Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-06-14
The First Test.

never Vas an evil that some god did
not spring from It. Ii Is something
hard 70 believe-it vas for ne Onoe-
but it IS truth Shall l tell you why I
} changed ny mind ? l don't know Is I
ought 20. for an not much Of = story
teller can balance an secount OF scale
lad Of lumber bettsr-but l will try
this time All. how l wish l could aS /
saw it and felt il. but l don't believe
anybody ever does that. 80 I'll make the
best Of it
1 an in the employ Of : heavy lum-
bering esmpany doing business On the
lake shore and have been for years.
Most Of the time there were two Of Is in
heO6ee-IOhn Richards. 4 son Of one Of
the owners, and myself. Jacob jackson.
John usually gOe< into the piDeries in
I the winter.
Well. last winter was unfavOrable for
I logging-there was No snow TO speak Of
/ -aDd our supply Of logs vas 50 much
less than usual that We were obliged to
shut down the mill about the first Of
September.
That left thirty OF 'forty nen idle.
You know these lunberuen have to eat
something. and wear clothes. and the firm
decided to put new crew into the
woods. if it Was early. So about the 4th
OF 9Th Of September, lot Of men
started
John Richards went I'D to boss them /:
and TO be frank. Is I always want to Be,
Iwas glad when John vas cut Of sight
There were tEo OF three reasons why 1
was glad First. John Richards vas
not very agreeable person to have
around He was naughty and over
bearing TO the last degree, and many !
EOriy tilt have we had Again he vas
/ paying attention 10 : beautiful girl
whom loved No doubs ] vas little
selfish. but I couldn't help it There
vas ID open rivalry between Us. however.
for had never insinuzted 70 nv dearss:
friend. NJ mother. that I cared ought
for Belle Royalton- But l loved her,
and the idea that John Richzris-or
anybody else, for that uztteE-vould
bear Of the prlIs. even before had En-
tersd the ist as competitor. was re-
pugnant TO ny feelings. to say the least
Lastly. John Richards vss nv enemy.
Wherefore I could not fathon. unless
soue AZ OF look Of nine had betrayed
ny love But he vas ny enemy. and l
Vas glad Ehen he was out Of sight
John had been sone nearly month,
when the firm received letter from him,
in which be stated that he had found :
large traes Of pine land for sale The
owner had just been burned cut and
John advised that should eoue Up with
few thousand dollars. for splendid
bargain could be made
The partners had ; consultation. and
finally decided that L should GO Wa
30 Start Immediately after dinner OF
horseback
knew tie mad veil. and vas some
vhzt acquainted Eith the fev peOpl,
who had venturei 70 settle in that vii
derpess through which l had to pass
therefore I zppreheniei 10 trOable- No
50 With ny mother. however. She sool
J alarm at the first mention Of tae journey
Il wish yoQ we're not gong. Joe.
said she With show Of anxiety.
why. Rother ?"
The fires. Joe They are burning
over the voodz. and you have TO can!
0ut At night"
laughed AZ her fears. for I though
then groandless. and she did lot pres
the subject further; the look Of anxiety
> remained On her face. however. and
promised 70 be careful
l eh0se 70 Use ny own horse; -
after dinner. went 70 the stable Al.
szddlsd jim. and ro3e down 70 the once
They we're nOt quite ready, and Ar
: Richards said had better take tur1
around. and see If there were any let
: ters % send u the nen- II was onl,
: zt sone such transient method that u
had any eouuunication with the pineries
and l found many letters already Erit
: ten After l had visited al who hzl
husbands IN the E0ods, HEADED toward
the O6oe again. but | happened 70 thinl
: that perhaps Belle had some E0rd I
seud TO John Richards Il vas 10
r pleasant 70 think q. and I selfzhly De
: eidsi that would not Be the bezrsr Q
: e9uuuniczti0n between them But n
better nature prevailed As hope II al
Ways uzy. 1 rode over 70 Squ2r
: Royalton's and asked for Belle 81
: vas az home: and l think | trembled
: little. While The servant Ezs calling ber
I for lad never spoken u her except i
tie presence of others, n1eh less vlsite
! her IN her own home was even nor
: agiiatsd vixen she entered the room. al
J the togch Of her hand thrilled u
through and through It vas Only b
{ = mighty effort that I controlled N
fselingz Ah, b0E lovely she Ezs
dared Dot dEell upon sUch thoGghta
!, % stzunerei Oat the Business TIA
= II