HI I 1 o * J THE OMATTA DATTA * UMKs HATtrRDAY OOTOUET7 , 1C , 1807. lW The Gamblers of ny MOHUY : = a it o HUNTS. Gravel Mountain TMiTiiTnnflTTnMTniTfiTnTTmTTnniiTin DIM III Mil II III I I'M I" HI II''Ml'MM Illl Ml'MUM' ( fuprlKlit. 5"'T 1 > > fi t MH'I irf rmnpnti ) ) ' "Wo give } ou a mighty Rifvl nrlco for It' ' " ' Mil the r rM bow of the railroad at ho | leant bark In his chnlr Ami looked out tlifol'gh the nlmlows nf his frmic-bnllt omre. A snowy king of peaks wns In Hie center or the picture , heavj blue sk } vvis balanced by In B rtelern far below , the rnnv/ ran the rock , then ncint t > lncs filnged the tlinnldnr of a mountiln , dipping Into dark forest , with the roaring river nt KM foot. ' Hut you own up fair and squaic that this Is Inking a risk' " said Holdtedge , the con tractor from Utah "It's no common kind of jobml work In ami take dollars out. " "We la } thu lards on the table , Mr. Hnl- d 'ilge. " T/e ! lord of railroads threw n packet down botoro him , and , rising , -.sent tu thu stuvc. Uxepl about noon the air was chill nt the nltltiidn of the summit when the month was May. I "Theie's nothing underhand here , " fald ! HOBS. "What our engineers fay } ou know. ) One's woid Is , 'Wh } , certainly , ' and nn- , other's , 'It can't bo done , ' and the third Is ! n Scotchman , .ind has what he calls 'his floats' Hut if you and } our brother risk It.I nnd mike It , we i > ay heavy , If you mnckj It , our share goes and you'll lose your labor. ! It's a gamble " I i He stirred ny the stove with a burnt plna Btlrk , which he withdrew , blaring. " Niituro always holds four aces , " said the joungnr Holilrcilgc. "No , " said Itcss , "hut shu keeps her gun ready for nil of us when wu win. liven > jilft n piece of rock wo k nt $1 a yard or M may spell cstastrotihc and sudden death " Thu lloldredgis looked at each otticr for a long mlnuto and then at the table. This was ci strangely quiet gambling house , far among the hills And the dealer waited. "I'll stnaldle the Mini ! , " said Holdredge. Ar.d his brother nodded. Hut as they ynt their names on ixiper they felt that on that ( > laln bit of plue lay ten years' woik and ten yeais' mono } , to be lotuincd with mighty Interial or swept off by llass and those behind him. "I'm glad yon have the grit to take this IHnMI'111'II.IHM'lllMIMIMIIIIMIMII'lll' ' II ' * "iil HIM , "we've something to set the Mm- boil en now' " I ' We never reckoned on rock work. " ( in- I s-.vcred Ke ley. "tnd It teaks the time and the dollars up " Therit wjn ft quarter of the tunnel at the nr t end done before the concrete cinie In sight. At the c * < t end they struck it nt Its highest , sit feet above the level , nnd there the work , was slow. Now the brothers were somber. They stood halt a day at one end of the woik or the other , but though they walked together they iftrely tpoko. "The Mormon boyi look glum. " said the foreman to himself. And he felt It , too. "If we come out as > vo went In we're lucky. " said Kecley. lint till ! hoped yet. "The tlmb rjng holds n > far , " he cried. Yet that night at 11 'o'clock , when , the world wns quiet tnve for the song nf. the mountain rlvtr , ho left his tent and his sleeping brother ard went out to the tun nel. "Tomorrow wo should see dalight through It , " he wild The moon wns full At n distance the lower valley was hare , but In the loftier alti tudes the peaks pleicod the sky with silver spears The honU'tiE were deep nnd splen- dl.l. Heie nnd there n brilliant stnr or softer planet showtvl like the lighted sum- ml' of some tremendous mountain. The ulr was calm , no wind moved In the forest The pul e of the liver was the one sound In a sleeping world. Plfty jards from the brothers' tent wan the eut In the hill that led to the mud turi nd's black mouth. livery obstacle In the path , bar or pick or shovel or overturned birinvv , WHS as visible ns da } light. Hut suddenly the kouthcrn shoulder of the