Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-07-22
The Wreck of the /" Pioneer.

Ralph Keystone was one of those men
who combine a talent for practical
things with an active imagination. He
was ut the same time a most impractical
man in affairs of business. Like all I'M
aginative men. he early found woman
whom Ee could clothe in ideal charms,
and then fell in love with her. Jane
Besant was the only daughter OF Farmer
Besant, who owned and operated an i'm
mense wheat farm not far from the vii
lage of Muskalontic. To Farmer Besant
went Ralph in the first flush of his love
for Jane.
You wish to marry Jane?"
The young man replied. q Not immedi-
ately," for Just at the time lie was out of
employment.
That's just it, Keystone" said the
farmer; 'tyou are out of work for the
fourth time since you came from the
East. How can you marry on 30 un-
certain prospect? You are too un-
stable; you do not stick to anything"
Ralph admitted he had been unfortu-
nate in his ventures; but he still had a
little money left, and he would now go
into some manufacturing business.
Manufacturing, indeed! There's
nothing but farms within fifty miles.
Wheat is the only thing that pays here,
unless it be lumber, and there isn't a
sawmill within hundred miles"
"Then | might start one" said Ralph,
catching at this straw, for he felt HIM
self sinking. He could make no head
way against this hard, practical man,
who knew nothing beyond wheat.
s'start a sawmill! Where's your
power? And, if you had it, how could
To ho ~,
river? Look here, Ralph, | don't want
to be hard on you. see you love Jane
and Jane loves you-at least she seems
to think So"
That's the truth" said Ralph. eve
love each other dearly"
Now I'll make bargain with YOU,
IF you will go into some business, and
make it a success, you shall have Jane
that is, if she wants you"
"Thank you, sir, said the young man.
"Pll start the sawmill at once.n
The road to the village followed the
river for some distance through Farmer
Besant's land, and then turned east
through the woods toward the village.
Ralph walked along in dazed fashion,
mentally numb with his refusal, his body
walking automatically, just as it will
when the mind is absorbed in contem-
plation. At the turn of the road his feet
took the right direction tor home, but
after going few steps he stopped
abruptly, and turned back to the river.
The Muskalontic is a wide, shallow
stream, winding sluggishly, through the
country, its banks being hereabouts
heavily fringed with woods.
The young man left the road and fol-
lowed the shore down stream, walking
quickly, as if looking for something.
Like all imaginative people, he had been
given to wandering about the country,
and was familiar with the land for miles
around Muskalontie He remembered
having seen falling into the river, be-
tween two low hills, slender brook.
half lost in the woods.
just as he had supposed. 1t was a
living stream, still running, though il
was August. He looked at the tiny run
for a moment, and then started briskly
aup its winding channel, carefully notine 2
the slope and character of the ground
After walking a short distance he found
the little valley narrowed, and then
spread out into aslough, a marsh, where
the stream was lost in pools and sedges
Like prospector searching for pre-
clous metals when he finds a vein, he
threw up his hat with cheer. -g
rive won her! I fancy the old gen.
tleman will let us marry now.n
Just then there came through The
woods the sound of a passing steamerlor
the river. and the young man smiled.
"I'n beat those fellows yet. The,
take all this trade up the river, and leavl
this farming region to stagnate. w,
must have manufactures here, and the,
shall begin with a,sawmill."
Keystone sat up all night over hi
drawing paper and pencils. Two. day
after saw three woodman telling trees s,
the little brook. The land belonged tt
Farmer Besant, and he had consente.
that dam should be erected thereon.
Keystone was fool enough to sink hi
money in improving the bit Of water
at liberty to do 20, provided be gave hsl