Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-04-16
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N1illy Of the
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Golden Hope :


There's not a miner in camp but
remembers how Milly took her faith.
er's blackboard, with Lightning and
Dynamite at the pole, and covered
the Is miles to Phoenix in two hours
for the purpose Of meeting the new
super and bringing him out to the
Golden Hope mine. BY Jupiter,
can see the girl yet as she shot over
the hill yonder, the bronchos in the
air most of the time and touching
ground only when necessary. The
brim Of Milly's cowboy hat was
blown up against the crown, her red
hair was flying out behind her, and
every now and then she'd give a
shout: SHOW your PAGES, Lightning!
Dynamite, what's the matter with
you? Two hours to make the train
and the grass growing under your
feet" Then swish, larrup, swish!
right and left she would slap the
whip, and for all of half minute
the bronchos never touched ground
at all.
Graham, Milly's father, was an
amalgamator on the night shift in
the mill, and Mr.. Crosby had asked
him to go for the super, but Graham
was suffering from rheumatism that
morning and Milly insisted on taking
the work off her fathers hands. Ora
ham was also to bring out a hundred
pounds of giant powder, box Of
caps and carboy of sulphuric acid
but Milly was told to let this truck
alone and confine herself to the trans
portation Of, the new super.
"All right" she had said, but the
first thing she did when she reached
town was to load up with the blast
ing and cyaniding material. The
train was three hours late, so she
had plenty of time to do that and tt
give the bronks rest-which they
didn't need. by the way, being as full
Of pluck when they got into Phoenix
as they were when they left the
camp
Milly didn't know Larry from Ad
am, and when the train came in she
had to use her woman's wit and &C
cost the most likely looking of tht
arriving passengers. She picked out
a slender man with smooth white
face and a pair of "nose-grabber'
glasses-the very last man would
have selected If ] had been in hel
place.
"Mr. McKay?" she asked, with one
OF those pretty smiles which uset
to make even my heart fiutter, ole
as it is.
Larry was startled for minute
then he acknowledged his identity
and Milly explained. Larry after
wards told me that right there wa.
where he began to enjoy the situa
ton.
Milly asked him how many trunks
| he had and he informed her that hi
| wasn't fortunate enough to have any
but that everything he had in the
world was in a little two-by-four grill
which he was carrying.
He tossed the grip into the real
of the blackboard, between the car
boy of acid and the box of powder
and climbed to the seat. Milly tool
the lines and the bronchos started
out of Phoenix just as they hat
started out OF camp. Before they
had crossed the bridge over the towr
ditch man from Mason & Whip
pies overhauled them, his horse JUS
| a-snoking.
Hold up!" he yelled.
Milly drew rein and the man hove
alongside and told her she would
have to be careful of the powder a:
it was the last they had and hat
been on hand so long it had become
crystallized.
Much Obliged" said Milly Will
laugh: ''I'll be careful"
Then, just to try the super's nerve
she let the bronchos out once more
and, while they went bouncing owe
the rough road. watched her compan
ion out of the corners of her eyes
Larry. to all appearances, was en-
joying the ride and taking in tn,
scenery with ecstatic interest.
do you object to tobacco smoke
Miss Graham?' he calmly inquired
"Object?" returned Milly. her eye,
dancing. "why. If you had cigar
cite I'd Join YOU"
That ought to have surprised Nc
Kay. but it didn't seem to.
How lucky!" he exclaimed, his
face Frightening. i've got pack
age OF gold tips and we'll smoke to
gether. Shall drive while you ligh
np?"
"Oh, no, it won't be necessary
and Milly slipped an arm through TIL
loop in the lines and Immediately, a
happened to know. lighted ant
smoked her first cigarette. McKa.
declared that she lighted it in tn,
strong wind with all the skill Of :
veteran smoker and burned 1t reso
lutely clear to the gold band.
I afterwards asked Milly why sh,
did It.
II don't know" she said laughing
ly: Il suppose | Just wanted to SHOW