Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-10-29
JEN, TIE LANDLORDS DAUGt4-
TER

diiu tlS EuttCIu- rays were ItUtttCu
in the waters OF the broad Columbia.
The landing like numerous others
along the river. prouuded from a
rocky bluff, on either side of which
harried slopes joined smooth, green
meadows below Along the edge Of the
blur, few feet from the landing,
ran newly constructed railroad while
beyond "A few scattered wooden shan
ties We're seen.
The stiffness of early morning was
broken only by the monotonous hum
Of the saw at the little mill, as the
door of the largest shack opened, and
from it stepped a young girl who pick
ed her way among miscellaneous
collection Of pigs, fowls and mud in the
yard, and walked quickly up the track
a faint color sprung into her cheeks
as she walked, drawing deep breaths
/ while the breeze blew her fair hair and
/ red cotton dress from side to side Now
she glanced at the sparkling waters
/ and now at the long green island which
hid from view the busy little town on
the Washington bank,
/ Poor Jen. AS the daughter of the
/ Blue Fronts landlord, she had learned
/ in her short 16 years to iiud her mo-
mentS alone the happiest Suddenly
/ the whistle of a locomotive broke the
stiffness and on it came Stacking as ii
approached.
! I'm in luck this morning, said Jim
. Stewart, as he held out grimy hand
to help her scramble up into the en-
/ CINE. With Il quick nod Jen took pos
; session of the seat at the side, saving.
you owe the wood-choppers one for
your luck, jim. They're all back from
/ the Falls, and mas tiour-sacl is empty.
that's what's bringin' me to Han
sons"
"Ihe Blue Fronts carrying heavy
sail, we of HanSon's hear, since the
Oseola comes in every day"
"Well, rather rctorted Jen, with a
toss Of that tow head of hers; 1.-THE
landlord helps her land, and he's sure
to make a good thing on the wood
| he'll sell them, Besides, she brought
two new ranchers with their families
yesterday. They're at the Front now,
and they came from Kansas, and one
is a shoemaker Jen paused, out
of breath.
That's what goes here" shouted
Jim, in a voice that drowned the rumb-
liEg wheels; yves got too many of
those PortlanderS that, as old man
Hanson says, are grabbing the best
timber claims, and all we see 'em is
once or twice in six months coming
down with a chum in tow rs witness
to see em turn around in their cabins
and blast out an old stump. That's
what they call living on and improving
"A ranch for six months in year"
said Jim scornfully
whats the matter with your own,
jim asked the girl slyly.
Might be worse; | lived out there
and patched it six months, two years
ago Why? DO you want to try rough
Ing itf' Then he added in a matter
of course tone, I'm coming to bring
You to the dance tonight But Jen
shook her head impatienuy
Nothing but danceSl how can you
think Of them on such a morning?
just feel this breeze I'm sure it is
helping that little tug 10 bring that
great ship up from the ocean Would
MT just give anything to 90 back to
Japan in her! See those hills acros.
the river, AL dark and blue, and be
yond snowy Mt. st. Helens, right
against blue sky! Oh, Jimw with half
gI1 ,ril 10 4,
did last spring term to Captn Fred
and he said / might be so ! could make
all this river and everything just as it
is, all colors. If l only could" visit |
fully.
Jims face had been steadily darken-
ing, but unheeded by the girl, who !
continued dreamily, "There is a row
boat just rounding the point Of the is
land"
Its those halfbrCcds Of the island |
fishing for sturgeon" broke IN Jim |
prosaically, adding, with more anima-
ton, Come, Jen, don't talk stuff |
you're a prettier picture yourself than
anything around, and it amt my fault |
or for the matter O. that. any Of the |
boys, if you don't know it. Don't you |
always 20 to every dance, and dance /
all night long? You won't miss It, Jen, |
you know you'll get a good time"
NO I'm tired of EN-, they're not as
ma tells about back in Wisconsin. (
don't see the fun dancing in a shanty .
TO a violin playing Ole Dan Tucker or
Irish jigs. Besides" hesitating as If 1
over a newly-acquired phrase, q am
not sure l should be dancing with a
promiscuous gang Of railroad men"
"And III tell You right now" said /
Jim, with a fash Of his eyes. you'll I
do better to drop those swell ideas ,
your picking up from that mosshack .
capt'n. We webfootcrs may be slow, I
but were honest How many land .
ings do you spose the Oseola makes. I
where some girl isn't down TO smile on .
that Niger face OF hisT'
But Jen was still gazing across the .
river and her only reply was, Here's .
IIanson's. Jim-doesn't it lool, like a .
great green, Shiny pond. and the old .
cabins like frogs heads out Of the