Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-09-12

cause Of which I knew at once. should
have told her that cause at once; but il was
10 pleasant to sse her there near me, serious,
eagerly listening, with half parted lips, her
eyes questioning mine; | was 80 happy to
feel her tremble on my breast, seeking her
refuge in me, that like an egotist, soberly
rcplied:
"Yes, really it is strange hear hollow
sounds Let US go and see; IL cannot be far
away
"Gol Are you crazy, George, my dearl'
She threw her arms around me, and lifting
herself 20 my ear;
II am afraid she whispered 'sI.et US go
back, please, let us go back
"How frightened you arei Don't you rec
ognize the sound OF the wood spitters
malietf'
''Do you think that you con soothe me with
your wood split;ersf What do they split,
these splittersf'
''They are splitting logs Of wos~i 10 make
barrel slaves. That is the mystery
"You are very SURE
eyes, my dear
"And they are good men, these wood split
tersF'
These are certainly; ! know them very
we'll Come and ~" them; they are not more
than three minutes from here"
She decided TO follow me, though not with
out tagging behind little. Some minutes
later we found ourselves in most picturesque
place. facing two or three cabins as primitive
as the Indian huts one reads about IN Coopers
novels Imagine heap of logs and boards,
black with age and covered with moss,
somber and wet in the dark forest, and sur
mounted by a white chimney from which
rose light column Of blue smoke, TO lose
itself in the green vault above. Around this
encampment were piles Of logs, mountains Of
chips, pyramids OF yellow boards, and, on n
cord stretched from one tree To another, some
clothes hung out to dry. The ground was
beaten down around these huts, and before
a small low door some dozen Of fowls were
picking up the grain thrown them by an old
woman.
'.Good evening, !" said the old woman, seeing
us approach. "Won't you come in and warm
yourselves "a biti II Is fresh tonight"
Louise looked at it all as one looks at a
successful painting We entered. The in
terror was worthy OF the exterior. In the
middle OF an irregular cabin, full OF corners
and recesses, a bright fire was burning ON
the ground between four bars OF iron, which
kept the firehrands in place and marked the
hearth. The flames rose high; the roof was
open In the middle, like the impluvium OF a
Roman house, and beyond the opening,
through wide, gaping chimney, through
which the light came down and the smoke
rose, one could see the branches OF the trees
and the gray sky. In the ashes was a pot
where something was boiling; and in the cor
ners of the cabin, surrounded by materials,
debris and all sorts of tools, were three men
lone OF them "A little old man, with cheeks
scanned and red like brick, who struck in
turn with their tools. They were father, son,
and son-in-law; and from one years end to
the other, summer and winter, in this cabin
where we werc, and which served them for a
workshop, they split and resplit the oak logs.
About once a week the son went To the viii
lage for provisions, and that was ALL On
Sunday the entire family played at bowling
under the shade Of the great trees.
As we entered they stopped their work, and
each OF them, after having bid us good day,
laid down the huge, bright hatchet with
which they were armed, frigh.ful instru-
ment, like the knife of n guillotine, furnished
with IA handle, heavy blade, sharp and
large, well made for the execution OF oaks,
bpt OF sinister aspect
Louise seated herself near me on a little
bench.
.'we are interfering with your work" said
/ 20 the old man.
''Thank you, no, sir; we were just going to
eat our supper
The two young men laid down their blades
and came toward a large table, made in a
most primitive way Of plank and four
roughly hewn feet. While they were putting
on the table the small, thick, blue plates the
old woman had occupied herself in getting a
large frying pan and throwing on the fire an
armful Of sticks. In that scene, 50 rough and
rude, how fine and delicate Louise appeared
to me; so dainty with her long gants de
Suede: her white skirt just lifted a trifie, and
her little boots With her two hands out
stretched she shielded herself from the heat
of the fire, and while chatted with the stave
makers she watched from the corner of her
eyes the butter which was beginning to sput-
ter in the frying pan Suddenly she rose,
and, taking the handle Of the frying pan
from the hands Of the old woman, LET ms
help you with your omelet, will your she
said.
The good wife smiled and gave It upto her
and Louise found herself alone, standing in
the attentive attitude of fisherman holding
his rud at the moment when the bobbing cork
warns him Of a nibble. The fire frightened
a bit; she fixed her eyes upon the melting
butter, with outstretched arms, biting her
lips In her effort
at IL "a trifie heavy for madam said the
old woman. II would wager that this Is the
first time you ever made an omelet in the
cabin OF wood cutter; Is IL not, my lady n
Louise nodded yes without turning her
head
.'The eggsi the eggsn she cried suddenly
and with such an anxious air that we ali
burst out laughing.
ssThe eggsl the butter Is bubbling up
Quick. or will not i've responsible for the ro
sultn The old woman hurried 20 break the
eggs
"And the herIsn cried the old man.
s'And the bacon ami the saltf' said the
young man.
So everybody began TO work; one chopped
one cut, one pounded, while Louise, with
flushed face, tapped with her feet and called
.Hurryl come, hurry nowia
At last the sound of much sputtering arose
from the frying pan, and the great wcrk had
begun. We all gathered around the fire,
hooking on with much anxiety, for, since
each one had had a hand in the omelet, thu
result OF the operation interested every one.
The good wife ON her knees near a large
platter, lifted with her knife one corner oi
the omelet, which had begun to wown.
s'Madame has only to turn it now y she said
.'One quick turn, added the old man.
"Withat too much force observed the
young man.
''one single toss; houpl my child" said
In my turn.
s.lf You speak to me all at once
Hurry, madame.a
"If you speak To me all at once, shall