Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-05-24
CHAPTER !


"Chuck at the Y.D. tonight, and a
bed under the shingles" shouted
Transley, waving to the procession to
be of,
Under. foreman and head teamster,
Strengthened up from the half load
Of new hay IN which he had been
awaiting the final word, frightened the
lines, made a elucking sound in his
throat, and the horses pressed their
shoulders into the collars. Under
glanced back TO see each wagon or
implement take up the slack with a
Jerk like the cars OF a freight train !;
the cushioned rumble " wagon wheels
on the soft earth, and the noisy chat
ter Of the steel teeth Of the hay
rakes came up from the rear. Trans
iey's "outft was under way
Transley was a contractor mas
ter Of men and or circumstances. SIX
weeks before. the suspension of IA
grading order had left him high and
dry. with a dozen men and as many
teams on his hands and hired for the
season Transley galloped all that
night into the foothills; when he re-
turned next evening he had a con.
tract with the YD. TO cut al the hay
from the ranch buildings to the Forks.
Trausley traded his dump scrapers
Tor moving machines, and three days
later his outfit was at work in the
upper reaches Of the YD
The contract had been decidedly
profitable. Not an hour OF broken
weather had interrupted the opera
tions. and today, with two thousand
tons Of hay In stack. Transley was
moving down 10 the headquarters Of
the Y.D. The trail lay along Il broad
valley warded on either side by
ranges of foothills; hills which in any
other country would have been dIgni-
fed by the name Of mountains. From
their SUBMITS the Gray-green up-tilted
limestone protruded. whipped clean OF
soil by the ehlnooks OF centuries.
Here and there on their northern
slopes hung a beard Of scrub timber
sharp gulleys cut into their fast
nesses TO bring down the turbulent
waters OF their SHOWS.
Some miles to the left OF the trail
lay the bed Of the Y,D.. fringed with
poplar and cottonwood and occasional
dark green SplasLes Of spruce Re
yond the bed OF the Y.D.. beyond the
foothills that looked down upon II.
hung the mountains themselves, their
giant crests pitched Ike mighty tents
browsing placidly between earth and
heaven Now their four O'Clock veil
OF bluepurple mist lay filmed about
their shoulders. but later they would
stand out In bold silhouette cutting
into the twilight sky. Everywhere
the sDences Of the eternal, broken
only by the mudled noises OF Trans
ley's outfit trailing down to the Y.D.
Under. foreman aud head teamster.
cushioned his shoulders against hts
half load Of hay and contemplated the
scene with amicable satisfaction. The
hay fields OF the foothills had been a
pleasant change from the railway
grades OF the plains below. Meh and
horses had fattened and grown con
tent and th6 foreman had reason 10
know that Transiey's bank account
had prodted by the sudden shift In
his operations Llnder felt IN his
pocket for pipe and matches. then.
with frown withdrew bis dngers
lie himself had laid down the law that
there must he no smoking In the hay
fields. 4 cavelessiy dropped match
might In an hour nulufy all their
labor
I.inders frown had scarce vanished
when hoofheats pounded by the side
q his wagon, aud a rider. throwing
himself lightly from his horse. dropped
beside him in the hay.
Thought Id ride with you a spell
Lin. That Pete-horse acts like he was
goln' sore on the of front foot. C.uck
at the .. tcnicht7"
That's what Trans'sy says George
and he knows
Ever Ct at the Y.D.Y
"Nope"