The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-03-27
ILLUSTRATED
~ IS
zEMzZ

Sic Cdil iHS hSHtcu iduttIuS, went the
firefiies ON aimless journeyings, not a
few but many thousands of them, as
If in wild dance of curiosity, looking
through the night to learn what man.
ner of things these were 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 a genii of the lamp while
others rested from their toll. White,
f1aring streaks of brilliance thrust
spearlike rays into the gloom, illumin-
ating below them the creation of a
day. From the distance came the
steady hum of steam driven dynamos,
telling with mOn0tonous insistence
that there would be no cessation until
the last spike was driven, the last ma
chine set and the last betting hung.
Into this spot of the night began to
come black figures answering the call
of the siren. On a sudden, as il 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
twist their thews in never-ending ef-
fort, she saw them resume their I'M
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 if impatient to be off. She
boarded it, and in a few minutes a
smart young naval officer stepped into
the stern. gave curt order, and they
raced away toward the shore.
"Ah. good evening. Miss Roberts"
he said, suddenly spying her. Look
ing for your father, who went ashore
awhile ago, | presume? I'm going
right in his direction, and will be glad
TO guide YOU" He seemed too busy
Tor further conversation, and almost
before the boat had come to a stop
sprang to the single and offered his
hand.
Through steadily working groups of
men, past unfinished buildings, and
over lighted floors where machinists
wrought with levers and wrencbes,
they went to the far side of the camp.
Here were officers with coats cast
off 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 a
few minutes while he, the master
spirit of the group, directed the work.
1t seemed to have passed its critical
point, and after some final instruc-
lions to the engineer in charge he
up and looked round.
Hello, here's the assistant" he said.
walking toward her and looking fondly
into her eyes. She besought him to
rest, and her appeals were seconded
by those of the officers who feared
for the physical strength of this man
on whom so much depended, and who
would have guarded him as a precious
jewel of untold worth. He protested
at first, and then, like one waking from
a dream and suddenly conscious of a
great WEAKNESS. made no objection
when the rear admiral, who now
looked like a workman, put his hat
upon his head and rendered him his
coat. He permitted them to throw it
over his shoulders. and finally, with a
look of infinite satisfaction at the
growing structure before him, took
his daughters arm and tramped away.
He was an old man again, yielding
the tribute of age to the toll of youth.
They boarded the boat and sought
their cabins; but even as they retired
there came to them through the open
portfolios, like lullaby, the sounds
Of unremitting labor intermingled with
the lap of waves on the coral beach.
The first creative step toward a ma
tional victory and supremacy had been
taken in a day. even while the war
cloud across western seas was gath
ering strength for its overcast: and,
wondering, and expectant. the
world was unaware.
tTo BE CONTrNUED.)