The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-04-12

had gone about their work with a will
while Uncle Simon was busy on the hovel
for the cattle, Ben had walked miles anC
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.
Tough luck y 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 a chase attel
two or three insignificant pieces. The
two men looked al each other in dislnay
tor an instant.
But he'll be back day after morrow. :
said Ben
But what If he shouldn't Z" asked the
older man. not 50 sanguine.
"What can keep him, At any rate We
have got legs Of our own.
"Precious stiff, ones mine are. 1t would
be q nice excursion. siNtN miles atOot
Why, we should freeze to death -
Nv ell, let'S wait: mo use running from
your shadow"
And so they waited.
''He'll he sure to come Tomorrow" was
the assurance with which they comforred
each other and when tomorrow passed
without bringing him, 1--WE will wait an
other day perhaps the oxen were disa-
bled on the road" For a storm had set
in, cold and clustering; not much snow
just enough 10 make the world lovely.
The wind sang among the pines like the
Voice Of angry Water-rOurses, and splin-
tered great boughS in the forest. and up
rooted blasted trees, and seemed like IN
invisible presence haunting the rccesscs
Of the wood some impersonatiOn of Thor,
whose touch was Il blow; and all the
while the snow built up its Aladdin pala
ces, crystal by crystal Wreathed about
the living green, tapestrled each boulder,
hid the dead leaves and holloWS under the
screen. for it was by no means deep; the
weather was too bitter cold tor more than
g light fall, just enough to drape nature
gracefully in its folds, and give promise
of more to come.
Before the Sky had cleared, the last
mouthtul of food had vanished, and eX-
cept for a partridge that Ben had made
shift to kill with club-for there were
no firearms yet i'll camp-and a rabbit
taken in a rude trap OF their own con-
structing, they had not eaten any thing
for two days. But they We're robust men,
who would have a tough fight with star
walton before succumbing and then there
was no lack Of water
In the meanwhile they We're almost as
much concerned ior 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! imaginatlOns. Every day
they proposed setting out to walk home
but perhaps he would come tomorrow !;
and then they hated to desert their post ;
besides, the weather was ,tinging cold,
and. reduced by hunger, they might faint
by the way, frost bitten, OF ttnalmed en-
counter Indian devils and wolves What
ever he might be able to endure himself,
Ben felt that lncle SimOn's strength was
utterly Inadequate to the struggle They
were sel with il thousand peradVentures :;
there was not only 4 hon in the way, but
I'LL manner ot perllS, real and imaginary.
SO they waited. pertOlcc, Watching the
days vanish iii i tender dream Of color,
and the stars make their silent Journey
across the deeps oi heaven, and the morn
ing dawn is the rose blooms, unfolding
petal after petal Of exquisite bloom. They
bused themselves still about the camp
and howell, giving 4 thousand last touches
such as they would never have Thought
Of giving al another time, gathering fire
wood. and setting the rabbit trap in vain.
And one day the axe fell from Ben's res
Dilute hand, and he just dragged himself
inside the camp, and stretched himself
before the tlr t'nclc Simon had already
given out.
"Walking home could hardly have been
worse" Ben said, simply. Perhaps he
was thinking OF somebody who might
have met him kindly at the Journey : end.
in view of the dangers he had passed.
"Perllaps Rruce'l come Vet" returned
Uncle Simon.
Through 4 chink in the camp door Ben
watched the sunset fade like 1t fire among
the woods, and one by one the stars Shine
out. each iii its appointed solitude, and
the northern lights palpitate rosilN along
the sky. The hoNling Of wolves echoed
dismallN, while now and then Il branch
cracked i'll the forest and the wind treblcu
among the pines. Inside the fire made Il
comfortable glow, under the influence of
which he was soon nodding off to sleep,
when through the Jog of his semi-uncon-
sciousneSS he seemed to hear Il sort of
ringing in his ears, at first a mere thread
of sound, then louder and nearer, as if
every tree in the forest was 4 church
steeple with all the bells a swinging. Then
he heard no more till Il smothercd groan
from Uncle Simon caused him to raise
himself upon his elbow. The fire was still
swapping and blazing brightly, and the
form and profile Of woman was shad-
owed forth upon the wall of the camp-a
very familiar face and figure it was, too,
that appeared to be bending over some
thing that was cooking on the fire. Was
it the excited action Of his brain that pho
tographed Louisa Bruce on the wall ! If
so, he prayed that it might last forever.
Then he turned his head languidly toward
the fire, and met pair of eyes that had
shone for him all his life with the fascina-
ton of will'o-the- -wisp. Were they still
to haunt him across the confines OF this
world.
"If YOU are awake, Ben, you had better
taste this cruel that | have made for you,"
said Louisa quietly. you must be near
ly tamished."
"How came y0u here ?" was all the an
sWcr Ben vouchsated
"1ou are mighty polite if you are most
starved. Who else could come, and father
not able to lift his head brought Tim;
be is putting up the horses. It's no such
pleasant Journey either, | can tell you,
between the wolves and the frost, not to
mention a cold welcome. Come, amt YOU
going to take something? "Here's broth
and brandy and gruel-take your choice"
NAY, you shall choose for me-" said
Ben. ''Listen. Unless YOU take back the
words You spoke when we met last, unless
You give me back love for love, | swear |
will not taste a morsel Of anything you
have to offer. I'll stay here and starve
rather than take a crumb Of comfort from
your hand
"What did say - asked Louisa, meek
ly.
nj III hat liI-n