For fairness, the sale was an
auction, and one old farmer who had sold some of the land
originally for a hundred dollars an acre, bought back some of that
land at a thousand dollars a lot.
That sale was the climax and, that early, Hale got a warning word
from England, but he paid no heed even though, after the sale, the
boom slackened, poised and stayed still; for optimism was
unquenchable and another tide would come with another sale in May,
and so the spring passed in the same joyous recklessness and the
same perfect hope.
In April, the first railroad reached the Gap at last, and families
came in rapidly. Money was still plentiful and right royally was
it spent, for was not just as much more coming when the second
road arrived in May? Life was easier, too--supplies came from New
York, eight o'clock dinners were in vogue and everybody was happy.
Every man had two or three good horses and nothing to do. The
place was full of visiting girls. They rode in parties to High
Knob, and the ring of hoof and the laughter of youth and maid made
every dusk resonant with joy. On Poplar Hill houses sprang up like
magic and weddings came.
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