The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-07-28
A ROMANCE of the
NORTH WOODS

ilnC lniS, Win hO SudnCC VI a
central operator overhearing. He
called for the mill foreman's office,
and when Roberts answered, said
crisply:
ITS Steele, Roberts. How do things
stand?"
"Not so goodl We've only got thirty
thousand in the yards tonight and it's
showing here"
snow listen; and don't ask ques-
tons. Get your supper as soon as you
can. come back to your Office and
stand by the telephone"
30. X" answered the man.
Steele and Jack ate a cold meal
hastily and went outside From the
sleigh they carried arm loads of
charred blocks and strung them along
the track down beyond the break in
the grade This done. Jack took the
evener from his sleigh. hooked a deck
ing chain to 1t and drove his team
across the tracks to the long line of
Belknap & Gorbel loads waiting on
the switch.
ne WltlSS VI Iuc plOW nau SuOfcu
the snow back to give ample room.
Jack hooked his chain to the arch bar
of the first cars front trucks while
John knocked the blocks from the
wheels and mounted the car, grasping
the brake wheel.
"All right" he said, and Jack spoke
to his horses. They leaned into the
collars. strained, hung, and then the
car slowly started to move.
STEADY now. She wants to
roll !" He was straining on the wheel
with all his weight.
Jack pulled in his team until slack
of the chain dangled in the snow, un-
hooked, seized block and held 1t on
the rail before the wheel while the
tire munched into its charred surface
In its own length then. the car came
to a grudging halt. Quickly they thrust
more blocks in place and turned the
team backward.
Down they came with another car,
repeating the process, careful to let it
ease most gently against the first they
had moved. blocking it securely. max
ing the coupling fast Back again. =.
The last car went into place; the
final coupling was made.
sect your team back to the sleigh
now" John whispered. 'I'll call Rob-
erts."
In the house again he rang the mill
office and the foreman answered.
''Is the last yard switch open" John
asked.
"Ought to be. Always Is. That's
orders. Yes, l can see the light from
here"
"Then stay in your Office and keep
your eyes open. And If anybody starts
down that yard get 'em backl'
Out they went, carrying axes. Up
on to the first car John climbed and
blocks from the wheels. Back to the
next, repeating the operation; a third
and fourth were released. The
train stirred a bit as the freed cars
took up slack. Another wheel spun,
more blocks were knocked out.
The train was chucking, groaning, as
the freed cars on the far end strained
at the anchorage formed by those at
the rear. AS John mounted the third
from the last it stirred a trif1e. He
smiled to himself.
"Snappy!" he yelled at Jack as he
dropped into the snow.
The string was moving now, wheels
of the last car sliding, squealing. He
grabbed the hand rail and swung up
the step. He kicked the dog loose and
spun the wheel.
Jump" yelled TAFT as he stood
aside, and John jumped as the cars
gained momentum on the grade.
Fresh snow, fallen on the logs, be-
gan to whip away in light, SCATTERING
blocks. in streamers of dust. Fire
streamed from a wheel as they swung
another bend. The clatter of trucks
over rail joints was like hail on
roof
The cars careened. they rolled. they
jumped and bounced. The last, yanked
along by the others, tilted and tipped
dangerously on curves. 1t threatened
to go over. 1t lost part of its load
but 1t held the rails. On through the
choppings, on along the sides of hills;
through narrow ravines debouching
into wider valleys; level track could
not slow them; short rises had no
more than barely perceptible infiu-
ence on the pace. >. They broke
over the last pitch, and any there
might have seen the lights of Shoe
string strung like blurred jewels
through the snow quarter of mile
away.
there in the silence, that they could
hear the clangor. of those runaways
until they stopped. The sound came
echoing back to them through the fall
ing snow, faint and fainter, but still
there.
John turned then and ran into the
house
Roberts answered his ring.
Anything happened?" John asked.
Happened. /. Y Cd, SteeleI
Happenedl" The mans voice cackled
with excitement. I'D yuh ever hear
about it rainin' frogs?
'Once."
And mamma? 1t rained that, didn't
itg
"No. ravens brought"
"Well, 1t come. anyhow, but what
wanted to ask is. d'yuh ever hear Of
its rainin' saw-logs into a hungry mill
yard?"
mo. But I've prayed for 1T"
"Eh? You what? You prayed for
it," He could hear the man draw a
great breath. well, Steele, I'm here
to say that if ever | want q whole lot
and real bad I'm goin' to get you to
pray ABOUT dimes worth for mel
Say. the S saw-logs strung from hi