hill lifted Itself against the round mcon , and for a minute Hill Holdrc'lgc ' walked blinded He wont down a plank nnd on the line cln } tint was now a puddle and came to the heavy timber of the tunnel's entrance Ho walked In , nnd again night fell upon him , thick night Egyptian and Cimmerian darkness Ho tumid round , nnd outs de nlr was like the thin ghost of daj SUtli. ? down upon n barrow - row , he rested his head upon his hand. And as he aal the hill talked to him In faint whispers , at first hardly audible. Hut pres- AS HK SAT TlllMi : HE HEA11D A THOt SA.N'I ) VOICES INAUU1ULU IN THU DAY. qn , " said the dealer. "I'd have given con siderable when I was 30 to have such a level chance offerexl If you put It througn > ou nnke three times as much In half the timeus the nun who has the fattest Job between tho. Summit ami the Cascades. " Ho laughed jovially. "And If we don't , Mr. Ross. " said the jounger Holdredge , "we'll establish .1 claim on } ou foa long station In the Columbia valley , where two men cin start aftesh with short shovels " Hut when they were outside they shook bands "It can be done , " said Keeley Holdrenlge , the elder. "I reckon , " absented Hill. Yet without telling e ach other they wrote that night to their wives In their natho Htato to go easy with the money ami save \vlmt they could. "We've got hold of the biggest thing here. " they wald , "but It's the riskiest It's make ct spoon or spoil a horn. Hut we'll make a spoon , never fear " They d canioxl as they slept In llielr tent by the foaming waters of the Klcking-Horse river that they were rich , thai the } were poor , that the woild was theirs anil that it iwas lest And overhead w-as the great Gravel mountain through which they had undertaken to put a tunnel. The big men of the east were In a hurry to meet the big men of the west. Hy the end of Ma } the vallev was , i hive- of men , ami every hour came the toiind of great locks cast iknui On temporary rails Jl.-.t ears rail. Hxpleulons shattcrtd the , ilr nnd beat the white river whiter } et wii1 ] the wretk , of mountains. In the forestrf etiong men from Michigan and Wlscotislr lioweil piles of tits , and many work n , ; on contract for the Holdredgcs squared huge balks with broad axes The crash of falling pines re-echoed ! mountain sheep aiwl goits and shambling beam wondered and went north and south. A world of men divided their ancient domain. Amid the sounds of cataract and snowslldo was the elfin shriek of Jho far locomotive , now domliant on the conquered summit , and In the great gravel lilll the Holdretlges' finta were working , pre paring a iidtnial slope among the disinte grated wash of n thousand } ears. For In solid rock the engineer may cut to what steep angle he will. In hardened earth or ttcblat or clay Is another fitting slope , hu' for all loose material oi.lj . the naluial slope will hold. Thu angle ut which gravel runs Is the angle nt which It will btaj That Is Its natural slope' . In June the tunnel brgan , and with the tunnel the difficulties were unburled , for in ! the gravel < was a bed of blue cla > thai ctil I ibcaullfuiry with u spade or n shovel. It was at strongly pure In color ns It was homo geneous. Not u grain of Band gritted on a knife piibbed through It , a man could stand on a fresh cut slab and baldly leave u mark. When they came to It the men called to the foreman and sent for Keelcj The sight end feel of It gladdened Ills heart "If It runs through this will save half the labor , " he &ild. For to timber up the gravel eeemcd more and iroro terrible to him His foreman looked doubtful , but kept his doubts to himself. Ho fa Id nothli. ; when the contractor 'made some men put down sliilra Pf thu clay for a Hack , but he bhook Ills he ad when lloldredgo went away. in the morning when Keelry came out of his tent and set his foot upon a blue bl.ib ho sink In It ditply He looked for water and saw none , but the men's