The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1873-08-07
LOVE AND LOGGING.

LOVE AND LOGGING.
Lnuisa'S father had gone off with the
oN-tcam up into the woods. sixty miles
away. to make the camp before the win
ter's logging should begin She felt very
lonely as soon rs he was out of sight, for
more reasons than one. In the first place.
there was nobody at home but little Tim,
who could dig the paths, to be sure, and
look after the cattle; grandmother, who
was companionable enough, with her
stories OF Old times, but care more than
a protector; and Susettc, who helped
about the house, but was only child
me second reason was that she had quar-
reled with Ben; and last, but not least,
he and her uncle Simon had driven off on
the oN-team with her father. If there had
ever been Il time since their quarrel when
she felt disposed to make it up, it was
when the oN-team had disappeared from
sight and it was impossible to do so.
he fact OF the case was that Ben had
been looking upon Louisa as his own
property ever since he could remember.
lie had bcaued her to and from singing.
school; he had helped her out with her
hard problems at district school, and had
carried her home on his sled; at quilting.
sewing circle, or picnic he had chosen
her for his partner in the dance, had paid
his lortets to her, and had revolved about
her daily. And she had seemed to relish
the whole thing till she went away to the
city one winter to work in a milliner's
shop, and so came home quite out of con-
cc't with country living and country men,
and had rather given Ben the cold shoul-
der, refusing his gifts and attentions, and
showing pretty plainly that she looked
higher. But Ben. with the instincts of
trcc-born American, felt himself as good
as anybody, and charged her one day
with having come by hifalutin ideas of
herself and life in the city, which didn't
III the least become her, and averred that
she couldn't do better than to marry him.
well, Mr.. Benjamin Thurman, hope
you're conceited enough" she answered
him. Marry you! l won't saw but
you're well enough yourself; but to live
in this slow, backwoods fashion forever
would be the death of me; and not so
much as a lecture or concert to while
away the time; to be wearing homespun
all my days, and worrying about the
crops Oh dear, no, thank you; I've had
enough of hard times. believe I'll wall
While before settle down."
Perhaps there's somebody else?" VEN
tured Ben.
No, can't say that there is; though I
don't mind telling you that didn't come
home single for want of chance. He
had a house too, in the suburbs, and a
housekeeper, and he said never should
bring the water to wash my hands,"
And why didn't you marry him:'
asked Ben, trigidly.
"Oh, he didn't exactly suit me; he'd
lost his front teeth and his hearing.
There's as good fish in the sea as ever
yet were caught" she sang, gayly.
WE'LL" said Ben, rising, and looking
blue lightnings, ION the whole, I'm glad
that you won't marry me, for you've got
no more heart than an adder" And then
he could have bitten his tongue out for
saying what wasn't true, when his heart
was almost breaking for love of her; and
if she had shown that she was wounded,
by word or look, he was ready to abase
himself beneath her feet, and take it all
back.
YOU'RE amazing polite, Mr.. Thurman,
l must say" she returned. Pm sorry
you asked for what you didn't want, be-
cause it would have been awkward if l
hadn't refused. didn't know that this
was the way folks made love-callinc
names, when I've always treated YOU
we'll"
Treated me well with a vengeancev ~
cried Ben, his face white as a star, and his
eyes like thunder-bolts. "Do YOU call it
ing you year after year, while it strength
cned with my strength, without hint
that you couldn't return measure for
measure? And then to go back upon
fellow, and throw him over because he
doesn't live like nabob, though he loved
the ground you walked on, and thought
nothing too hard to do for you! If that's
what you call treating me well, good-by-
ont want ever to see you again."
Louisa had been looking at him with
sparkling eyes. She rather liked to see
him angry; it was vastly becoming. And
then he loved her SO desperately. She felt
strange, delightful thrill at her heart, as
if it responded secretly. She had half a
mind to go to him and hold out her arms
and be clasped to his beating heart, and
forget ambition and luxury and choose
rather heaven on earth; and while she
hesitated he had said, "Good-by-I don't
want ever to see you again-good-by."
II return the sentiment" said she, in
stead. II believe l can live without you.
GoOd-by." And when he was safely out
of sight she took revenge in a good cry.
But now that he was gone she began to
find how much she had depended upon
him, how much more his mere presence
was to her than any dream of worldly
prosperity, however golden. Perhaps but
for this breach she might never have
known how dear he was to her, nor how
little she valued the superfluities of life in
comparison. Well, one of the three was
to return before the winters season of log
ing began in order to lay in provisions
for the camp-as they had only taken uI
enough for week or ten days-and per
haps Ben would be the one to come; in
which case he could hardly avoid bring
ing her some word of her father and un
Gle. And then who could predict but hi
might think it worth his while to reiterat.
his love in his eloquent style? And ther
Louisa laughed wicKedly at the prospect
and decided that if he was enough in Low,
to do thus and thus, it would be safe fo
her beyond o pcradventure to take he
own time about making up, to show q su
preme indifference to his regard. No NOR,
heart than an adder, indeed! What wa
it, then, that ached SO, day after day, q
the dull, cold November wind sighet
about the house and touched the neighbOr
ing pines into Eolian harps and swept NJ
the dead leaves only to scatter them again
Why was she always straining her eye