The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-07-24
The Wreck of the Pioneer"

Ralph Keystone was one of those men
who combine 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 lie could clothe in ideal charms,
and then fell in love with her. Jane
Besant was the only daughter of Farmer
Besnnt, who owned and operated an i'm
mcnse wheat farm not far from the vii
lag" of Muskaontic. TO Farmer Bcsant
went Ralph in The first flush of his love
for Jane.
You wish to marry JaneP"
The young man replied. " Not immedi-
ately," for Just at the time he was out of
employment.
That's just it, Keystone" said the
farmer; "you are out of work for the
fourth time since you came from the
East. How can you marry on so 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
little money left, and he would now 90
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 a hundred miles"
"Then ] might start one," said Ralph,
catching. ut this straw, for he felt him
self sinking. He could make no head
way against this hard, practical man,
who knew nothing beyond wheat.
"Start sawmill! Where's your
power? And, if you had it, how could
you compete with the mills up the
river? Look here, Ralph, don't want
to be hard on you. l see you love Jane
and Jane loves you-at least she seems
to think So"
THAT'S the truth" said Ralph. "We
love each other dearly"
:" Now I'll make bargain with you,
If you will go into some business, and
make it II success, you shall have Jane
that is, if she wants YOU"
"Thank you, sir" said the young man.
"Ill start the sawmill at once"
The road to the village followed the
river for some distance through Farmer
Besant's land, and then turned east
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 for home, but
after going few steps he stopped
abruptly, and turned back to the river.
The Muskalontic is 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
having seen falling into the river, be.
tween two low hills, a slender brook
half lost in the woods.
Just as he had supposed. 1t was q
living stream, still running, though il
was August. He looked at the tiny rur
for a moment, and then started briskly
I'D its winding channel, carefully noting
the slope and character of the ground
After walking a short distance he found
the little valley narrowed, and ther
spread out into slough, a marsh, where
the stream was lost in pools and sedges
Like a prospector searching for pre-
cious metals when he finds vein, h,
threw up his hat with cheer.
"I've won her! l fancy the old gen
tleman will let us marry now"
Just then there came through tn
woods the sound of a passing steamer ol
the river, and the young man smiled.
"I'll beat those fellows yet. The,
take all this trade up the river, and leav
this farming region to stagnate. w
must have manufactures here, and the,
shall begin with sawmill."
Keystone sat up all night over hi
drawing-pap and pencils. Two day
after saw three woodman telling trees b
the little brook. The land belonged t
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
power he thought he had found, he wa
at liberty to do so, provided he gave ha