Ion , ; boots were daubed with bine "IU\e } ou struck n spring ? " ho asked. They told him "No. " "It's hard when It comes out , " said the foreman gloomily , "but ever ) horn out 80'tens It. Look ! " Ho lifted u lump and squeezed It. It eamu through Ills strong fingers like putty. Watur drlpp d from It. "How will It Btaml timbering ? " asked lloldredgo , "It stands It so far , " said the fore man , And day l > ) day aa they cut their easy tunnel the blue clay outside softened , do- llquraied and melted ; a high pile lUtttened ; in'o It soaked the moisture of the mountain air. air.In In their tent at night the 'brothers ' talked ol'B-Irately. " "We'll put It through. ( It'll bo only a rraMcr of timbering. " they said. Hul aa they lay In their beds they knew It might tie more than that. Trrn they struck concrete and cement , pMus b < l of It , under the clay. A pick wuuiu not touch It ; they bad to send for drills Now a quarter of the time was lost 'by ' the use of dynamite. It was dltll- cult to keep up the ventilation. "It'a aa 111 wind that brluga no luck , " fjitlj liu beard \cry plainly and lifted Ills head to listen. Thu hill spoke In a language Intelligible to an engineer , v.lio , standing there , might havu interpreted what it said as the patholo gist interprets obscure phenomena to the bedside phjiilcian "Have jou cubed my contents ? " naked the hill. "Ha\e jouselghed me in your scale- and balantesi ? For 1 am not rock , but gravel Listen ! " And the atlantean timbers groaned faintly till the young mans skin , bustled und his hair moved. This narrow world seemed alive. Ab ho sat there with open ears , which gradual ! } grew acute jci the stllluc&s of midnight , he heard a thousand \oiccs inaudi ble tu ttio buby da > . Uvcr > balk laid Hat for the gieat uprights had Its word , everj npr.ght whimpered , the roof tlmbeis com plaint d , there was a sound that wa& no sound , or like no known sound in the world If It was like aught it resembled most a bieath or wind ir. a tuft of grass. In a tree It was like the sound of fine wheat growing In calm aftei ra'a. A mouse's or > would have seemed a shriek. As the man who listened held bis breath he heard his heart beat like a pulboineter working. Hut he urderstood what the mlnuto chorus of the night meant. The wood In the tunnel was. btgiunlng to take the btrjln. "HeglLiilug1" ho said , "beginning ! " And when he slept again he dreamed that he anJ his brother were back In Utah with out a red ce.it. He spoke to Keelcy as they bieakfasted.-Just when the men wore turn ing to "I couldn't sleep last night. " 'No' " sa.d Keeley 'So I go' up and went Into the trcinel. ' 'What dine ? " 'About 1 " 'I was there at 3 , " said Kceley. 'Then you heird It ? " ahkcd Hill. 'She begins to feel It , " said Kceley ; "but that R of course- . " He caught hlu brother's eye. " 0 , don't croak , " ho cried , angrily , and the food wan dry In his inou'h. Hut that dij the men were Joyful , for day- i an through the tunnel. And the work era of the east siook hands with the work ois of the webt. hurrahing wildly at the wotk which heenicd bo nearly done For theici IH this quality In human workers Joj In toll under fair conditions , joy In strife , satisfaction in defeat , If defeat must come. And to those who knew little this meant victory Vet the struggle was even now be ginning It began a week later when the timbering was eompleto from end to end , for only then did the tunnel/begin to be audible to gross ears in daylight , when , the lUe world talked , the world that was made of a million Itibects und 10,000'men xtrung from the Hiimmit to the Columbia. Among thcbo who worked with the lum ber were many rudely learned In thes rength of materialH and some of them were1 veiy doubtful ' "How does It go' " asked Keeley. "All right for the present , Mr. Holdredge , " sild they. And at first they did not add "but " Among thfiiibelvcs. In their rude shacks and ten