The Right of Way 205 



where it would surely go crashing into the 

 watery depths beneath. Yet it always 

 escaped, and hissing, roaring and pounding, 

 sped on. 



Across the broad unobstructed plains its 

 shrieking whistle could be heard for ten 

 miles and the vast pillar of steam and 

 smoke that it builded against the blue 

 intense sky could be seen for twice that dis- 

 tance. Sometimes it would be nearly half 

 an hour after that first faint streak of blue 

 mist was seen on the utmost horizon, before 

 the monster finally went shrieking and 

 thundering past. Farmers were often heard 

 to boast that in a clear day, after first seeing 

 the smoke signal, they could put up their 

 team, change their clothes and then drive to 

 the depot if it was not more than a mile, 

 and still catch the train. 



It was a land of thrift and plenty through 

 which the long train sped. Farms of hun- 

 dreds and thousands of acres, the richest 



