Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-11-21

answered as IL that had been his name
from his christening, only glancing as
kance at Field the first time with twin
kle in his eye, and would give no other
name after that. "A name was only
handle to a man, any way, and one was
as good as another, or better"
1t would be hard to define the motive
that led Field TO answer, "Well. if it's the
same to yon. Long it is. You can call me
Meadow when you don't think ofanything
better.
Long had an evident admiration for his
companion which increased every day.
Field was a good shot, as good fisher
man as himself, rowed and walked and
sailed with about equal strength and skill,
could do wonder full tricks of tossing balls
and other feats, could eat anything orgo
without, sleep anywhere, and be good hui
mored in any circumstances; and Field
found Long trusty, self-contained, clever
fellow, and was much entertained by his
dry humor and amusing stories OF bear
hunts and deer hunts and queer adven-
lures. They tramped that region pretty
thoroughly, camping out at nights OF
sleeping at the nearest of the little settle
ments. a
One morning they took boat at the
head of the lake and rowed down toward
a pond on the east side among the hills,
where Long said the ducks came $50 thick
YOU couldn't see through 'enl, and where
the water was so shallow and the mud SO
deep that, when the ducks were shot. the
Devil couldn't get 'em though he had
dog" After while wind came swoop-
ing down on the quiet water through dip
in the hills, and nearly blew the skiff's
bows out of water. The sleeping lake
woke up, pitched and foamed. and beat
upon the bows and dashed over the young
men till they were nearly as wet as the
waves themselves. Field was pulling to
Longs stroke, the wind fluttering his hair
in his eyes and the water running down
his back, but he would not say anything
till Long looked round round over his
shoulder, and hailed, IL guess we'd best
throw up and get tow: hear the Wa
nita coming down"
Presently the little steamer came along
aud threw them line. Long caught i,
and made it fast. They We're nearly jerked
out OF the water Or flung into it, and then
went boiling along in the steamers wake.
\ boat-hand drew in the line. and they
climbed out, swaying and floundering
through cloud OF spray, and all the pas
sengers crowding back to see. They went
forward and up on deck, and the captain
spoke to Long from the pilot-house, call
ing him Trapp Long talked to him
through the window, and introduced Field
when he came along: "Mr. Meadow.
Cap'n Charner. I'm showing him bear
tracks and things around the pond"
"How do you do, captain ?" said Field.
"DOn't know me in the part of Neptune,
eh ?"
"Oho.' said the captain glancing aside
from the wheel. "It's you, is it? Where's
your friend ?-Trapp," he continued,
you'd better take Mr.. Meadow down and
get Hess to dry his coat" They went
down to the cabin, where u trim, plainly
dressed, but very pretty girl was busy
with some sewing. She started and
laughed when she saw Long and how wet
he was. Then she saw there was some
body else. and she blushed little.
"Mr. Meadow, Hess" and ''Miss Hes
sic Charner. Meadow introduced Long;
and he told her what the captain had bid
den him.
The girl brought Il coat of her fathers
for Field, and hung his up to dry near the
furnace. and the three chatted together till
the boat warped in to the wharf at her
trips end. ..t...
Long did not know how it was, but it,
happened constantly after that that they
fell in with the Wanita somewhere on her
trip. He found that accident pleasant
enough at first, but somehow changed his
mind. before long, and managed that they
did not happen upon the boat the next day.
That afternoon Field had some business
i'll Bee, and set off in that direction, en-
gaging to meet Long with traps and bear
bait at the HeXagon Hotel the next morn
ing. His business in Bee could not have
required much time, for when Long hap
pened down at Leewell that evening, Field
was smoking with Captain Charner in the
little cabin of the Wanita, the captains
daughter sitting by with some sewing.
Long sat with them while, but he would
not smoke, and his conversation could not
be called brilliant or amusing. Field, on
the other hand. talked his best and and
was in the highest spirits. Long got up
and went away presently with only good
night to the captain.
One evening, little later. two persons
were looking out on the lake and the dark
hills beyond, and talking in low tones by
the rail on the lower deck of the Wanita
passed down along the shore, and went by
without looking round. An hour later Field
was walking quickly along the shore road
in the moonlight, crushing the gravel and
whstllng an ala uuder his breath, when
Long came ont of the shaded piece ahead
and started past without amy sign OF rec
ognition. 4s>
On Thursday OF the same week Field
left Long at a point on the east side Of the
lake, to go to Bee; and half an hour after
arriving there was out on the Leewell read,
galloping south, singing stave of song
as he dashed along. There was dance
that night at the George Hotel, and Field
was there the handsomest and gayest oil
men and there was no prettier girl in the
room than the one he brought and danced
with, and whom no one else knew. Late
al night, looking up from her flushed and
happy face in a pause of the dance, his
eyes fell on another face, neither flushed
uor happy, looking at him from q door
across the length Of the saloon, and be
vas doubly spirited and devoted after that
lie did not see her face again, but he was
conscious of being watched as the ball
came at last To an end and hp saw his