s , they estimated the weight of the hill " 1'Ino and fir will ne\er hold ; wo want hardwoods , oak and teak , " "Steel , " said another. "And fcleel won't. " sald a third , "If she comes , will Bhe come sudden ? " asked the laborerw , as they worked with sledge and maul. Hut thej were paid to risk it. Some left , for their nerves gave way when they took to thinking of n quick run out of the pit. Ku'n , those who stayed frowned to hear the timber talk. It spoke so loudly of the heavy world above them the kinking world In the bright air. Keeley went up to SPO HOBS , and the big man came down to look ut the work. Ho walked through from end to end , and when ho was oneo moro In dalight he used the same exprcbslon that came to every one's lips."Talks "Talks a good deal , " he eald. Keeloy nodded and tried to look cheer ful. ful."She's "She's bottled down , I reckon" "I reckon not , " tuld Hess , "but she's set tling Shall I send } ou down , Gordon ? " Gordon was the Scotch engineer who had ' " doota 'Tor I fiiuk voti'd belter double timber It. " sild noss. lie knew what that meant , anil was a bit sorry for those who had butted their pile against that plln of gravel. "Send Gordon , " said Kelley , and a tough old Scotch tyke oaruu from Luggau next day. "Meester Holtlretlge ? " ho said , as ho tumbled oft Ills pony. 1 That's so , " said Kcelcy , "and you arc Mr Gordon Will jou walk through newer or after dinner ? " "I'm hungry and In a wicked bid tem per the noo. " snld Gordon , "to I'll go through right an ay and give jou a hungry man's opecnlon. And then I'll tak my food and n drink and line n smoke , and gle } oti a full innn's best judgment , for with both 1 don't often go wrong , Mr. Holdredne. And till ye know a. man's digestion and his tem per ye can't trust his word. " Ho sat down on a hcavji balk , which ao thn Mep for three uprights , when he cime to the middle of the tunnel. Jt was thru the dinner hour , and the men were E'owlng rough beef and rougher pie In a big tent The sound of their laughter and talk came even 'into the tunnel. For five minutes Gordon said nothing The air was full of strange sounds a eracklnr ; , weeping , whimpering went on for ever He laid his car against one upright and listened. "Give mo the lamp , " he said , presently And he looked nt the fir he had been sitting on. Where one upright stood on It the bulk was coinprcMed. two Inches. On each Fide splinter } libers stood up. A little damp oo/ed from the green wood. He Stood back and looked at the upright. "Glo's a straight edRelfjQ hae one , " said he. And Kceley found him a two-by-four scantling lying among the balks not } ct used. "Is she straight ? " asked Gordon , point ing to the upright. "I think so , " said Kceley , nlniost sullenly Hut Gordon put the scantling's two-Inch sldo against the huge Uilk and It only touched It eloselj on one place Just In the middle. On the other sldo pf the balk the two ends of the scantling touched , but the mlddlo was an inch away. "She Just buckling , man , " said Go'tlon "Hut to be sui-o we'll try some malr" With three out of five the result was the Mine. "She talks a deal too much , " said Gordon "You've laid too much on the wood. I : ilnas said I had in } dnots. Hut now I've n-ae doits tlcevll a doot ! " "Well ? " said Keeley. "She's coming down , man slow but sure When } e hear timbers c'ack a wee blttce It's iiaethlng , for they'd cmck wl' heat or wl cold , but It's this talk , talk , talk nil the time that's feat some , for limber only talks nat ural ! } when the strain varies when one tubs agali st another. And too much talk In a wooden sh'n ' me-ins n shoitenlnt ; life and there wo knew the strains. Who knows 'em here' I've nae doots , man. Hut let's hio dinner. " "M Gordon thinks we're gone up , Hill , " said Keeley when they were at the table The .Scotchman had his mouth full and could not bptnk , but he held up his finger and struggled with a