cess. Bearer to him II was than any
enterprise of his own ever would be.
The men knew this, and honored him,
bore with him. respected him. for the
achievement, which many declared no
other man could have made.
In the dead of night. when the air
was chill upon wet, weary backs
when men were dropping from fatigue,
and others, more logged, we're work
ing on, praying silently for relief-at
last, down the line came Gregory's
jubilant cry.
"Rozel!"