The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-02-14

Wnen Mr.. ctratniey nrSt mentioned
Ben, grandfather just groaned, and
toddled out Of the room. The next
time be shut his eyes and made believe
to sleep; but now, do you know, he
hangs upon Mr.. Strathley's words,
4 John, though he never asks q question.
But the day win come when he will
| pardon poor Ben, / know it will"
And Strathley, having done mis-
sionary work, will demand his re-
ward?' said John, bitterly. ssMarga-
ret, do you think he means fairly by
you? Isn't it just seasons amuse-
ment to him?"
81 have no Fears she answered.
i But in spite of what folks might say,
Mr.. Strathely was at Ford, on and of,
all summer.
| 1.-THE mill needs sight of looking
AFTER" they shifted, lit might run
away; he had taken a mighty fancy to
Meg Bevis, and p'raps she expected to
be d fine lady, anon, and ride in her
carriage and have servants under her;
but there was many hole in the skim
mer. It wasn't likely but he'd been
used to women-folks as could play the
pianny, and wear the fashions as natu-
raj as their own skins. Old Bevis
ought to be ashamed to allow such GO
ings on under his eyes. High time
day, too, for Mr.. Strathley to put
Bevis in overseer at the mill, over the
heads of younger and smarter men,
with no end of wages and nothing to do
but watch the gang-saw! That didn't
look queer, did it? And wasn't Strath-
ley's team stabbed in Bevis' barn; and
didn't Meg use it when she pleased,
and mighty smart team, too, no one
hos s-shay. And who could tell why
he'd bought the Dean p,eadow of Bevis,
when it was such barren waste that
the grasshoppers avoided it? He hadn't
no use for it, there wasn't stick of
Wis pocket, where cash was stranger,
ehp''
Lorrimer was obliged to listen to all
this, without the power of proving it
false, and it made his heart ache as that
organ had never ached before; dark
ened the day and embittered life for
him. He dreaded to meet friend or foe,
for fear of hearing opinions which he
could not combat, and they all won
dered that he would not join in the gen.
eral cavil. Had not Margaret thrown
him over for a fashy fellow, about
whom nobody knew anything beyond
what he chose to tell? Wasn't resent
ment the proper attitude for a Tilted
lover? To be sure, he felt very hard
toward this handsome, well-to- do gen
tleman who had stepped between him
and happiness-who slipped SO easily
into the position for which John had
served twice seven years.
/ He could scarcely bear the sight of
him dawdling about Bevis' farm-as
though to the manner born-but he was
obliged to own that Strathley showed a
surprising good-nature, an Indifference
TO his rudeness that was provoking; and
that he was just as ready to be civil and
friendly to him afterward.
s'Surely this is hard world"
thought Lorrimer, in which it is nee
essary to love ones enemy, though he
has stolen the apple of ones eye"
Wasn't it requiring little too much of
human nature-or, at least, of Lori
mer naturep Still. if he happened to
meet Strathley on the highway and
Jared on piece with him, talking of
the prospects for numbering the COM
ing winter; about provisioning the
camp and engaging men, and of that
kind of rough-and-re life, Lorrimer
could not deny but he was pleasant,
companionable fellow enough, with a
deal of backbone, who knew his work
and the sort of people with whom he
| had to deal.
8" | mean to have taste of this camp
life myself, this WINTER be said, by
| the way. 81 want to know what it is
like, to become brave enough not to
heed poor fare, hard couch, or howl
ing wolves
"You won't find it as easy as lying,
l reckon" said Lorrimer, g little Of
that kind of thing goes great way
81 dare say. Are you going to join
my gsng e. .,.a, 49, -, ,oo,.,a.
| for chance to sell out. lwant to raise
some ready money and be off to Cali
| fornia, where it grows faster than in
this soil.''
''Ah. going to leave for good and allP
| Any disappointment? She hasn't gone
back on you, eh?'
"Who do you meanpn asked John,
| fiercely
:'The girl you are going to leave be-
hind YOU
81 have no sweetheart" said John,
evasively.
"More's the pity-it's love that
makes the world go round.''
mo, it isn't-its money"
"If you want money my boy, let me
help you"
"You! No, thank you. 1 want no
mans money!
| Lorrimer did not find purchaser
| for his farm before the winter set in,
cold and bitter, with angry storms and
biting frosts. He was still waiting for
/ one when Mr.. Strathley came from
town on dark December day, and
meeting Lorrimer, begged he would
pioneer him through the woods to the
camp.
81 suppose ypu know the woods as
| well as your own face?' he said.
YES" said Lorrimer; ''only, if it
should come on to storm as it threatens,
we may lose our reckoning. Hadn't
you better wait till the weather clearsp'
:" How far do you call it?''
"Near six miles; but it isn't like
| walking on concrete pavement, you
know.''
"No. I'm inclined to push on to-
| day. if you're willing"
| They set out not long after noon;
| the sun came out and blinked at them;
but by the time they had struck into
the deep woods he had thought better
of it and retired behind flaw of snow.
"This will all blow over,n said Strath-
ley, confidently.
"Or maybe we'll outstrip the storm
and reach the camp ahead of it, agreed
Lorrimer.
But though the storm seemed in no
hurry, it meant business; from slight
flaw, it goes into lazy t,imult of snow
flakes, celebrating landmarks, and
making the woods murky and bewild-
ering.
Six miles are soon Travelled in the
worst weather. averred Strathley.
"It's getting confoundedly dark.
though, Lorrimer; it seems to me we
have walked ten leagues Already
"Fll be blessed if il isn't the longest
six miles l ever footed" confessed Lor-
rimer. 'sWe ought to be close upon
the camp, unless
But just then Strathley stumbled in
the swiftly descending darkness, and
fell, with groan, over the ragged rem
nant of a lightning blasted stump.
:. Tough luck, said Lorrimer, rub
bing his face with the new fallen snow,
and chatting his hands; for Mr.. Strath-
ley was prone upon the ground in dead
faint. What if he never came to life