lialf-cliDwed chunk of beef When he had goiged It he ipnke "That was my hungry opeenlon , boys and mabo my afternoon one wlnna differ much. Hut though they say a Scotchman lights best with his belly empty , It was never my way , and I've milr doots In the call } morn' than any other time. Courage comes out of feeding and a moderate use o * speerlts , and above all , not too much tobacco And I've malr faith , full than Imugry , whether it's in mate ials or in providence And tint's a strong good argument against as ( Cilelsm and a silly scorn o' God's good cia- tuies " He shewed no scorn of them till It v\ai < ibUous he could eat no more "Harr'tig ' the pipe. I'm done till suppi-i time , " he PI III presently. "And after one smoke I'll pla > the wise phsceclan again ind put my linger on the pulse of the big nlll , and tell jou what's what In two shakes o' a lamb's tall And I don't Mnlnl sajin out straight that my excellence Is as big us tint rf a carload o' the common run o englneeis " He went through the tunnel again , ami the brothel * 'allowed. Once or twice IK btctiped and spoke to a labotet' as well o.s the foi"inan "Yo wonder" heild to Hilt Holdiedge ' that I'd > pieik Jo thce men and heat \\li.u hey lu\e tu say , for I see all they see and -iiair. Hut I've leatnt to trust to fecllnni nan as wel1 < isoold knowledge , and till vi > do yo nnj be a school engineer , but thp liooks on- across } our ees antl tfeavy on \oiir mind' " When the } reached Ihe far end he Invited them to sit on a fallen tree "And now yo want iny second thoughts ? " "Ay , " told Kceley. And Gordru filled his JT'VC. "If } o can drop It , and If ye hie enough to start on something elsn , my .uhke n 'o do It I'm not askln' an } thin' , and don'l Know hem jo > i and Hoi fi\ni it up Hut to go on Is to gamble " "Against a ceitulnt ) ' " osked nlll. Goidon sciewpd up his mouth and shook his head slowl } "I'll no si } that , but. it's long odds " "And If we go on , what' " asked Kecley "Double Urn ! or her throughout , and get some hard wood If you can. Hut mj advlee s to cut } our losses and jour labor Theie's nat'thlif In the woild so peetlful ns honest 'abortattcd. . Good-by , . bos , and good link to jou' ' " Ho rode back to Liggan whistling. "They'll tr > It , they'll "try It , " he said 'And I've nao doot they'll bear the cataa- 'ropho like men nao doot at all " And th.itery night the second set of tlm- oer was onlcied What they could buy they THI : PIPE. r.M DONE TILL SUPPER. riMK. " bought. Hut biiltable hardwood ( hero was none within 2,000 miles , and to set that hill on oak plllaiH wab to buy $10 with a golden eagle As a makeshift , new pine and fir fell on flat und mountain slope , and the trees of daylight were dally burled In the pit They found the western end , which was clay bottomed hnrdciU to deal with , and there they doubled the steps and struts first , and drove * ome hardwood vedges In , and under each they blocked the Inward , thrustIng - Ing mud w ith heavy green planka , measur ing 4x10 that came from a saw mill hum- mliig near the summit. Hut that hero the uprights showed no sign of buckling at Hint was the deadliest sign of all. For where the cement bottom was It was necessary to put In square blocks betwixt each hugo standard And even then the groaning was moro horrid , new strains were established , the mats of timbers became more organic and piped perpetually Day by d-.iy the for ests eent tribute ) to the devouring dragon of the underbill , and teen It was almost 1m- poBblble. to see the clay save upon the bottom. Yi't hero and there It squeezed out between close fict balks and cants of sawed lumber In thin ribbons of deep pure bine , nnd tonie- tlmea It protruded through a knot hole hang ing down like solid pouring water And hour by hour , day or night , Keeley or htri brother patroled the tunnel , which was now like a leaking ship They doubled their redoubled care , and watched the massy framework perpetual ! } The roof was treble timbers , each twelve Inches square , they un derpinned It again , nnd set angled struts in a complex latticework against the doubled walls. And the Hat door of the tunnel be came convex. They aw It , and for a day assured each other that It < was not to. Hut at night they set a long straight-edge across the floor and leveled it. It touched Uiu middle , and , nail- ERS RND Of OMRHFt. