Kindred of the Dust

Book Excerpt: ted the flames and resulted in a profusion of smoke thatblew back upon the mill to the annoyance of the employees, for manyyears The Laird had caused this accumulated sawdust to be hauled tothe edge of the bight on the north side of the town, and there dumpedin a low, marshy spot which formerly had bred millions of mosquitoes.Subsequently, in the process of grading the streets of Port Agnew andexcavating cellars, waste dirt had been dumped with the sawdust, and, occasionally, when high winter tides swept over the spot, sand, smallstones, sea-shells, and kelp were added to the mixture. And as if thiswere not sufficient, the citizens of Port Agnew contributed from timeto time old barrels and bottles, yard-sweepings, tin cans, andsuperannuated stoves and kitchen utensils.Slowly this dump crept out on the beach, and in order to prevent thecontinuous attrition of the surf upon the outer edge of it frombefouling the white-sand bathing-beach farther up the Bight of Tyee, The Laird had driven a douRead Mo