The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-30
q1HE DOOMED SKATER.

We were twins, Jack and ], but other
wise unlike. Ee was fine fellow; i
Acknowledged his supremacy and re-
joiccd IN his bSaa, FREQ spirit. From his
childhood he had been the most i1npul-
siyB creature that ever pointed moral
for headong youth. Ever in scrapes
and difficulties, but never to his dis
honor. JACK fought one-half his &C
quaintaRces into loving him, which the
rest did Of their free viii, and my heart
Still warns iuyoluntarily toward the
wild, impulsive boy, with his headstrong
soul all ageg for mischief.
I confess was somewhat dismayed
by tho aspect Of this new country in
which we were forced to settle, fresh
from the sunny lanes Of Kent and the
loved circle at home, and how could it
be otherwise But as for Jack, he was
in rapburss with everything that dis
quoted me. Nothing was more charm-
ingly romantic than our hut on tho bluff,
and no river could equal the brown, mel
,ancholy Scugsg-
We did NOS settle down to the regula-
Eon lie Of tho settler all at once; we
determined to sip the nectar of life on
the Scugog, i, indeed, there was any Of
thas a1nbrcsial draft to be drained in
the township. This fascination Of tho
swift canoe kept us almost constantly on
the dark, mysterious river; and in trnth
there WAS scarcely any ether outlet from
our dwelling save On its waters. By
day we tislaed and we shot from our frail
al1;lfs, and by night, when the moon was
ND, we would paddle them III her sifvery
wake
have said that a few rough settlers
formed our society On tho Scugog.
Among them were some half breeds
species OF degenerate mdian-who had
sunk from the dignity Of forest life to
the servitrde and buffeting Of the white
settlers. They were lazy, good for moth
ing fellows, except i7a the matter Of FISH,
ing or shooting, wherein they were pro-
fcient. We found them useful in Civ
ing instruction in the canoe Life of orr
river home. I preferred, for my own
part, to go pretty much by myself On
our water excursions. Jack, however,
had no such idea of placid enjoyment,
and speedily leaving me to my aquatic
reveries he hired q hangdog, looking
scoundrel manned Olier to assist him IN
the management Of his canoe.
am no great disciple of Layater, but
I never liked tha5 half breed. All these
dregs Of Indian nobility are sallow, blea1
eyed creatures, with world of cum
ming, but this fellow was chief of them
eli for every repalsive trait. Of COURSE
Jack ridiculed my sentiments about this
new sefyitOr; he was a match for half
d dozen, twenty fellows like Oher, he
said; and. it was all right, and was NOT
to bother my head about him.
1t was getting late IN the fall; the In
dian summeF-thas beautiful dream Of
loneliness bad restored to us in eysnes-
cent beauty the gioFies of a Canadian
autumn. The forests were as gay with
color as herald's tabard, and the air
was yet balny with the lingering sweet
ness Of summer. One exquisite evening,
born Of one Of these lovely days, Twas
hstlessly smoking as I lay en- the top Of
the bluE, vacantly sketching homo land
scapes in the dark Scugog rolling be-
meath. A canoe shot around the bend Of
the river below the village; it was pad
died by solitary figure, who turned out
to DO Jack. knew he had gone down
the Scugog to fish along with Oher;
but no half breed squatted in the oppo-
site end of tho canoe. A vague dread
seized upon me as Jack, running his lit
tie bark sheer up the bank, shouldered
his paddle and marched up to me.
GLOW now, jack What have you
done with yonr charming companion
I inquired, Disgusting my conjectural
fear.
'sGadl I don't know" replied my
brother, sitting down, oriental fashion,
beside me.
'tNot know?"
.sNot a bit" was his answer. "How
should L be acquainted with all the ms
and outs of that Rosamond's bower
Here he indicated as much forest with
his arms az wopla have made few
thousands of tine bower in question.
"Oh, perceive. He's gene tracking
deer or something OF that SORT said /,
Immensely relieved by Jacks manner.
There was slight pause. NY fears re-
turned. l felt there was something
wrong.
well" said Jack, '1'll tell you; fdon't
SEQ why there need be any secret about
il. You we're quite right about that
Clier-you were. Ee's good for moth
ing fellow, ard eoolly refused this aftcr-
noon to paddle me when I wanted to go |
down tho river bit farther than usual"
"And yoa?'
81 rsn tho canoe upo2 yard Of baltk
an island or not | cannot tell