, 1921-07-07
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Difficulty Notes
(By Mrs. C. E. Ellis.)
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coy vi
of a century ago there was a pros
porous and flourishing tie camp on
the mountains at the head OF the
Medicine Bow river. There hundreds
of thousands of railroad ties and
mining props were made every whit
er and the following spring. as soon
as the Ice was broken up and III,
now began to melt on the noun
tains thus affOrding ample water for
the purpose. these timbers were
floated down the Medicine Bow river
as far as Medicine Bow station where
a tie boom held them. When the
last drive arrived there the ties were
taken from the river. loaded pinto
flat cars. and shipped to where they
were needed. This particular spring
"Soapy" Dale was boss of the drive,
and many gallant knights Of the
pike-pole labored according to his in
structions. He had acquired the
cognomen Of "Soapy" through the
fact that on one occasion he had
been In Carbon. and mistaking the
day for his birthday or some other
important holiday he proceeded to
celebrate in a manner that was great
to see. He got along fine until the
town authorities decided he needed
a rest all hurried him away to the
city boo ling house, where bed and
meals art gree and one has lots of
time in which to leisurely think over
the past and make all sorts of plans
for the future. Mr.. Dale was seized
with q sudden hunger, and being IN
able to wait for dinner time to come,
he ate the only thing that he could
see that was loose bar of sOAp,
He vowed that he could spit lather
for the next fortnight. and as q re-
suit OF his miraculous appetite, his
pals dubbed him "Soapy''. and Soapy
he remained the rest Of his days. He
was cross-eyed, and his affliction
often proved q great blessing In his
case for It was often quite in his
favor that folks were unable at all
times to be able to tell Just where he
was looking.
The tie drive arrived at the boom
and after supper. Soapy and his tie
hacks went up town to celebrate the
event. They enjoyed themselves
h~ilariously until midnight. when
Soapy said that 1t was time they re-
turned to camp, and with every good
intention. they started. However,
as they went to pass the depot they
noticed a box al loaded with
freight, which had been side-tracked
to be unloaded as soon as morning
came. Feeling unusually Industrious
and happy, they decided to unload
the car right then. They didn't not
ice the rain that had been falling
for the past few hours. but got an
iron bar and a few other clumsy
tools and wen to work. The doors
Of the car were pried open and the
contents Of the car carried, rolled
and thrown out onto the ground.
The hilarity among the tie hack
grew greater unit 1.-The hub-bub at
tracted the attention of the night
man at the depot and he stuck his
head out Of the window peering
through the darkness In an effort to
solve the origin Of the noise. Some
of the boys saw him and in an in
slant a volley Of mud balls showered
him. spatting walls and windows and
not a few landing on his Uranium.
He beat a hasty retreat, and becom-
ing suspicious Of his hurry the tie
hacks feared they were in for
trouble and leaving the partly empty
a they started for camp as fast as
they were able to &c. A little be-
low town was q Union Pacific res
~taurant. where train crews and sec
ton men ate. and this place wa
open all night. AS they passed this
place and the fumes of beef steak
and coffee waited to them, they
made the discovery that they were
hungry-terribly hungry. They de.
cided to 90 back and get something
to eat. and hats In hands they en-.
tered pious and austere-about fif'
teen OF them. The cook was a slim
fastener and as this bunch entered
he noticed how greatly they resem'
bled the noted characters described
in the books about Diamond Dicl
and Red Handed Charlie. and he wal
somewhat nervous. Politeness wal
running riot among them as the.
asked him in meekest tones to Sc
them out a meal. He assured then
that this would be impossible for thu
huge platters Of Drowned steak ant
the big copper boiler full of coffe,
would arrive in half an hour fol
their night lunch. Persuasion on tn,
part Of the tie hacks was Of no avail
and when again their request wa
refused, a six shooter was suddenl!
III oubHt " lA6ut 0Au q UuthCS ROLC
trated the floor painfully near thu
feet Of the cook. In an instant
dozen bullets from as many direc
tiOns sang around the immediate
vicinity Of the excited chef ant
p~leadingly he begged of them t
have mercy. He agreed to give then
everything to eat that was In the res
taurant II they would only quit thil
sort of thing. and he kept his word
Beefsteak in large. juicy slices wa
eaten ravenously, when suddenly
one fellow v~iciously stabbed tht
slice on his place with a fork ant
holding 1t up at arms length. HI
emptied the chamber of his si1
shooter at 1t, declaring that 4
wasn't dead for he saw IT kick. Thu
act met with such universal approvR,
that the example was followed b.
the others and bullets went whiGsint