Daily Kennebec journal., 1873-08-08


.Sxed 80 day, as the duh cold November
Wind sighed about the house and touched
the helehboring pines into 1Eolian harps
and swept up the dead leaves only to scat
ter them again Why was she always
straining her eyes down the frost-whitened
rosdP And what was it that trembled IN
her bosom whenever spec appeared
against the frosty skyp But Louisa had
reckoned without her host. Ben was not
the man who was fond of reiterating a
love that had been received so coldly. He
dideut mean to leave the woods till March,
il he could hold out so long. Moreover,
il was Mr.. Bruce himself who proposed to
90 back with the OK team and bring the
supplies and hire the men. ~
II don't feel right about the head" said
he "and want Louisa to cosset me.
Then I'll 90 out to Shopton and see Scales
and Weight about the supplies, and be
back before you and 81 hav eat up all
this'ere vituals."
"All right. Sir" said Ben, smothering
. twinge of disappointment which ne
wouldn't own to himself. "We'H get the
hovel ready for the cattle while you're off.
and take tramp through the woods and
spot the best timber for telling"
There's enough to do" said Uncle
Simon. You'll be back in five days,
'ay22,r r., ,,o,. uo.,, ,,o ..or.. 9; o.
GOOD for a week. / should say, such
as they are. But the sooner you get back
the better. It'll be sight easier for you
il you can manage to get up before
heavy snow comes. You see, we haven't
had anything but spits yet, though may
be we're going to have an open winter
"Ay, ay," answered Mr.. Bruce, as he
drove off through the woods with the OK
team Provisions for week, eh Ihat'll
tide We over, reckon. There's sight oil
work to be got through with in weeks
time. There's the supplies to be got. and
the hands to be hired; lemme see--hye
cutters, two teamsters. and cook: that
aboct it, and to hev um beady to start
when do. and amt SO young as was.
Heyday. it's rub and grind lnmbermans
life is N
Alas there was more to he gotten
through with in weeks time than Mr..
Bruce had an inkling of; so much that it
ran over into the next week. ~ work has
trick of doing.
When Louisa saw that it was only her
old father ,rudging along with the return
ing OK team, her mercury went down to
zero in half a second. She saw before her
a weary three months of loneliness and
longing, and she saw, too, that she de-
served it.
"Its deuced cold day for an old
man." said Mr.. Bruce, shivering before
the wood fire. as If there should have been
special sets of weather created to suit Gus
toners. What's that you've got cooking
on the crane, Lu? Stewp amt got no
more appetite than a bear in August
Brindlc and Trot were slow as cold mo-
lasses they've seen their best days, r
reckon. like their master. Wish I'd
snapped 'em to Dunn for the yearlings
and boot; it would hev bin good bar
gain. 81 sent his love to you. Lu. I've
( 10 o." s0'0' fs'A0" III turn IN ana ''eep
"They oughtn't have let you come,'
said Lu, Indignantly, as she carried him
bottle of hot water for his feet. Uncle ST
or Uncle Ben ought to have come instead y
1t want their fault; thought could
drive better bargain with the hands.
Ben said he'd come in my place, but his
heart want set on it," which assurance in
no wise comforted Louisa.
Mr.. Bruce was restless all night, and in
the morning was out of his~ head, and
and called Louisa Ben, and asked grand
ma to put the oxen into the cart, mistak-
ing her for Uncle Simon. And Louisa.
half frightened to death, jumped upon old
Roan's back and galloped all the way to
Shopton for the nearest doctor.
"Ahem! Nothing more nor less than
a fever" said he, the instant he laid his
eyes on Mr.. Bruce.
Is he dangerous Pr asked Louisa.
Dangerous Oh, guess he'll pull +
through. I'll leave this prescription, and
be round tomorrow. There's Mr.. Maver-
lex, of the tavern-Maverick's tavern, at /
our place-had the same symptoms week !
ago, and he's about to day. There's no
telling about these things; different con-
stitntions take diseases differently. At
least, you needn't be alarmed at present
0ood-morning." with an emphasis on the
good. Louisa thought it was anything
but good morning, after the comfort Of
his professional presence was withdrawn.
But the next day her father was no bet
ter. nor yet the next. though the doctor
assured her that he was doing as well as
could be expected, whatever that might
be.
lCoNcLUDED TOMORROW