The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-08-13
CHAPTER Nv.
George MccIoud.

TEHh1E7T HHL asHrsg
McCloud was an exception to every
tradition that goes to make up a noun
tain railroad man. He was from New
England, with a mild voice and a hand
that roughened very slowly. McCloud
was a classmate of Morris Blood's at
the Boston Tech" and the acquaint-
ance begun there continued after the
two left school, with a scattering fire
OF letters between the mountains and
New England, as few and as far be-
tween as mems letters usually scatter
after an ardent school acquaintance.
There were just two boys in. the Nc
Cloud ~family-John and George. One
had always been intended for the
church, the other for science. Some
how the boys got mixed in their era
dies, and John got into the church. For
George, who ought to have been a
Eclergyman,t nothing was left but a long
engineering course for which, after he
got It,, he appeared to have no use.
However, 1t seemed a little late to.
shift the life alignments. John had
the pulpit and appeared disposed to.
keep it, and George was left. like a
New England farm, to wonder what
had become OF himself.
It is, nevertheless, odd how matters
come about. John McCloud, a pros.
sperous young clergyman, stopped on a
California trip at Medicine Bend to
see brother Georges classmate and.
something Of a real western town. He.
saw nothing sensational-it was there,
but he did not see it-but he found
both hospitality and gentlemen, and,
II surprised, was too well.bred to ad-
NIT it. His one-day stop ran on to
several days. Inleaving, John Nc Cloud,
in a seventh heaven Of enthusiasm
over the high country, asked Morris
Blood why he could not find some
thing for George out there; and Blood,
not even knowing the boy wanted to
come, wrote for him, and asked Bucks
to give him a job. Possibly, being
oyer:solicitous, George was nervous
when he talked to Bucks; possibly
the impression left by his big, strong,
blur brother John made against the
boy; at all events. Bucks. after he
talked witht George; shook his head.
1T could make d a~rst-class railroad
man out Of the preacher, Morris, but
not out Of the brother. Yes, I've
talked with him. Hescan't do anything
but figure elevations. and, by heaven,
we can't feed our own engineers here
now" So George found himself
/! stranded IN the mountains.
Morris Blood was cut IN over II. hut
George McCloud took 1t quietly. I'm
no worse on here than / was back
there, Norris" Blood, at that. plucked
up courage to ask George to take q
job IN the Cold Springs mines, and
George jumped at 1t. It was impos-
sible to get a white man to live at
Cold Springs after he. could save
money enough to get away. so George
was welcomed as assistant superin-
tendent at tho Number Eight mine.
with no salary to speak Of and ali the
work.
One day. coming down special
from Bear Dance, Gordon Smith, who
bore the nickname Whispering Smith.
rode with President Bucks In the
privacy o. his car. The day had been
long. and the alkali lay light On the
desert The business In hand had
been canvassed. and the troubles put
aside for chicken. coffee and cigars,
when Smith. who did not smoke. told
The story Of something he had seen.