Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1915-03-18

not onorOub, ana ne Wanuer0o up ana
down the track In search of some
slight occupation a. an antidote for the
poison Of Inconsistencies coursing
through his veins. His FIRST view from
0abriel's Balcony fascinated him.
Almost unconBciously he picked up q
rock and dropped It from the edge Of
the precipice. It thudded against the
rocky slope after its 40-foot drop,
bounded, rolled and rebounded on it,
swift journey, gaining velocity ~ II
progressed, until It darted out Of sight
far below.
That's great" murmured Fergu-
son.
AS the days passed, the fascination
Of Gabriel's Balcony strengthened and.
with Its growth, Ferguson's desire to
leave Lantana diminished. His en-
treaties for relief ceased, for which the
chief dispatcher was duly grateful.
All the time that could be spared
from his trifling duties at the station
was spent at Gabriels Balcony. To
hurl rocks from the brink Of the preci-
pice developed into Q mania Like
morphine, the dose must be taken in
ever-increasing quantities to satisfy
the craving.
The sight Of small rocks diving
down the incline was no longer salts
flying to Ferguson. Each rock must
be larger than its predecessor. Bowld-
ers that taxed his strength to the ut
most to poise on the edge Of the preci-
pice were sent crashing down the
slope, followed by satellites Of slate
and earth they had loosened In their
flight.
Ferguson wondered vaguely whittier
these rushing boulders hastened 90
eagerly, and meant some day to mount
O massive rock and journey down with
II, to learn their destination.
And one day there came the Voice
Just as Ferguson had started mon
strous rock down the incline.
what II that had been the Eagle
Lmited?" the Voice suggested.
whats that?" asked Ferguson, not
comprehending.
No answer. Ferguson glanced up
and down the track There was no
one In sight.
"Huh!" said Ferguson. mighty
funny" and resumed his absorbing 90
cupation.
As he sent another sphere Of gran
tie catapulting from the Balcony, Fer"
guson heard the voice again. What
II that had been the Eagle Nmited2"
With eyes staring at the fast vanish
ing rock, he answered: yes, that
would be exciting"
It was O friendly Voice, and It often
came to cheer his heartrending loneli-
ness. Ferguson pleaded with 1t to stay
and share his quarters In the box car.
And the Voice knew New York-his
New York-and soon bond Of eternal
brotherhood was sealed with tears OF
Joy on Ferguson's part for the pres
ence Of this unexpected comrade In
the wilderness.
Not many days after the Voice had
first made its presence known, 1t spoke
long and earnestly to Ferguson. and
as he hardened, the light Of wild antio'
lpation cleaned IN his eyes.
From under the couch in the corner
he drew q crowbar, wrench, and
These he carried to
Gabriel's Balcony, and, according %
the Voice commanded, he welded the
tools, singing as he toiled.
When the work was done, the Voice
and Ferguson waited impatiently. The
Limited came to Its fate with no warn
Ing. From the verge Of Gabriel'S Bal
cony 1t plunged, coach trailing coach.
Rocks and earth detached from the
precipice pursued It Is It fell.
Down the steep incline rolled
twisted metal and spllntered timbers.
in an ever-swelling mass
of rock and soil. It grew into q roar
ing avalanche, and as It struck the
.imbered slope It added trees Of CEN
Jury growth TO its appalling bulk.
Il was no mean death that Fergu-
ION had wrought for passengers and
rev, and no man may say, in truth.
where they found sepulcher. II
At Granville, Superintendent Jen'
Rms ordered out the wrecking train.
rhe Limited had left Rawdon on time. 8
tut was hours overdue at Lantana,
md repeated efforts to gain q response
rom Ferguson were fruitless.
The wrecking crew found Ferguson
Gated on o huge bowlder where the J..
J. and @. track made the turn at Ga
'riel's Balcony, gibbering incoherent'
y. The impalpable spirit Of the noun
ain, the immensity Of space, had
rushed him with It's mystery.
II was the fertile imagination Of eu'
Jenkins that evolved the
theory for newspaper con-
to account for the absolute
Of the Eagle Limited.
enkins knew railroading from . fish-
late on o spur to the manipulation Of :
tocks In Wall street. from the con-
truction of q Bho0-hy track around
be debris Of Q wreck to the concOc-
on OF n shoo-hy tale for the report :