The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-08-15

tigNyHVSyXMMIMNycr of Redwood, on
N ~ coast Of &C.. cslifo r.
him great stairway OF forest-covered
ridges climbed into the coast range,
with ali their tulnbled ocean of tree
tops turning a golden olive in the sun-
set. On his left the earth sank sharply
down to meet the waters of the bay,
while just before him, with a. sheer
drop Of quite a hundred feet, the head
hung over the deep with it's granite chin
brushed by the butfeting food. It's
whole face was solid rock; the forehead
trenclleu and furrowed like giants
innscie~llnotted breast, the cheeks rent
and ero,ad by amounted storms. while
a vast slab Of stone hung pendant in
tile center like nose, with others fall
EN- endvise in the surf below, and lean
;,lv against the wind-worn lips like
shattered monoliths.
From the crest the view was wide
and beautiful, the sea spreading out its
ever changing plain to the horizon;
here, as the sky's moods came and
went, q silver track, there a field OF
violet, and beyond it level emerald. In
the fax southwest a group of islands lay
low III the sea, like blue monsters
swimming outward, and beyond them a
feet Ct lumber schooners was fading
in the ofiing. The boy drew a long
breath Of WEAKNESS as he watched
them. He could not help feeling how
sweet it would seem to be sailing away
from all the heart-brea }zing trouble that
tore his o>vu and otler bosonls there or
Beaver head,
lie was leaning against a tumble
down wall which crossed the crown OF
the cliff 81 few rods from where it.
dropped of to meet the sea. Near by
there was gap in the wall evidently
cnce gate, and a little way back along
the path an old stone house. 4 tall.
man could almost touch the caves, but
it was wide and long, being divided into
two low but rather roomy halves,
while it's walls were thick, but cracked
and matted with moss, through which
two small, square windows peereu out
like sunlxen eyes. About the yard were
a number Of redwoods, massive and
straight, with the sea winds p11rring
asnouy their branches and the sunshine
yel}owing on their tops.
The house had been built, SO tradi-
tion said, years before by a weather
beaten old tar named Beaver, who,
strangely enough, deserted the sea for
al indian wife and this queer shelter
o,1 the head, only to forsake' them IN
turn to take to the sea again. linen
the seasons had flown on. and presently
village had sprung up about the inlet
hay, with great sawmills at it's inner
end, where a little river brought the
logs down from the redwood forests.
Here Irave Armor, the boys father,
drifting westward through the pineries
OF Michigan and Wisconsin, and MAX
inc now and then a futile stand against
drink, iil~lucls and poverty, had come to
work in the mills, bit failing, through
rum. ,irifted at last. with his ragged
flock, into the old stone hut upon the
head.
Their progress had been pitiful
enough, and Paul, the eldest Of the tive
children, bearing it's scars upon his
body, and it's infamy in his memory,
had felt. with every season as he pro-
crossed toward manhood, a growing
sense Of blight and degradation. lie
knew whence his la1neness came; that
when he was child his father once
came home in a storm Of drunkenness,
and being pleaded with by the boys
mother, spintered his flask OF liquor
on the hearth in an ecstacy of rage,
and that he, baby crawling round the
CRATE, had Tapped at the liquid like a
lions cub licking greedily at blood, and
that his father had caught him up in q
drunken fury and dashed him into the
fire, from which he had come linping
thus far on the road OF life.
Often he had felt something like NOR
tai hatred of his father rise within him,
and that day when he turned from
watching the lumber schooners go down
over the blue food. and saw his mother,
worn with toll and faded with bitter
care, bending over her washt'!b that
her children might have bread, an an
GER rose in his heart that was almost
fit for taking human life. But when
his mother spoke to him in tender cheer
fulness as she always did, it vanished In
a moment.
II need some rinsing water, Paul, ;"
she said, Strengthening up with dl1flcul-
ty in the steam of the tub, and stripping
the glinting bubbles from her thin,
tired arms. eff Jimmy or Carl would
only stay round I'd have them do it, but
it seems like they're most always off
when needed
sob, I'll do it, mother; I'll do it!'' said
the boy with a half pathetic smile. ''I'm
stronger than they are, only my legs
amt so good!' And taking up a wood
en- yoke with bucket attached to either
end, he placed it across his neck and
shoulders, and went li1nping down the
4 hillside, whistling a little that his weary
mother might hear. sE.