The Huttig news., 1908-06-20

| What would I do with a train?" Uncle Billy asked earnestly. q don't know how to hook up heh up, nothin' about the running geah nor heh disposition. If she kicked I wouldn't know whetheh is was fo cause. or fo' deviltry."
 Perhaps not as an engineer; but as a conductor you'd be shining sue cess
 Stella indorsed that opinion enthus- | iastically
 Did the California Stage company start the Overland Express, MT podge?'
 "The western end. yes; and Louis McLane's operating it yet to Salt Lake. From there on it's the Old Man, 8 goose. Been running daily eveh since '59"
 Daily or otherwise" laughed the other
 When it's othehwise, it's the Old Mans end" the driver said with em- i phasis.
 Keep yo feet, you son of Posei- don," he called suddenly as one of the swing team" went down on his knees.
 "Oh, oh! He's bleeding, Uncle l Billy! His knees-his mouth
 Don't look, honey." he said sym 1 pathetically. It cain't be helped. We've got to win if it kills the stock 1 Yet he favored the poor stumbler when possible till they came to the changing station.
 What in" Uncle Billy began an grily as soon as his feet touched the ground; but stopped, and sent quick look toward Stella. 'Is that all the team you've got for me? That stocks plumb done up"
 ''I know it, Mir Dodge" hostler re. piled. "Charleys team went over the grade last night--two killed soon as they struck; and we had to give him your outfit. This is Livermore' stock, just in. Will you wait for water?''
 "Cain't do it. Hook em up. DO | devils And don't take eternity fo' it, eitheh!" the driver answered grimly. and spent the short moment examin. ing each poor animal that would that day be martyred to the race.
 "Yo' posy's brought one piece of luck, Stella" he said as he mounted again. 'Tt's raining oveh there on them Placerville fellehs'
 Stella looked south to the black clouds overhanging high summits, and hoped that Uncle Billy himself could i outdrive the storm that was roaring northward They flashed by a toll 1 d,;yy 1 ing to the gatekeeper.
 Stella drew breath of relief for the horses as they looked into fair Summit valley, green gem set in the midst of barren rock and perpetual snow, it's smooth level the only re- hinder of the lake it had supplanted. l Fresh horses at Tinker's, and on again,
 Ever seen Mir Holidays palace travelling coach?a MT. Montague asked Uncle Billy little later.
 No, sah; but I've heard of it. What does 1t look like?"
 Its luxury on wheels; bullet-p proof, with kitchen, dining room and bed room; all furnished gilt edged and | sporting chefF
 long whistle was the only answer. for they had rounded point and were looking out upon Donner lake, 5000 feet below.
 Today no luxurious passenger speeding fast asleep through 40 miles of snow sheds may know the mag nificence of that vision, the splendor of that morning flight down the zig tagging steeps. A mile and half as the crew flies, and but three miles over the crooked wagon road, to the beautiful blue lake that mirrors alike heaven and tragedy The way was too steep and tortuous for speed; yet the horses kept their steady gallop, the coach pressing hard upon them; and now and again the wheels on one side or the other whirled high in air as they swung around some sharp point or into a clasping gorge.
 Past tremendous reaches of dark forest Over long stretches of rock yet unclothed by nature. Battling across torrent-cut gorges, over earth fills" through narrow cuts. Ever down, down, At last one more plunge and out upon the haunted shore of the cerulean lake the smooth. secret lake, that carries within it's soundless bosom remembered horrors that named it.
 Along its level shores the road stretched in straight or winding spaces, a fine track for racing. The horses leaped forward to dead run, that never slaekenad till, at Coburn's, FN M 0 @