The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-03-10

beneath the drills came occasional sub
terranean explosions: then geysers OF
muddy water rose in the air. Under
the shouts Of the steam shovels "dobe'
shots went off as powders were river
into smaller fragments Now and ther
an excited footing Of whistles gave
warning Of bigger blast as the flag
men checked the flow OF traffic. indi
eating with arms appraised that the
ground was Coming up" Thereupon 8
brief lull occurred; men hid themselves
the work held its breath, as 1t were
But while the detonations still echoed
and before the flying missiles haC
ceased to shower the human ants were
moilng at their hills once more, the
wheels were turning again, the jaws oil
the iron hogs were clanking.
Through this uphcaval the motorcar
penetrated lodging trains Of flats.
which moved sluggishly to afford them
passage up and down over the volcanic
burrows at the bottom Of the gorge
or along some shelf beneath which the
foundations were being dug. At times
a shovel reached out its five yard Stee
jaw and gently cleared the rails OF
debris, or boosted some bowldcr from
the path with all the skill of giant
/ hand and fingers. Up and down tho
canyon rolled SpaSmodic rumblings. likC
broadsidcs from n feet of hattleshipS
Mile after mile the Si-htscerS rolled
ON, past scenes Of never varying ac
tiyity- past more shOvcls, more groups
Of drills, more dirt trains. more regi
mcntS Of mcn-I,unncls explaining
Kirk marvcling until he was forced tt
cXclaim:
Il had no idea it was so big. II
doesn't seem rs if they'd ever finish
it
"Oh, we'll finish it if were let alone
You see there is too much politics il
It; we never know how long our jobs
! will last. If some senator whose vote
IS needed on an administration matter
wanted my position for his wife's
brother. he could get it."
II suppose I'm an example
Runnels looked at him squarely be
fore answering you are" said he
although ! wasn't thinking of you
when | spoke. It's something we all
feel, however"
Anthony flushed as he answered: 81
don't remember ever taking anything
l wasn't entitled to, and | didn't think
when was showed in here that I'd
shove some other fellow out. suppose
, there is room at the bottom, and fel.
low can work up?"
"If he has 1t in him.
II think III start there"
I'm afraid you're n poor business
man." said Runnels.
"Rotten." Kirk admitted, but I've
an idea can make good If try"
I III you feel that way l certainly will
help you" said the other warmly. "Ot
course I'll try to help you anyhow, but
4 like your spirit. With Mrs. Cort
landt to back me up. III see you &c
; forward as fast as you deserve"
BY now they were out of the cut and
! once more upon the main line at Bias
, Obsipo, heading back toward the Pa
ciflc
"You asked me to tell you something
, about her" Runnes continued. "I'm
not sure my information Is entirely
correct, but. knowing who she is,
think | understand why she is In Pan
ANA. 1t Is polltics-big politics. The
Spiggoties have an election next year
and 1t is necessary to get our wires
we'll laid before it comes off. General
Alfarez will probably be the next pres
ident.'
"Alfarcz. Not Ramon:"
! His father. You know we Ameri
cans occupy peculiar position here
set down as we are in the midst of ar
alien people who hate us. Oh, they
hate us, all right-all except a few o.
/ the better class"
why"
There are a good many reasons
For one thing. there's sort of racia
antirathy. Besides. when we stol,
Panama we made the ColombianS sore
and all Central America besides, 70
they realized that once we Yankee
got foothod here we'd hang on ant
not only dominate this country. bu
all The neighboring republics as well.
Il had gathered something of tn
sort -hut had no idea there was 5
much in il. But we don't want thes
jungle counties" said Kirk.
That's where you're wrong. BY an
by wen need room TO expand. an
when that time comes We'll NOV
south Meanwhile our farsighted COY
ernmcnt is smoothing the way. an
there's nobody better fitted for the PR
liminary work than Mr.. Stephen Cor
land of Washington, d. c., husban
and clerk of the smartest woman
the business of chaperoning admins
trationS Hos the fipurehead hehin