Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-01-04
An AWFUL EXPERIENCE,

aNSSsAshys ~ tbDlS ctt>CtbiittN III =.
shady nook. from which | could watch
the stream of gaily-appointcd equipagcs
constantly passing.
The TN shone brightly, II soft,
lansuoroIs breeze sighed through the
trees. and altogether it was II picture of
such purity. peace, and joy that even II
misanthrope would have iclt glad to
have looked upon ii.
was thinking thus when n man to
whose Outstretchcd hands two little
chiidren--a boy and Il girl were cling
ing passed me. and finding am ,lnoc-
rl,Fied shelter uudcr the trees. threw
himself at full length upon the ground,
aud encouraged the little ones TO gam
Dol on the soft grass.
As he reclincd there his face was
turned toward me. and I was so struck by
lis singularity that the peaceful scene
around me was forgotten. and even the
noise was unheard.
he was. Judging from his bright eyes
aud fresh pink -and-whitc complexion.
about t~hirty-twO or thirty-thrcc year
OF age. A heavy mustachc covered his
lip, and his hair-he had thrown off his
hat-was thick and wayy.
II aud the mustache were snow
white. and it was speculation rs to the
cause Of this phenomena tina! so dis
tractcd my attention from the scene
Around ,ne.
4 could not take my eyes away from
him. and l vas so absorbed that did
not hear the approach of my friend
Bart>a who had spicd me out, and
come over to have Il smoke and a chat.
Barton, ise newspaper writer, and
knows everybody. consequently ] was
not surprised wien he nodded familiar-
ly to the man who had so attracted NV
attention. and called cut TO him i'm his
CHEEKY way
.,Hullo, Derry. Taking a day outp"
The man bowed in rcply. and | seized
Barton by the arm, pulled him down
on the seat beside me. lowered my
voice and propoundcd this Inquiry with
an eagerness which betrayed my intense
curiosity
"That-man-Derry -how lid his
hair become whitep"
Turned in a few minu.cs from
fright" answered Barton coolly. mot
an uncommon thing. Derry. though.
had 4 remarkable experience. If he
wasn't such n modest fellow. I'd write
IL up for II paper. You could do it.
though, for it's right in your line. Dis
gtisc the names and placcs-ch, old
Icllowp Wait till l light my cigar. and
I'LL tesl you all about it,,
And forthwith he did. and | have
written it out as near as | can rcmem
Der it, preserving a strict lncoqniio as to
and places.
1t was during II great railroad
squabb!e in France some wears ago that
Derry met with the adventure
turned his brown hair white.
won him Il bride, and made his fortune
the same time.
Derry was q minor clerk in the main
office of the great Wilson's Company
but sharp. shrewd, attentive to his
duties. and well thought Of by his
superiors
When the Parray Company began to
build a rival road, and attempted to
cross the Seine on property belonging
to the Wilson's people, Derry, was sent
up. with others, to hold the FORT un-
III the matter could be settled by the
courts.
The station near where the Wilson's
road crossed the Seine was romantically
situated. and already an cntelprising
Spectator had erected a large hotel
there II advertised it far and wide as
u pleasant summer resort.
The. employees of both the rival rail-
roads were quartered in this hosiery,
aud You can depend upon it they
watched each other like hawks.
The Wilson's Company's bridge was
only 2 temporary affair of trestie work,
but plans had been prepared for a sub
sfantial cantilever, and il would be put
IN place ~ soon as the trouble about
the right OF way was settled.
1t was necessary to keep a force of
hands constantly emploved. strengthen
Ing and repairing the frail trestle
bridge, and the engineer in charge Of
this work became Lionel Derry's firm
friend.
He was an elderly. scdatc mannamed
Pierre Lamoureux, intensely devoted to
his profession, and a great inventor.
Among the labor-saving machines
that he had devised was an improved
pile-driver, which utilised the water OF
the river as q motor power, and could
be managed by one man.
By shifting . lever, such as is in use
IN locomotives, power could be applied
to the lift, and the ponderous hammer
was arranged to fall automatically.
At the instant it descended it was
seized BY the ''tongs,' and again raised:
and 20 rapid were It's movements that
the work Of two ordinary machines
could be done by it in a day. and then
there was no consumption ofcoal.
Lamoureux explained his invention
to Derry, and taught him how to ma.