The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-02-23
TIE BELLE OF CR0SSCUT.

tue Nh4ai' hhl'li'h iS'b HAlH''' "h
millionaires mingled ON an equal footing
There vas no caste IN CroSscut. May IN
best man win, was the motto Of her citizens
and genuine love Of ialr play dominate,
the hearts of those rude knights OF the border
1t was sprinStime, The log drive ha'
passed Crosscut The rough crowd Of rive
men was gone and the old time quiet reignc,
again in the town However, IA log rolling
contest was at hand, aud the people from tn
surrounding settlements began 10 gather a
an early hour.
CroNscut's champion was Casper Fall. liz
was young, an athlete Of the woods, and the
pride not only Of the graybeards Of the town
but Of the younger men and maids as well.
lyon must win, Casper" said Jake, the
athletes half witted brother. If you don't
"Well, If don'tr queried Casper, as the
simple fellow hcsitated.
81 was going TO say, if you don't you'll
never git Nell Given She'll marry the
champion, heard her say So"
you ddr exclaimed the young log run
ncr. IL didn't think Nell would go back on
fellow that way. ! think few brains, as
well rs Drawn, ought 10 weigh something In
girls eyes"
Casper walked away, flushed and disturbed
He knew he had no claim on tho belle Of
Crosscut She was old Col Giyens daugh-
ter, and he was the wealthiest man in town.
while Casper hadn't anything save good com
- nd l.,
ture. He might never have met Nell but for
the fact that they both attended the same
school, and rs children, boy and girl, were
enthusiastic friends I'm be your vito
some day, said roguish Nell, when they were
roaming the woods on the return from the
old log school house one summer afternoon,
and the big freckled faced boy kissed her, and
thus was the compact sealed. As they grew
older the two drifted apart, naturally
enough. and when the old colonel sent his
daughter 30 Chicago 10 a young ladies' school,
the breach widencl immensely To say that
Casper had given her up, however, would be
stating that which was not true. He met
her sometime, after her return She was an
accomplished young lady now, and no felt
h'eAIy us own h"h"afdhesS and want OF
polish
Until the morning forthe log contest Cross
cut s. champion Hll not @ho" VINO was To he
his contestant \ gentleman from Chicago
had proclaimed IN the cOlOnei's store that he
uAA man VINO could beat the world on
'AS' ana Col VI'cp TOOK exceptions To the
statement at the same time declaring that
ue "'U4d "al" ul"A 10 the extent OF sio'OoO
The Iheago gentleman, VINO was sweet on
lA' s'I'Aei' daughter good nat'redIy re-
FUSED the Del "1t' instead offered to say no
more ABOUT certain dtpt The colonel had
contracted wan MN l1li Cotton If his man
''he 'n''He' 81 Won the contest
II my iHAA WINS ho!d you To the debt,
colonel anu lowering his voice, you are
70 speak gool word TOR me with Miss
Nell
To TINS the colonel agreed, and day was
eeI l"r iI' i's roHlnS contest
IN passing tae mouse OF Col Given on the
evening before the day set for the struggle,
casper iaI saw Mr.. Cotton and Nell on the
porch III earnest conversation. This was not
Il pleasant sight to the young man, and the
added words Of half wittod Jake served to
render Casper miserable.
Nell Is only playing with my feelings"
he thought. "Sbe means TO marry the Chi
2ago man anyhow, and merely brings in my
oame for a heaftcss joke. Well, I'll win the
contest, aud then Ill leave Crosscut for good
I've nothing 10 keep mo here only Jake, and
am quito sure he's smart enough TO take
care Of himself "
Such were the bitter feelings that filed the
heart Of the young log runner He was too
proud TO go near the belle Of Crosscut before
the contest, aud the remark made by Jake
that he had once heard Nell say she would
marry the victor, convinced Casper that she
bad grown from an artless girl TO IA heartleas
woman.
A crowd OF several hundred people gath /,
cred at the river bank above Col. Giyens
lumber mill on the morning of tho great log
rolling contest One Of the most eager faces !
was that Of half wittod Jake, Caspers half .
brother He wa, as anxious for the outcome
as the champion himself The feminine por- /
ton Of Cro,scut was well represented, and
among them was Nell Given, who had for |
escort Mr.. Cotton, of Chicago,