Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1872-11-28
SELECTED STORY.
FIRE TEST.

believe it, sir l do indeed There
never was an evil that some good did
not spring from it. 1t is hard to be-
lieve; it was for me once but it is
truth. Shal l tell you why | changed
nv mind? | don't know as I ought to,
for am not much of a story teller. 1
can balance an account, or scale load
of lumber, but l vii try this time. All!
how l wish l could tell it as saw it!
But don't believe anybody ever could
do that, so l will make the best of it.
am in the employ ola heavy lumber
company doing business on the lake
shore and have been for years. Most
of the time there are two Of us in the
Office ohm Richards, son Of one of
the owners, and myself, Jacob Jackson.
John usually goes into the pineries in
the winter - : p : r
Well, last winter was untay orable
for logging; there was no snow to speak
of, and our supply of logs was SO much
less than usual that we were obliged to
shut down the mill by the 1st Of Sep
tember. That left thirty or forty men
idle. You know these lumbermen have
to eat something, and wear clothes, and
the firm decided to put crew into the
woods, if it was early. So about the
9th. of ,Sentember lot of men started.
John Richards went up to boss them;
and to be frank, as l always want to be,
l was glad when John was out OF my
sight. There was two or three reasons
why I was glad. First, John Richards was
not very agreeable person to have
around. He was naughty and over
bearing to the last degree, and many a
wordy tilt have we hadss Again, he
was paying attention to- a beautiful girl
whom I loved No doubt Twas a lit
tie Sc fish, but l really could: not help
it. There was no open rivalry between
us, however, for | never insinuated even
to my dearest friend, my mother, that
l cared aught for Belle Royalton.; But
loved her, and the idea that Richards,
or anybody else, for that matter, won d
bear off the prize, even before had en-
tered the list of competitors, was re-
pugnant to my feelings to say the least.
Last y, John richards was my enemy.
Wherefore; could not fathom, unless
some act or look of mine betrayed my
love. But he was my enemy, and | was
glad when he was out Of my sight. :
John had been gone nearly a month
when the firm received a letter from
him, in which he had stated that he had
found a large tract ofpine land for sale.
The owner had Just been burned out,
and John advised that | should come
Up with !. few thousand dollars, for a
splendid bargain could be made.
The partners held a consultation, and
finally decided that l should go up. /
was to start Immediately after dinner,
on horseback.
knew the road we'll, and was some
what acquainted with the few people
who had ventured to settle in that Wi :
derness through. which | had to pass;
therefore | apprehended no trouble.
Not so with my mother, however: She
took alarm at the first mention Of MY
journey.
Il wish you were not going jacob"
she said, with show Of much anxiety.
"Why, mother?"
."The fires. They are burning all
over the woods, and you have to camp
out one night"
laughed at her fears, for thought
them croundless, and she did not press
the subject further. The look Of anxi-
ETY. remained on her face, and | promis-
ed to be careful. tas .s,s1s ~
chose to use my own horse, so after
dinner went out to the stable and sad
died Jim, and rode down to the office.
Theywere not quite ready, and Mr..
Richards said had better take a turn
around and see if there were any letters
to send to the men. 1874 tH QE.
1t was only by some. transient meth
cd that we had any communication
with the pineries, and l found many
letters written.
After had visited all who had hus-
bands in the woods, / headed towards
I the Office again; but / happened to think
that perhaps Belle had some word to
send John Richards. It was notpleas.
ant to think of, and l selfshly9 decided
that | would not be the bearer Of COM
munications between them. But my
better nature prevailed, as hope al
ways may. rode over to Squire 10y
atoms, and asked for Belle. Size was
at, home. and think l trembled lit