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. T iniwger & u Metealf Co. WHOI.KSALB DKAbKHS IN Agricullvra ! Implements. Buggies and Carriages. Cor. Cth and Paclflc SU. " ' 14 5 Jobbers of Farm Machinery. Wacom nnd lIunEki . Cor 9th anil Jones. ART GOODS 8 Picture Moldings. Mirrors , Frames , Hacking and Artists' Materials BOOKBINDING , ETC tl'lll\G , 1'JtlKTJAU . * M > ItOUK Glovcnth nnJ Howard Bts B JOTS-SHOES-RUBBERS , M'frs 1 Jobbers of Fool Wear The Josopb. Baiiigrm Rubber Co. Rubbers and Mackintoshes. Oniiiliii , Boo's , Shoes nnd Rubbers Salesrooms 11IK-11H ( 1106 Harney Street. Boots , Shoes , Rubbers , AT WHOLESALE. OHIce and Salesroom 1119-21-23 How aril St. Wholesale Shoe Manufacturers Western Asents Goodjeir GIo\e Rubberi. 1114 Harney Strict. . Ihidssy , WIIOLCSALH RUBBER GOODS Owner of Chief Drand Macklntosher BAGS grass Ornate iag Co Ittiportsrs ntid Mautifacturcrs BAGS 614-16-18 Soulh nth Street BAKING PUWDER EXTRACTS. 5 SYHUPS , Mc.aBsen , Sorghum etc , Piesenes anil Jellies Alto tin cans anil Jnimnned warn. CHICORY Oo. Growers nnd manufacilurcrs of nil forms of Chicory Oniahn-lVcmont O'Neil Ing both ends to 1hn side frame , they left It. | By the early dawn the middle of thu | stmlght-edgc was one-and a half Inches sunk , In mud. Ihu foreman bald thlb was the end I or It. Hut Keeley sent for nioro sluff , nnd , | leveling the lloor again , he set In a solid bottom fourteen inches thick , and beat It down with slelgeb Along Ihe Hides ho set tlmberu lengthwas .and on them three more struts against the roof. And ho saw the lloor was luvel. Hut iho roof was convex , bulging down- wuid. "We've done all we can , " bald Ihe contractors - tractors "If It holds now we shall have made nothing. And If II doesn't hold " 1'cr in the contract the llnUhcd tunnel was to stand a month before acceptance. They went to their tents and played poker : o pass the lime. Hul , though they were now idlu and tirelr men discharged , the hill was busy. Thu next day cards were a weailness They' paced the groaning hole from dawn tu 3Ve. Men going east or wc-bt , who had heard of the mud tunned , looked In , and Ihe strange nolseu beared borne e.f them. On Sunday half Ihe men from the contractors next above them came lo view it. The end of thu truck was now but Ihu miles awa ) . and some of the track lasers came , too They offered bets agalnbt Its standing Hot > s awe down and bhook h.s head as hu rode jack "I give It a week , " ho said. Hut In less than a week Keeley llold redgo caino ii ) to him. "You'll have to make a cut of U , after all. " ho said. "Can , you take on the Job ? " asked Ross. "WoVo going over to Uie lakes , sir , " on- CROCKERY AND GLASSWARE. H , Bliss , 1 /mporfir < iml Jobber Crockery. China , Glassware , Sliver Tinted Wnre , I-ooklnf ; Olaswa , Chan- lUllcrs , Lnmpg , Chimneys. Cutlery , Etc. l-UO KAIL'S AM ST. CREAMERY SUPPLIES The Sharpies Company Creamer \ > JlJafh inery and Supplies. Hollers , nnBlne1Vcil Cooker1 ! , Wood Pul leys , Charting. neltlnR. Hnttcr I'ack- , uccs of nil hinds. 807-909 JOIICH St , - - - - - - COAL. Fuel Go. Office 1C05 Farnam Street. SHERIDAN COAL. N Dletz President Onuld llli tz. Sec K.TI03. DRY GOUDi. E , Smith & Go. Importers anil Jobbers of Dry Goods , Fin mshing Goods AND NOTIONS. DRUGS. J. C. RICHARDSON , Prest. C. T. WELLHIl , V. Prrst. M'frs Ist'tnilirl I'll ir infallcal 1'reaara- tloiti A/iicJiif form nine I'rtimtnl tu < lrdtr Sriuf far t utafoi/iie. laboratory. 