The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-06-23
along it's deserted length there came =
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along it's deserted length there came .
whistle from the shore.
Darkness, had descended abruptly
and piled its blackness over the Is
lands and the sess-of the tropics. The
palm trees and shrubbery out to the
west were silhouetted against the last
faint light Of day. and from the
swamps Of the island came the
cries Of night fowl. the whir and
chirruping noise of insect life.
and the monotonous croaking Of
frogs. Swinging here and there In
erratic circles. like fairies OF the jun
gle carrying lighted lanterns. went the
firefiies on aimless journeyings, not q
few but many thousands OF them, as
II in wild dance OF curiosity. looking
through the night to learn what man.
ner of things these we're that had
come upon them so suddenly. ripped
away their forests and built strange
mansions in their solitudes.
1t was not this, however, that
chained her attention. High up over
this mushroom city where all had been
silent and darkening when she went
below. now cleaned myriad lights
strung as by genii OF the lamp while
others rested from their toll. White,
fiaring streaks OF brlll,ance thrust
5pearlike rays into the gloom, illumin-
ating below them the creation OF Q
day From the distance came the
steady hum of steam driven dynamos.
telling with monotonous insistence
that there would be no cessation until
the last spike was driven. the last ma
chine set and the last betting hung.
come black figures answering the call
Of the sireny On a sudden, a S II by
preconcerted' signal the echoes again
awoke to the clang OF hammers on
steel and the hum OF voices In COM
mand. Like weird pygmies doomed to
fort. she saw them resume their iun-
completed task exerting themselves
increasingly for its accomplishment.
A launch which had come alongside
On some errand was sputtering spas
medically at the foot of the ladder
below as II impatient to be off. She
boarded IL, and In a few minutes a
smart young naval officer stepped into
the stern, gave a curt order. and they
raced away toward the shore.
"Ah. good evening, Miss Roberts,"
he said. suddenly spying her. "Lool;-
ing for your father. who went ashore
awhile ago, | presume? I'm going
rignt in his direction, and will be glad
to guide you" He seemed too busy
for further conversation. and almost
before the boat had come to stop
sprang to the single aud offered his
hand.
Through steadily working groups OF
men, past unfinished buildings. and
over lighted floors where machinists
wrought with levers and wrenches.
they went to the far side OF the camp.
Here were officers with coats cast
on and sleeves rolled up, and labor
ers In overalls intent on setting a
huge blast furnace; and In the very
heart Of this activity, besmirched with
dirt, his hat discarded and his shirt
thrown open. she found her father.
Not even he with all his weight Of
years could resist this terrific call OF
energy. She stood and watched for =
few minutes while he, the master
spirit Of the group. directed the work.
1t seemed to have passed It's critical
point, and after some final instruc-
lions to the engineer In charge he
Strengthened up and looked round.
Hello. here's the assistant" he said.