River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1923-06-28
m a chunk O. liver ~

like TO come erlong, 0ny he TOOK the
words out of my mouth"
"You goin'?" asked Mormon.
''Sure am" she answered ed Bal
ley Senior, he lows there's no sense
in chasin' gold underground. Says he
likes to see his prospects CROWN up
under his own eyes an gain on his
own land. I'm the adventurous one Of
the Bailey family, though you mightn't
guess 1t to look at-me," she said with
a twitch of her lips. ''Plimsoll amt
got much love for me. He figgers i
lost him his license an his brother-in-
law sheriff his badge. He's right. I
did / figgered you'd not be anxious
to let him have his own way about
Molly's claims an lowed I'd like to
be along an see the excitement. Me
an Ed herell stake off suthin' for
ourselves. I'd Jest as soon git some
easy money as the rest of EN-"
Sandy, after swift word of apology,
turned away toward the bunk house.
Mormon, with sweeping salute from
his bald head to his knees, voiced his
opinion.
Marin" he said, you're a dyed-in-
the-wool sport an l admire to trail
with you. But that flivver IL sure
bust its cinches with we-all ridin' 1t.
I'm no jockeyweight, fo' one"
It'll stand up. We've got to make
time"
With orders to Buck, with some pro-
visions, ammunition and a few tools,
the hurried start was made. Mormon
clambered to the front seat beside
young Ed, Miranda Bailey sat between
Sandy and Sam. Whatever lack of en-
ergy the lank Ed Junior displayed on
his feet, he eliminated as a driver.
The springs creaked, chirpings arose
from various parts of the car as 1t
ran, but he coaxed the engine, per-
formed miracles at bad places in the
road, nursed the insufficient radiator
surface and kept the fiivver at SIM
mer.
They made the down-road as the
sun rose above the run of the eastern
range. so Jagged 1t seemed trying to
claw back the mounting sun. Ever in
view below them lay the intermountain
valley In which the camp had been To-
Gated. There were a few tents, some
wagons and picketed horses, and there
were a great many machines parked
at will. Here and there unbroken
glass in the windows flung back the
sun. Suddenly smoke jetted from
tumbied chimney, other puffs followed
and steady vapors mounted. Ant-like
men emerged from every house, gath
cred In little knots, busted themselves
with the horses, hurried back to break
fasts. Faint sounds came up to the
travellers.
"W'udn't think that place had been
dead as cemetery TO years?' COM
mented Sandy. "Stahted up overnight
like an old engine. That's the hotel,
with the high front. Furniture all In
1t an in the cabins. Most of the fix
lures left IN the saloons, an there was
a plenty of them. Two hotels. five res
tyronts, seven gamblin' houses, twenty
two saloons an the rest sleepin' cab
ms. That was Dynamite. When they
git 1t busted off and started up it'll
run ortermatic."
"Cuttin' out the Saloons" said MI
randa.
.T'm not so sure of that" said Nor
mon, turning in his seat. "You-all want
to remember, ma'am, that this is an
incorporated town an that there's
alIus shortage of law an order for
whites wherever there's a strike, gold.
oil or whatever tits. Eighty per cent OF
the rush is hard-shelled lot an erlong
with 'em Is smaller bunch that
thriyes best when things Is run haphaZ-
ard. There'n be Ticker down there. an
it'll sure be auickfire Ticker at that. Ii
you weren't the kind you are" added
Mormon, I'D tell you that down there
amt no place fo' woman ]"
"Meanin'?'' snapped Miranda Bailey.
But there was CLEAN In her eye that
showed of a compliment accepted.
"Meanin," said Mormon, that, eff
you'll take it 'thout offense, you-all air
plumb up-to-date When wimmen took
up the ballot / figger they wasn't on'y
ready TO equal rights. they knew now
to git 'em. side from the shootin end
of 1t, I'd say you was as well equipped
as any man to look out fo' yore own
interests"
THANKS" replied Miranda. Il sup
pose you mean that as compliment.
Also know one end Of gun from an
other an / can hit a barn If 1t amt
fiyin'."
They rolled down to the valley and
over the dusty road to the camp. Be-
fore they reached the main street car
PASSED them from behind with a rush,
driver and passengers reckless, whoop-
ing as they rode, one man waving
bottle, another firing his gun into the
air.
THAT'S the kind that1l figger TO run
Dynamite fo' WHILE" said Sandy.
.T1l bet there amt twenty old-timers
in the camp-real miners, / mean"
The street was alike with changing
grorps, merging, breaking up to listen
TO some fresh report of strike, or