1112 Howard St. Omaha. E. Bruce & Co. find Stationers , "Queen flee" Specialties , Cigars. Wlfuti and Un ndles , Corner 10th and llurncy Street * . ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES. WHOLESALE AND IlETAIL ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES rlS04 Farnam St , FRUIT-PRODUCE. & WHOLESALE Commission Merchants. S \V. Corner 12th nnd Howard fatn Mombera of the National IX.UKUC if Commis sion Merchants of the United States. & Howes , joiiiinits Fruit and Vegetables lS Stnn berries , Apples , Lemons , Cranberries. Potatoes. 1017 Howard St FURNITURE & Stone Fursiit ! Furniture Draperies 1115-1117 Farnam Street. TYPE FOUNDRIES. * * Type Foundry Superior Copper Mixed Type la the belt on the mrrKct UH Jlouunl Slrtot. GKOCHKIIvS and Lcavunworth St. Staple and Fancy Groceries , IEA AVD COirtC ItOiSICIti , Etc. swerel Holdredge. "I've Had i letter from Andy Onderdonk. It was a Minbiu , uiia i..c cat .In were against us" The } shook liaudb and i > ai ted. Thu tunnel'B cliorus UI.K now porlentoiiH ; It shrieked and died and tet a man'H tevth on edge with horrible grating nolbcs 'Jhii steps on which the uprights stood were cinahed through , each HUndaid'u heavy heel wa bet In mere wooil-flbci , as toft , U seemsd , JH a hank of rolr } arns. And where the side llnusts wete greatest , the i-hort blockB Hpllntered The celling was now u downward hanging areh the bulging was very obvious Ami ) > } no trick of forc ing the Imagination cmld the co behold a level fl'or Little shakes and spllnlerH ios oa it , as when a man bmds a lath to break- Ing. And every hour or so came a sound like a gunshot , when same dilei , overwrought beam gave way utterl } . Tliough lit- bound brought beemlng Hllenco , In a moment more thu eiles of thu btrulucil wood were greater and moro terrible. I , inself , who wrlto this , was then ut work fManotlifr contractor two mlhs up thu pass , end one hot Sunday in August , when my mates were lying In their tenth , I went tolew the tunnel. And though I ws afraid , I walked through the whale dark buriow. It was not the first time I Ind done It , but It way the last There was something uncanny In the groaning of the wood , something avve- insplrlng. When half-way through , In the liituiittst darkness terror gut hold of mo , and my hair brUtleO Wishing to run , I would not , and I sweated Ice as I went. In the dallght at the v.ost end I aw the hanging roof. It teemed to move ; long tpliutcra pointed inoro and mote perjiendlcu GROCERIES. eyer & VillOLi-Utl ; ! FINE GROCERILS I Teas , Splcfs. Tolncco nJ Clear- K03-140 ? Itarner Htreet- Daxfon and \ Gallagher Go GAS COPKHtS HOASTIJIIS AMI Juniii.NQ caiocnus. Teltphone JSJ , HARNESS-SADDLERY I HHaney & Go. W O MTU i.iKN'Uss , .ii > int a A t'licn of I fitlliri ; tiailit'trii Itnnlifate , Ktc , jourordors 1315 Howard kt. HARDWARE. 'edor&WiliieimyCo ' - > Wholesale Hardware , Omaha. L Wholesale Hardware. Illeycles und Spoitlns OiicilM 1210-U1-23 Ilur- iicy street. JEWELRY IV/iolcsalc Jituelry. 15th and Ilarnuy ; Oiu ilia. Wec'iniliow you the b-ststu-k In thu ' LIQUORS. Koise & 530 LIQUORS. Proprietors of AMKIUCAN' CIGAR AND OLAfeb WAHK CO 214-210 touch 14th St liter's East India Bitters Golden Sheaf Pure Use and Hourbon Wlil'key. Wlllov , faprlnt-n Distillery , Her & Co. , 111 ! IIirn6 > Street- Wholesale Liquor Merchants , 1001 rarn a in Street- Who'esalc Liquors and Cigars. 1118 Rirn tin Street. WHOLESALE Wines , L'quors and Cigars. 413-415 8. ICth Street. LUMBER ! Us ite ( Do. WHOLESALE DUMBER . . . 