The Nevada County picayune., 1921-12-29
The Village of Hopeville
By MARVIN ST. JOHNS
G1SI55SISSS15eaGS 5G9SESS15G Copyright I92I Western Newspaper UniS

G9S61ES5E1S Copyright 1921, Western Newspaper Union.
 "Weye missed it We're nothing but way-back settlement now"
 Thus Jared Bross of the board of trustees of the neat, picturesque, but isolated town of Hopeyille, spoke.
 You mean the railroad has missed us," corrected Phillip Dawes, presi- dent of this same board of trustees. "Well, gentlemen, that shall not pre- vent Hopeville continuing to do itself proud, trust, as a model village with out a blemish.
 Very proud of the community he had helped build up was Phillip Dawes, and he spoke with enthusiasm. He had always predicted great things in store for Hopeville. Never village of fairer location and environment.
 "Some day Hopeville will forge to the front" was his optimistic slogan some day values will go up, and each man come into his own."
 When the new railroad was talked of, old residents began to boost their acres and town lots as to values. Hopes rose high, then they were cor respondingly depressed, for the rail road made a detour, and Byron, quite a busy little city eight miles distant, was made the terminus of the new branch line railway.
 "Wish I'd settled there as l intend ed to ten years ago" grumbled dis loyal and disagreeable Jared Bross. "There's some go to Byron. don't care if they do encourage a r1if-ran crowd-stir and sensation bring in the dollars, don't they?'
 "But we don't want the dollars that way" insisted Dawes.
 Bross had a strong personal reason for being disgruntled with Hopeville. He was a man of some means and his son, Bradley, had married a poor, humble girl. The old man had railed at the secret match, and had promptly discarded his disobedient son. Nellie Horton, whom Bradley had married, was an orphan, but her parents had left her small farm just out of town. There the welded pair settled down.
 "That boy will rue the day he dis regarded my advice!" the elder Bross had said one day to Dawes.
 "Oh, nonsense!" retorted his neigh Dor, Bradley is good boy. The poor young pair have hard scratch ing, perhaps, but they're happy and contented as two birds in a nest"
 fnI from hearted father, and went his way sul- lenly and unlovely.
 So Byron got the railroad and what went with 1t, both good and bad. There was a good deal of grumbling in Hopeville and In a measure Phil- lip Dawes was looked upon as a disap- pointing founder and builder. The pride and ambition of the old man were touched. Then he began to plan to retain his prestige.
 The "annual' was a time-honored institution of Hopeville, and now again close at hand. Every year Phillip Dawes had insisted that the representative residents of the place meet at the town hall to celebrate the founding of the village.
 They could hear the distant echo of an engine whistle across the valley as they sat in the town hall on the present occasion.
 They never had anything stronger than clear, sparkling water at these celebration functions.
 "HopevilIe-her splendid past and her glorious future" was the toast read
 "Humph ,'' grumbled Bross. "I think Dawes will have to take back seat this time
 But Phillip Dawes arose, looking brighter and prouder than he had ever seemed.
 "Something the matter with the Wa ter, friends?" smiled Dawes. That's the merit of It. Ii Is Hopevile water, though not from the home well. Gen. tlemen, you have drank of the soon- to-be-celebrated Lithia Magnesium wa ter, specially presented to you to introduce the last requirement this beautiful district needed to make 1t famous"
 Say, what are you driving at, any how?" inquired Bross bluntly.
 "Just this," explained Dawes. T req ned from the first that the new rail pad would open up a popular out ing resort somewhere along its line. Well, gentlemen, for two months bav> been negotiating with wealthy