The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-11-25
THE MOONLIGHTER.
A STORY OF THE OIL REGIONS

Stranger won't you come in a little
while? guess George has struck the sand,
and he'll soon need some one. maybe, to reel
out the line 7 wouldn't trouble ynu. Onlv
YOU see there's nobody hut me and Tom
here, and when it comes to running the last
bit and unhitching the temner screw. I would
rather someone else stood hy and fingered
the throttle. just hitch your horse to that
line pipe, and come in"
With vague idea that the speaker. p drill
Ter ~ the Northern oil fn'dS. wished me to
understand that SOMEONE was N tho last
trnnch If life. 7 dismonrtpd from nv horse
aud followed rhp man down p 'ocIyv nath.
From behind the W wrstpru hills broad helt
OF CRIMSON lighted un the horizon the sun.
that had hIazpd with fierce shafts Of heat all
the long. clnudless dav, sank behind the hills
in n sullen, fiery splendor, leaving the bare
hiIlsides tingpd with gold, and shimmerinG
with thp waves of heat that creDt over the
mountain with the breath Of sirocco
Down in the rugged valley the stones in the
bed Of the brook grasped white and grey,
for the cooling tcuch OF the mountain tor
rent, so common with the deep faStness OF
the forest and rocks gave forth their profi-
gaiitv Of sparkling spring water. In the
east great cIOu1s Of smoke, drifting hither
and thithPr with the caprice of the slight
summer hrpezp crppt M from the scorchrd
hills and hung like great solemn pail against
the fading brightness of the skv. Tongues
of fame shot spitefullv into the heated air
from burning oil wells and tanks, and from
the srot where nv horse was tied. stretch
ing eastward as far as the eye could see
THROUGH the broken forest. were the charred
blackenpd evidences Of great oil fire.
"Just step In, sir, and tn GO and pump a
pail of wafer from the tank" said the man,
as he opened the door Of q small hemlock
board shanty that srood hidden in clump Of
small trees. A sten brought me TO the mid
die of a small room. The walls were rough
and bare, and through the vide cracks he
tween the heat-warped boards the sun pour.
/ ed its last Iinpering rays of gold. In rude,
/ hard bunk fastened with nails against the
wall man lay and gaspen for air and life,
/ turning wistfuI, longing ewes out through the
/ doorway and down the shaded va Hey into a
grove Of trees bevOud. BY his side sat a
man trying to create cool current of all
/ with a pine shingle. Both looked up as
/ entered, and the S ick man motiOned me to a
/ seat
! Burned 90 intuitively guessed.
! eyes, and I guess its for good" was re
/ spondAd.
/ l rested my hand carefully on his throb
/ ing temples and he breathed a long sigh Of
| relief as ht felt the moist, cool fingers on hi.
/ burning head And standing there, looking
/ down af a face over vvhicb a no JlOr Of daatt
had crept unawares knew that the end wa.
very near. He looked with great monrnful
! eyes into my face for some signs of hope
but turned nv eyes and gazed away off al
the smoke and the fire in the east.
Don't look like that, stranger don't. Tel
me that you think that there is hope. " Im
! plored he, grasping nv hand as a drowning
I man would clutch straw.
''While yet there is life there are many
! chances"
Eyes, 1 know; but you don't think so
! 1 can tell by YOUR looks"
death comes to all men some day what
| matters whether it be now or at some other
| convenient time 80
"Oh, l cannot die now. never Thought
/ of it before, bnt I'm not lily now and nev
I II Hdht ifcti- EdiltOI ltdN6 IniS "OTlO
/ with all its troubles and sorrows to 20 away
into some other place l know not Of But ]
must, for feel it coming on me. can fee
the cold, clammv touch and hear the driT
and gurgle of water. Oh, dars not q
down in the valley or shadow and have the
cold and darkness shut me out forever from
the world"
He shuddered and grasped my hand with
despairing strength. and great nameless
horror and :ear crept over his face and Jeff
the grim. CHASTITY mark OF death shining out
of his diated eyes. At length he gained the
mastery over his feelings and faced the inc
vitable result with bravery born of desper.
alton.
"Ah, we'll what's the use of shrinking 4?
No man ever accused me of being coward
srd I ~cn's - bsck on rvse4 nov, ard 4