The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-11-04

90 back2 Say, shall we go back -
But we are only twenty minutes
from home, not more"
Eyes, travellers who are lost III the |
woods always say they are only twenty |
minutes from home. | don't like those
ugly twisted trees there must be
crowds of animals living IN those
roots. She shuddered, and, STOPPING
forward to listen, said, "There, do you
hear those heavy blows? Hush, hush
heavy, heavy blows At this hour,
IN the forest, what can it be? The sun
is setting; shan't we go back z"
[ listened, and did indeed hear dull
sound the cause of which was easy to
guess | could have told her at once,
but [ liked to see her as she stood Sc
rious and bent to listen, her lips p rrt-
ed, and her eyes fixed on mine it gave
me too much pleasure to have her
clinging to me III her fright, and in my
egotism / answered, without moving
muscle: at is strange, indeed. |
do hear heavy blows. Let us go and
see what it is; it can't be far.
600 there ! Dear George you are
mad" She threw her arms around me,
and rising herself to my ear, almost
whispered: Il am frightened; come
away, please-please come away.
"What little coward you are !!
Didn't you recognize the sound-the
woodcutters working in the clearing Z"
"And you expect me to believe IN
your woodcutters What are they do
ing, prayI
''They are cutting up oak logs to
make slaves for barrels, that the whole
of the mystery"
| - Are you sure
"Yes, dear"
Il" Are woodcutters good people "
Particularly these; | know them
we'll Let us go and see them it won't
take three minutes.
She consented to follow me, tagging
a little behind. In another minute OF
two we were in the most picturesque OF
spots. Before us were two or three
cabins like the wigWams or the shores
of Lake Ontario, described In COOper' S
novels, consisting of a pile of boards
and trunks of trees, blackened, moss
grown. dark and damp, topped by q
white chimney, whence a feather OF
blue smoke escaped into the green
/ Vault dboNt us. AlcilllAl b1lio 6Ctbltiitll'
were heaps of logs, mountains of chips,
J pyramids of yellowish red planks, and
on a line stretched from tree to tree,
few clothes making believe to dry. The
ground next the huts was trodden down
: and at little low door an old woman
was feeding a dozen chickens.
4" Good evening, sir-good evening
madame, " said the old woman, as w,
approached. Won't you come III
and warm yourselves "A little. 1T
pretty fresh this evening"
Louise was looking at everything a
she would have looked at a successful
stage effect. We went in.
The inside was worthy of the outside
The hut was of irregular shape, full O
: chincks and corners; IN the middle OF
the ground blazed a magnificent fire
t the fire place being indicated by fou
iron bars, which kept the burning Fir
7 in its place. There was a hole in tn
2 roof, as IN the Impluvium of Il Roma
house, and the flames scared high; be
: yOnd the opening, through yawnln
, chimney, which let III the daylight az
| let out the smoke, we saw branches an
r gray sky. In the embers we saw DO
3 set to boil, and in the corners of TIN
] cabin. in confusion of tools, mate
e rails, and refuge, three men-One a If
S tie old fellow with hollow checks an
a brick-dust compleXion-were chopin
r away with all their might and main
: The three we're father, son, and sOn-iI
law; this was their workshop an
: their home, and here they lived an
5 labored, year in, year out, winter an
summer through. Once a week tn
1 son went to the village for provisions
e and on Sunday the whole family playe
t at bowls under the great trees
5 As we entered they stopped worl
and each man, having spoken to u
T put down his axe, frightful weapon
/ not unlike the guillotine axe-an emo
e nous, sharp-po1nted blade, and
a short handle, admirably adapted to til
n murder of oaks, but sinister of aspec
e Louise drew somewhat closer to me G
q the little bench where we had seate
q ourselves.
e Don't we interrupt your work 2"
5, asked the old man
n THANK you Kindly, no sir ; we al
u just going to supper"
u The two young men pulled dow
lie round a large table of primitive CO.
'e struction, made of boards, and fol
d legs still III the rough. While the
N were setting out little plates of THO
blue stoneware the old woman brougl
J. q great pan, and threw into the fire 8
o. armful OF chips.
10 In this strange, rude interior, Louis
IS looked refined and delicate, with a
lie her dainty appointments of long, IL
p, dressed kid gloves, jaunty boots, al
IN looped-up petticoat. While | talk'
a to the wOCdcutters she shielded h
Y face from the fire with her eye on ii
ID butter beginning to sing in the pan
he Suddenly she rose, and taking Il
Sc panhandle from the old woman sal
" #" Let me help you make the omelett
q will you?'
I The good woman let go with a smil
lp and Louise found herself alone, in Il
I'd attitude of fisherman who had in
s, had a nibble. She stood in the fl
a light OF the fire. her eyes fixed on Il
a melted butter, her arms tense with
fort; she was biting her lips, probab
p to increase her strength.
| :. It's rather hard on madame's lit
hands" said the old man. q bet il
[ the first time you ever made an omelet
ly in a woodcutter's hut isn't it, my youl
lady?o
|: Louise nodded yes without turin
| her eyes from the omelette. "Tl
lie eggs the eggs" she suddenly e
claimed with such look of uneasine
that we all burst out laughing" hu
wy with tho afrrc Tho h11tta5 &c -.