814 South 14th St. 9 WIIOUHAL.I : AND HETAIL LUMBEI Onice and Yards 13tti anil California M laily , end the ulae mamlanls bent like IIOWB I walked on u cuivo of lloor tlmberH driven upuard by thu rising clay. Here and Ihcie ucro jagged palnls , Iraum upllt nnd opened , lagged \\lth tough liber. In the ImndB of the moiinluln Die mlgbllcst trccueio AncS oiitBide by llielr tent I naw the Hold- udges loading up a pack pony , \\hllo two other little eayuec > ] ttood ready biddlcd. I ga c them good da ) , anJ Ibey nodded not , unche rfull } , is 1 thought. And when the pony'H load \vaa fixed up I folio A oil Ihem' ' nt a little dle'anco ah they took their labt ualk to IlitJ tunnel's mouth , ulilth was now shapelefs mil distorted Two great rafters hai\ \ freed their endu , and pointed nortliucst and southurst ; the Bill wan burnt , ami the unilurclay rose In a Ktrange mud llouci. From the tunnel's dcptli canm Hour.'Js which \\cro half muxlral , half dlHuirdint , like the loud cr ) of breaking harp btrlnga. "It's GcttlliiK now. " wald Kceley Hold- reilgo as ho took Ul brother's arm And vlelbly , tliough with a peculiar ncsH , lib If of conBelous power , Ihe Jau nf thin turnel weie being forced logclher. The rhe-n roofing fringed Us jagged mouth like } ollow faags , fetalned blue In plares , until It seemed eomo lit Ing monuier writhing In agony under a mokt Intolerable weight. Hut the wounds of the deeper tunnel wuro mnllled. We know the clay w aa burbling1 In at a thousand plates , perhaps oven now tlni long work of gravity was done there. Ono groan burst out of , the closing mouth. And thcti we heard thu whlstlo of a driven \\lnd hits through the ragged tocth. Hut with Uiat fameall of gravel rrom. the LUMBER : Qep.fi. Hoagland U'/iotcsa/c Lumber , Lime , Etc. . Oth utul Douglas Sts. Co 6tk and Douglas S's. - - Telephoni jor * Oavid Oole & Go , I'Ancunq. KING COLE OYSTERS , CiilMlY AND roOl.TUY. 1015 JlowurU St. OILS-PAINTS Faint Go. MANfPAi'TUUUHS Ait' Floated M < ncral Paint And Pnlni. nf1' Kim1 I'utly , Uto. 1015 nnd 1017 Jonts BU J A. Mnffet l t Vice PriI , J Drake , Ocn nnfo.lncriiricnilnv Avle Oreiite Plo Oninlm Ilriin.il nnil ABditlry John II Itulli MKP PAPEK- WOODEN WARE. 'arpssiter Fapsr Pi itttittf Paf > cr , lVrahf in < r P.ifjer , Stationery , Corner 12th and Howard tret - Wrapping Paper , Stationery , iroodcmuarc. 1107 Harney Street- PHOTOGRAPHIC SUPPLIES. Photographic Supplier , 1-'I5 I'nrnnm St. SASrl DO JHS BLINDS. flantifacturcrs of Sas/i , Dooi's , J3finds , Etc , 12th and It. ird Sts. STEAM-WATER oUPfLIES. rane-Churchill Go. 101 S-1OI6 Danclns Street. Manufacturer1) and Jobbers of SI cam. Gas and Water Supplies of All Kinds. itoS-ino Harncv St. Steam 1'umps , KnMnoH nnd HollerPipe. . Wind MI1H , Steiim and 1'lumblnc Mater al. Hcltlni , , Hose , Etc. TOYS AND FANCY GOODS. a Hardy & Co. 'Joys , Dolh , Albums and FANCY GOODS flouts Furnlitilngb CliljJicn's Currlngn , Etc. 1319 rurnam Street. YEA T-BArKNG FOWD-iR. in T\m \ % Ve st Go. Maniifaotuiei.s' edebinted "On Time Yeavl" ind OPIIIIIIII Hnklnt , I'ouiln. Hathfiutluu gtnirantcoil. , /jo/ toj2 ! Norlh Twenlv-cight Street. hill , and when Ihu dust was dissipated llu < tunnel w b been no more. It might have hcui my Imagination but as the brotliLTH liured nway It deemed ( o mo that a great weight was off their minds I mel old Clordon a mllu up Ihu road and ) slopped him "Tho mud tuniM'l'H down , " Mr Gordoi , ' I said. And he whUlkd. ' "Did yo sec Ihu Iloldredgis , man' " ho asked. "And what did they say ? " "O , jimt ! ) n" " fald I. "And the } vo go no aw iy whUtllng. They \vuru good me4 to work foi " "Yu ought to know , " erle-d ( lordon grl'i- n'ng , "for } e know they fired } e " Hut IT I did get the Back' aU the mm ! tun ncl it was only for having too much to bay/ And 1 bore the Holdredges no maliee. OMI * nt riuiNiciiiiiiiHii ( inrxiiiiiiN. Chicago 1'ont "I'ipa ! " "Yeb , my ho } . " "I want to ask you a question. " "I'roued , iny son. " Hu spoku with nil thu ( onddencu of a ini i\ \ who reall/ed that hu WBH de > allng with o > Incxpcrleneed lad. "Dldu t noun tody oneu nay , 'Sweet aru l > u UMS of udvcriilty ? ' " "Somebody did. " "Was hu a man who had bourcd on pra - perlly ? " The man no longer Bpoko wHh confident In fact , It was with dllDrulty that ho tipokii at all , and when hu did hu didn't say auyj thing that wwj worth repeatlati