The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1865-07-26
soil here and there, and having their labor for their


another, and you good many more all about US.
"Ayn said yeung Roger "theres few too many,
and where are the cedars that we're to round!'
'eWell they're not wanting either There's clump
wonder and there to the right are three or four ana
yonder-no that's an oak But here are the pines.
Though there may be twenty We are only called upon
to use three. That's clear enough. But lets go 10
work regularly. Where's the paper with the dlrcc
tions9n .s.st sH -+
"Here!n said Elias - s.z.zs
"Hod the light, then, while read ,ag . Il; -
The two young men in the thicket listened with al
their ears They could hear some OF the words, but
only when the old man raised his voice little. his
hsbitua caution sometimes sunk his voice 70 Whisper
but working apart at present they were required 70
do it needed that the voice should be raised much
higher than usual go |1a 4.#-..
sTalk out father" said Elias more than once,
| "theres nobody to hear
"Unless the devil" quoth young Roger, looking to
the assed and dark wood that rose hke wall behind
them. In the foreground there were numerous clumps
of wood and brush and scattered pines on
the inner side of the island, almost to the marshes.
'Here, hold the light nearer, while read. :" He
read-eyery syllable reached the eara f our lurkers
in the thicket -.1-~. Z ilet -l .f
| 'Frst pine, aud then, and again pinc"
| "Well, here are three pines" - t...s-- ,.,.-
eyes thrty-three, almost. But 20 ahead, and see
| what comes next" The next line was read -
Take the three with cord, and put em in line. 5a
| "Weil" quoth Elias, eve can put dozen here IN
| the cord running to the cedars-read that.
The old man proceeded '1 -ss B. 'if
"Pay out the cord for thirty feet, e.-zg .....N
Till the pines with the crooked cedars meet" 2.
swell, that's easy to be done. Where's your coli
of rope 'Lias We've got to SEQ and find the pine
that's thirty feet to cedar" s-5 s-.- se e. e.
"And that a crooked one" . rs7st 1854 .i =:
eyes and if it's or less than thirty feet we
must look for other cedars and other pncs If we try
all over the island. It's a work OF time, boys SO
begin Pay out from this pine to them cedars yonder'
"Lets 90 through the directions first, because when
we lind the cedars we've got to look OF from lhem ID
another quarter to find something else
"Right Roger And the old man read
"Round the first CEDAR then strike for the west,
There's palm tree stands on sandy crest"
'Hear that, now. When you're at the cedar, Las,
you're to look out west for palmetto tree ..'
| ''Yes! | understand. What next?' -7-. r
In front of this let the two ends rest" .sl..
"Let's understand that, before you go any farther
tWhy that's clear as MONDAY, 'Iias. We're to pass
the rope round the three pine trees IN iine one OF
the ends of the rope is to go out to the cedaS, ana
wrap round the first crooked cedar that's eeari then
we're to take up both ends and 60 out west to the pal
metto. What could be plainer?" H.,
The parties were all satisfied with tie sotatfon and
| the father continued to read. 1885 1Eer-E
Forty whine feet to either line"
T"That's after you've rounded both the pines and
the cedars boys, reiicrhbef." ---
"Then look that an arm. Of the centre pine, ,,~
| Points to the angle made by the tie,
With the palm tree sentinel standing by, ~ 5a@
Thirteen feet midway between, 80 - -,E
Rrotler of the coast send the mattock in!' ff
something about that don't quite understand,
said Roger the younger 'What DO they mean by the
| Gtie9 y. ls az5.-s-.,A -..5 r. --s
"What Ounce YOU are, Roger" growed the ania-
BILE Eas 'Dont you that the tie Is the two ends
of the rope that you've brought round to meet, just
fnrtvnne feet each end from where they round the
two extremes of pines and eedars?"
hats old
"Its clear as daylight; mighty clear i never could
have believed that there anything half SO sensible
in poetry #ss-
The young men watching in the rear, heard every
syllable. --.r, I-a III 81. ifz.E .d.Es.-ls-- lt
Charley" said Hocombe 'there's something very
systematic in this natter. Old Carr and his sons
manufactured that doggcre9 The pirates seemed to
have kept poet But whythey should have entrusted
such secret to verse; sss-z5es ss5-r gar "
"fhe very best means for keeping it Verse pre-
serves better than any other form of language AL
ancient mysteries were embaHed in verse-all old
religions. Even the althculists and astroogers wrote
their laws IN verse ... .-- .,. --..-la,eE
f'5 'Wty?" ;i;.
''For the best Of reasous 1t is the most profitable
it takes irmer bold upon the memory. For example,
from the one bearing of this doggerel, can now al
most repeat every syllable l certainly follow all
directions" .i
'Thats true--so can 1. But listenn .9@ q
Old Carr was again talking. The .scrutiny--the
their steps, and enter into all their discussions Where
fore? Enough that they and argued together,
measured and mis- measured for tedious time, till
after the ether reported himself satisfied They
they had found the place, though it was admitted
that they rather doubtful about the farm of the
centre pine They had found an arm to the pine
they might have found dozen to every pine on tire
sl5nd-but it did not exactly point to the angle made
by the tie.p But they were sure, nevertheless, and
the digging was begun. D.. s.-r.l .-.z.. -5E
fDlTl lUnLi ty wafp OpO-
gress of the aborers from their covert the shade;
carefully keeping the no less curious hounds from Civ
ing tongue and breaking out upon the mysterious
party, This they could only do by keeping the hand
kerchief about their neck and their hands upon their
mouths The beasts, though well trained to obedience
were yet very FESTIVE. There was something so nac-
countable in the strange and silent proceeding which
they Witnessed -.. .-s
And curious enough would the spectacle have been
to any spectator not in the secret The lanterns side
by side stood upon the top of little sand-hil some
four feet from the place OF operations shedding
feeble light upon the scene which was not materially
helped by the vague twilight cleaning of the distant
stars The hour Of midnight reached. The ST
fcuce was verf awful aud Imposing and for While no
word was spoken among the three laberers Thev had
all thrown of coat and vest, for the better execution
of their tasks The father had assisted in rakng away
the drift sands from the surface When the solid earth
was laid bare, Elias pushed him aside and seizing
grubbipghoe, made desperate attack upon the hard
ground. t. ,-.sr s -. g-..
ITS Ike rock" he murnured
Al! fortune is to be come at without sweat
ing" quoth the old man encouragingly
If we we've only sure that its here, said Roger
the son, "A .. ...- -. /
''And where else should it be?" demanded the more
confident Elias, pausing in his strokes. You might
be better employed, think, with that other grubbng
hoe than throwing cold water hopes
Yes, at it, Roger" cried the old man, there's room
for both of you to work, and unless you work with
will, both Of you, daylight will catch us"
s the devil does not catch US before" was the NUT
tered response of Che elder Of the two sons who was
not little supersttous.
aD-n the devIy' growIed the younger, 'hc'salwayg
in your mouth" gl51 -s: A
None of that, boys interrupted the old man. upo
improper speaking Remember, this is not q moment