Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-08-25

drawn end carefully hidden away
and in q trice the woods were ring
ing wiz the indescrible sound that
steel sledges make when hammerine
steel wedges into the body of a tree
to break its heart Frank was get
ting O little nervous, and his blowf
were uncertain and poorly directed
and the big man remarked, "Guess
there's been a good many wedges
you've never drove;" and, to atone
for his sarcasm and encourage the
boy, continued Take yer time, me
son. Make every lick count one, and
don't try to hit too hard. Dye know
that little blows II kill the devil
We've raised her some already. See
you kin stuff your fingers in the gap
now" A wind had sprung up, and
was gently swaying the green top.
Now, watch when the wind swings
her from us and tap the wedges in
lively. She must have leaned back a
little, or she would have gone before
now. And say, when she does get
ready to go, don't get excited, but
just watch your movements and take
along that fallen tree yonder, and
don't look behind until you're under
the shelter of the big stub I'll look
out for myself" Then he made a
trumpet of his hands and shouted:
'Slashways = across = the - hill |!
Watch-out-be-lo-o-wp
Two peelers heard the warning,
dropped their bars and made off out
of reach of limbs.
The sledging went on, and there
were few swapping cracks, each of
which made Franks heart jump, but
he staid until the last loud breaking
boom, when they both jumped from
the staging and ran TO the stub
Slowly she began to sail, making a
wider gap for the sky to be seen
through; quickening by degrees, her
top made a swishing sound as it
parted the air, faster and faster,
noisier and noisier, grazing the stand
ing trees nearly and causing a shower
of limbs. But she fell at length, with
a crash that shook the earth, into the
bed they had made for her, and at
the same time the butt dropped off
the stump.
Saved her from butt to browse
and from heart to bark, by the great
Macanoy" exclaimed the big man,
when the commotion of swaying
trees and falling limbs had subsidized,
and he was pacing back and forth on
the trunk. "See how pretty she sets
between the stumps. There amt a
foot Of room on either sidel'
Frank was elated, and wished that
the absent partner would stay in
town, 'sick or drunk or sumthin, "
for the remainder of the season. Per
haps what followed was a Judgment
upon him for the wickedness of the
wish-but I must tell the story.
In a week Alec had not come back
and Frank was learning the craft
rapidly. They had moved to steep
country, where the timber was small
and scattering. They felled most of
the trees ''up hill;" that is, the tops
pointed up the hill and the butts
rested on or against the stump.
Ringing 'em on to the stump" is
the way John expressed it when the
butts rested on the stump.
They ''hinged" several, and Frank
had asked him:
do they ever take notion to slip
down hilla"
eyes, sometimes" was the reply.
whats feller goin to do to get
out O. the way9 They might roll
over or flip up and come clear back
over the stump"
That's so, but you've got to take
chances, as in all the work in these
bloody woods.
They had shouted the warning, for
the tree was beginning to topple |
over. Both men jumped. Frank ran
to the right and John to the left. |
The tree, but small one, fell; its
top broke off about two thirds up,
and the bulk of the trunk balanced
DR. seemed to balance-upon knoll |
above them. Then strange thing
She swung to the right
her bark dropped off, and in her
like a yellow snake, she
Sid down the hill. John shouted,
out it was too late. He saw the ex-
ended arms and he heard the chok-
ng groan, and the thought of it all
made the strong man sick.
That evening they held meeting
n the bull pen to talk the matter
,ver. Josh was appointed admins
rator. He fortified himself with an
large chew of tobacco, ad-
usted his spectacles very carefully,
md then reverently examined the
,oy's effects. He found photograph
# the girl at home, of course, and
ew letters. He read the letters-to
and then addressed the as
His voice trembled little:
"See here, fellersl" said he, this
'er boy warn't no or'nary scrub. He
nay hev been foolish and reckless
nd God knows what all, but, by the
Eternal, he was white Now, fell
ers. these yer letters, which l hev
cad to myself, are too sacred to be
landed around or even read aloud.
'ome O. them's from his mother
widow, reckon-an some's from
us sweetheart; an if you'll agree to
st me take care of 'ein, I'll see that
is folks set the news as gently as
He paused and looked
round.
There were no dissenting voices, so
e. resumed, 1.-The mex thing is to
aise funds for bangup funeral
'ha old man uvtth h,a ...><.xsk...l> |