The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-06-19
A RUSTY AXE.
The Part 1t Played in Saving Jack
Donnelly's Life.

A quarter of mile back from the
river, on the street that led down to
Martins saw mill on the st. Anthony
Falls, stood the little white cottage that
Jack Donnelly had bought for his bride
1t was not all paid for yet, but the
mortgage had been growing smaller
each spring for three years, and a
couple of seasons more would see the
entire amount paid, and then Alice
would be the proud owner of what she
and Jack thought was the prettiest
place in Minneapolis
Almost any one who might have hap
pened to catch glimpse, from the cross
street, of the tidy little kitchen, where
Alice was busy one May evening at
sunset, would have been inclined to
agree with the verdict.
The floor was bare, but it was so
spotlessly clean that no one would have
dared to suggest the idea that it looked
bare. The stove was not very large,
but it seemed to be trying to give out
the heat OF furnace, and the red glow
that came from its open door was like
the headlight of locomotive. Every
thing in the room was plain, and there
did not seem to be anything there that
was not absolutely necessary. The
luXuries could wait till the MORTGAGE
was paid Off But what there was had
been scrubbed till it shone, and the tea
Kettle was putting out steam like mad.
1t was fairly wonderful how that little
Kettle pulled and sang, and how the lid
danced lightly up and down.
But the brightest, tidiest object in the
room was Alice, with her brown hair
tied securely back with blue ribbon
(Jack liked her so very much) and her
blue eyes watching each particular
thing on the stove all the time and vet
looking every moment at the table to
see il anything was missing that Jack
would want, and into the other room to
see if baby was all right and out of mis-
chief, and at the clock to see that the
minutes were not going too fast, she fit
ted around the room singing like bird.
Everything was done just right, and
the clock said q quarter past six. Jack
would be there in minute or two. so
supper was set back where it would
keep hot 1t wouldn't be long; Jack
never ioitered on his way home. There
was too much happiness waiting for
him. No stopping at the corner for a
glass of something hot and strong.
But the little clock kept on ticking
just as If Jack was there And the
ticking grew louder and louder and
more and more disagreeable as it re-
morsely checked off minute after min
ute OF the time that Jack was overdue.
Ten minutes, twenty, thirty, and the
anxious little housewife sighed as she
wondered what could be keeping Jack.
1t was nonsense to suppose that he was
hurt. She would not think of it for a
moment. The idea that Jack-her
Jack-'the bnavest, strongest, coolest
logger on the river, had been hurt was
laughable. And she laughed. But it
did not sound like the ripples of merri-
ment that Jack loved so well. and if
stopped very suddenly, fading away
from face that looked very sober when
1t was gone.
Then baby began to cry and there
was no use worrying then because Jack
would be home before baby was Quoted.
And she began singing to the little one.
But there were one or two false notes in
the song, and baby evidently had an
ear for music, for he refused to be
quieted.
Then, just as two big tears were COM
ing in her blue eyes, the front gate
opened and jacks step was heard. In
moment more he was in the room,
hearty and big as ever, but very wet
and pale.
There! there! Alice, darling, kiss
me again, but don't put your arms
around me, fur I've had a duckin'
Why, darling, faint nothin'. Yer
needn't be frightened-now Hadn't
yer found out by this time that logger
is liable to get wet? There, there, dear.
Don't We cry so. Thank God, amt
hurt"
The great brawny fellow, wet as he
was, took the fair girl in his arms, and
was stroking her hair and kissing it.
ooh, I'm so happy" said Alice,
laughing and crying at once, and civ
ing nm little squeezes and taps run
ming from his arms to the closet and
back to his arms again, bringing kisses
and dry clothes as fast as she could.
NOW, Jack, don't say word about
it till you've had your supper" she said
few minutes later. "But what a
shame it is that supper is spelled. Shall
/ cook you another?"
Spoiled, ehp Well, l rather like
spoiled things like these;" and Jack
laughed as he drank the hot tea that
was slowly bringing him out of the chill
of his icy bath,
But when the supper was over, and
baby was asleep, and Alice had filled
up the pipe that she pretended to like
the smoke of because Jack had smoked
so long that he couldn't stop, and when
she saw that it was fairly lit and draw
ing all right, she nestled down close be-
side him and said:
''Now, Jack, tell about it."
''Well, Alice, DEAR it was a MIGHTY
close tit | will tell you. There was a
dozen of us sortin' logs up at the bot
toms, fer to feed the mills tomorrow,
an a good many logs had come down
through the day, an it kind o jammed
up things so they was some danger O.
the boom breakin', cause the water is
higher'n usual just now. Jim Brown
an me was together, an l see Jim
looked sorter O serious, so asked him
bout It. He didn't say nothin' fur a
minute but pretty soon he says:
"fIom Gage'a ougater know, he