Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-08-07


a lantern"
"But how shall find the ways" Louisa
was already inside her pelisse and muf-
flers.
"Bless you, a baby couldn't miss it.; the
trees are notched with star, every hall
mile, on the left-hand side. There, take
Tim, and be off,
AS there was not an able-bOdied man
short of Shopton at that season VINO
wasn't off logging, and as grandma ana
Susette could take care OF her patient,
and Ben was starving without her, what
could she do but go!
And how were they faring in the camp,
sixty miles away in the heart of the wood,
which was almost like primeval foresty
After Mr.. Bruce's departure they had gone
about their work with will; while Uncle
Simon was busy on the howell for the cat
tie, Ben had walked miles and miles
through the sweet-scented wood, spOtting
the timber: and suns had risen and set,
when one morning, before the week was
out, Uncle Simon was surprised to see the
bottom of the meal-chest.
though lucku said he, briefly; "but
there's swamp pork to exc it out" And
he plunged his hand confidently into the
pickle, and had something of chase
after two or three insignificant pieces.
The two men looked at each other in dis
may for an instant.
"But he'll be back day after to-mor-
row." said Ben.
"But what if he shouldn'ts" asked the
older man, not so sanguine.
what can keep him? At any rate,
we've got legs of our own"
precious stiff ones mine are 1t
would be a nice excursion, sixty miles
afoot Why, we shall freeze to death!'
"Well, let's us wait; no use running
from your shadow"
And so they waited.
Hell be sure to come tomorrow" was
the assurance with which they comforted
each other; and when to morrow passed
without bringing him, "We will wait an
other day; perhaps the oxen were disabled
on the road" For storm had set in,
cold and clustering; not much snow; just
enough to make the world lovely. The
wind sang among the pines like the
voice of angry watercourses, and splin-
tered great boughs in the forest, and up
rooted blasted trees, and seemed like an
invisible presence haunting the recesses
of the wholesome impersonation of Thor,
whose touch was blow; and all the while
the snow built up its Aladdin palaces,
crystal by crystal; wreathed about the
living green, tapestried every bowlder,
hid the dead leaves and hollows under
the screen, for it was by no means deep;
the weather was too bitter cold for more
than light fall, just enough to drape ma
ture gracefully in its fold, and give a
promise of more to come.
Before the sky had cleared the last
G.J = H. IL, I'll
cept for a partridge that Ben had made
shift to kill with club-for there were
no firearms yet in camp-and rabbit
taken in rude trap Of their own con-
structing, they had not eaten anything for
two days. But they were robustmen, who
would have a tough fight with starvation
before succumbing; and then there was
no lack of water
much concerned for Mr. Bruce as for
themselves. He might have lost his way,
they feared, or been overtaken by the
storm or the wolves; he might come into
camp any moment too far reduced to help
himself and need their weak assistance.
Since their stomachs were idle, their
brains became correspondingly active
with fearful imagnations. Every day
but perhaps he would come tomorrow !;
and then they hated TO desert. their post !;
besides the weather was singing cold,
and, reduced by hunger, they might faint
by the way, frost bitten, or, unarmed, en-
counter Indian devils or wolves! What
ever he might be able to endure himself,
Ben felt that Uncle SimOns strength was
utterly inadequate to the struggle. They
were besct with thousand peradventures |;
there was not only a lion in the way, but
all manner of perils, real and imaginary.
So they waited, perforce, watching the
DAYS vanish in tender dream OF color, and
the stars make their silent journey across
the deeps of heaven, and the mornings
dawn as the rose blooms, unfolding petal
after petal of exquisite bloom. They bu
sled themselves still about the camp and
howell, giving thousand last touches, such
as they would never have thought of Civ
ing at another time, gathering fire-wood,
and setting the rabbit trap in vain. And
one day the axe fell from Ben's resolute
hand, and he just dragged himself inside
the camp, and stretched himself before
the fire. Uncle Simon had already given
out.
"WalkiHg home could hardly have been
worse" Ben said, simply. Perhaps he
was thinking Of somebody who might
have met him, kindly, at the journeys
end, in view of the danger he had passed.
perhaps Bruce'll come yet" returned
Uncle Simon.
Through chink in the camp door Ben
watched the sunset fade like a fire among
the woods, and one by one the stars shine
out, each in its appointed solitude, and the
northern lights palpitate rosiiy along the
sky. The bowling of wolves echoed dis
mally, while now and then branch
cracked in the forest, and the wind trebled
among the pines. Inside the fire made a
comfortable glow, under the influence of
which he was soon nodding off to sleep,
when through the fog OF his semi-con.
sciousness he seemed to hear sort of
ringing in his ears, at first mere thread
of sound, then louder and nearer, as if
every tree in the forest was church stee-
pie with all the bells a-swinging. Then
he heard no more till a smothered groan
from Uncle Samuel caused him to raise
himself upon his elbow. The fire was
still swapping and blazing brightly, and
the form and profile of a woman was shad.
owed forth upon the wall of the camp-a
very familiar face and figure it was, too,
that oppearnd IN he lending over aOme.