Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-10-01

Tor you.
"Oh, are you going out to view the
iron track with us, Miss Anthony?
How perfectly splendid! Get ready,
quick, there's a dear"
The words were astonishing to Stel.
la. Why did this stranger speak as if
they had been friends for years? Stel-
la shot a glance at Alfred, but he gave
no sign of surprise.
In a vague, masculine way he tried
to send Stella an encouraging glance;
but he missed her eye as she stopped
to gather up wrappings and boxes, and
her wistful look from the doorway
was unanswered because Miss Hamil-
ton had impressed Alfred's eyes and
fingers to her service.
Dear me, Mr.. Vincent! One of my
shoe buttons is unfastened. VIII you
lend me your button-hook? oh, per-
haps you'll" She put out her pretty
foot.
Alfred was on his knee, back to
Stella, when she closed the door. All
the way upstairs she thought of the
little scene below. Wide as was the
gulf that separated Sally B. from her
self, she knew the type Miss Hamilton
represented was farther removed.
The coaches arrived and they drove
eastward on the stage road till they
came opposite the selected spot. when
they alighted and climbed to the high
er railroad grade.
Miss Hamilton took the center Of
the stage quite naturally. She wished
to learn, took it for granted that Al
fred would be a willing teacher.
Where in the world did you find
enough men? Nov many have you,
Mr.. Vincent? A million?" She looked
up bewitchingly; and Alfred was not
impervious to the subtle fattery that
| for the moment invested him with the
dignity of the owners and captains
of the road.
He smiled. 1--WE have just M two
hundred-and-iftieth of that million,
Miss Hamilton. We wish we had
more. We're going to have more, if
we have to steal them"
Miss Hamilton admired the con-
idence in his words.
We've more than 1000 horses and
carts; and a $25, 900 order has just
been placed for more stock and TOOLS
Are men so hard to get?"
white men are. Cinnamon less
hard"
why don't you use more China
men, them" she asked, glancing down
from a rock that jutted into the path.
They're afraid of drill and powder
Alfred replied to the question.
They were on the grade now, creep,
ing around the shoulder of Cape Horn,
Hundreds of feet above lowered
straight granite walls. Thousands OF
feet below, sheer and jagged, the
walls met the foot of the opposite
mountain; and in the narrow, crooked
crack at the bottom the American
river seethed and tumbled it's tortu
GUS way to the ocean.
AS they came to a point where the
stupendous scene opened fully before
them, Miss Hamilton's gay chatter
ceased. Men hushed their talk o.
stocks and bonds, purchase and sale
Stella, too, forgot the blood and flame
in her attire, forgot even Alfred an(
his bright companion.
This must be Ossa piled upoI
Pelion," Miss Hamilton said softly
breaking the long silence. She looked
up, and below, trying to measure tht
dizzying depths.
How ever did they get here first
And how did they dare insult that rocl
monarch with POWDER" Miss Ham
ilton's gaze crept up, and up, to thu
sky-robed summit.
with ropes. They let men dowl
from the top, who picked out standing
room; and from that they worked
narrow path around to the grade
Got plenty of engines. Croker?
one of the visitors asked.
six engines and over 100 cars,
Mr.. Crocker replied proudly, and a
many more ordered"
THAT isn't a beginning to enough
You'll be dropping an engine or a ca
over into that gulch every day"
!. Miss Hamilton closed her ayes an
shivered. "Oh, how terrifying"
, "Mr. Crocker forgot to mention on
: powder car" Alfred added.
Powder carr" she repeated. Sure
ly Pluto and Proserpina will arrive tc
!, gether when powder rattles over thi
hot, rocky spot. DO you think it |
, so very far to-to-Tartarus?" She said
/ but you never heard of a powde
: car like ours; it is ir%on-doored and rub
ber-tired," Alfred explained. AN,
we're surely deceiving their majestic
v of hades, since the work at Sunni
, tunnel goes on ceaselessly, eating gu
v right of way six feet a day and night
= through the heart of the Sierras."
"oh, yes! Uncle Charley's yer,
jubilant about that tunnel-indeeC
, about the splendid way all the worI
goes on"
"If we only had iron, iron! That
!, what hinders us. There isn't hal
: enough to be had in the whole cour
t try"