The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-09-18

way, all her sutferings and the chill
dren' 8 were so light to her,in COMPARE
son, as she listened to. that big, tact
turn man groan, and him sore with
the hunger
When at last she came out, Pc
ter was not there. He had gone out
silently, so silently that she wondered,
and was scared. She opened the door
very softly. and there he was, leaning
on the rail fence between their little
rocky plot and the great river. She
closed the door as softly, and sat |
down.
There was q wide steaming space in
the river, where the current ran too
swiftly for any ice to form. Peter
gazed on it a long while. The mist
had friendly look; he was soon re.
minded Of the steam from an I'M
mense bowl of mush! It vexed him.
He looked up at the moon. The
moon was certainly knocking him;
dashing through light clouds, then
jumping out into a wide, clear space,
where itsoon became motionless, and
Knocked HIM steadily.
He had never known old John p onti-
&C to ice: any one, but there was his face
inthat moon-Peter made it out quite
clearly. He looked up the road to
where he could see, on the hill half a
mile distant, the simmer Of John
Pontiac's big, tin-roofed house. He
thought he could make out the out
lines OF all the buildings,-he knew
them so we'll, the big barn, the sta.
BILE, the smokehouse, the storehouse
for shantY supplies.
Pork barrels, flour barrels, herring
kegs, syrup kegs, sides OF frozen beef,
hams and fitches OF bacon in the
smokehouse, bag OF beans, chests of
tea-he had had q vision OF them all!
Transfers going off to the woods
daily with provisions, the supply APP
parentlv inexhaustible.
And John Pontiac had refused to
pay him fair wages!
Peter in evaporation shook his big
| fist at the moon; it Knocked him worse
than ever. Then out to the space of
mist-it was still more painfully like
mush steam. His pig-sty was empty,
except OF snow; 1T made him think
/ again OF the empty barrels in the cab
The children empty too, or would
| be to-morrow-as empty as he felt
that minute. How dumbly the e'der
ones would reproach him! and what
would comfort the younger ones cry
Ing with hunger?
! Peter looked again up the hill,
through the walls of the storehouse.
He was dreadfully hungry.
| John! John!" Mrs. Pontiac logged
her husband. John, wake up! There's
1somebody trying = to get into the the
Ehugh ali! Tn sleep ugh!'' he
relapsed again.
"John! John! wake up! There IS
! somebody
What ugh-eh- what you sav?''
There's somebody getting into the
smokenouse."
''Well, there's not much there
There's ever so much bacon and
nam. Then there's the storehouse
OPEN"
ooh. I guess there's nobody"
but there is, I'm sure. You must
get up!''
They both go5 up ard looked out Of
the window. The snow drifts. the
paths through them, the storehouse,
the smo kehouse and the other white
washed outbuildings could be seen
nearly as clearly as in broad day.
Inc smokehouse door was open!
Old John Pontiac was one of the
klndest souls that ever inhabited a
BODY, but this was a little too
much. Still he was sorry for the man.
no matter who, in that smokehonse-
some Indian probably. He must be
caught and dealt with firmly: bnt he
hurt.
He put on his clothes and sailed
forth. lie reached the smokehouse.
there was no one in it; there was q
gap. though, where tour long flitchesy
OF bacon had been!
John Pontiac's wife saw him 90 over
to the storehouse, the door OF which
was open, too. He looked in, then
stopped and started back as If in hor-
ror. -Four hitches tied together with
rope were on the floor and inside
was man filling a bag with flour
from a barrel.
.Well, we'll, this is a terrible thino ),
said old John Pontiac to himseIf
shrinking around the corner. "Peter
McGrath! Oh, my Oh. mv!''
He became hot all over, as if he had
done something disgraceful himself.
There was nobody that he had respect
ed more than that pig-headed Peter
What to do? He mus punish him.
OF course; but how? Jail-and him
with eleven children "Oh, nv! Oh.
my!" Old John almost wished he he
mad not been awakened to see this
terrible downfall.
1T will never do to let him 90 off
with it," he said to himself after 8 III
tie reflection. ''Pll put him 50 thai
time. y cay eilei
Peter McGrath, as he entered the
sstorehouse, had felt that bacon heav-
Ter than the heaviest end Of the bio.
gest stick OF timber he had ever helnad |
TO cart. He felt guilty, sneaking. dis.
graced; ne felt..that the literal Devil |
mad frst tempted him near the house
then all suddenly-with his own
munger 111 pangs and thoughts Of his
Starving star family--swept him into tine
~ 70. hN,1