Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-03-31
THE DOOMED SKATER.

We were twins, Jack and l. but other
wise unlike. He was fine fellow; |
acknowledged his supremacy and re-
joiced in his bold, free spirit From his
childhood he had been the most inpul-
sive creature that ever pointed moral
for headlong youth. Ever in scrapes
and difficulties, but never to his dis
honor. Jack fought one-half his ac-
quaintances into loving him, which the
rest dill Of their free v n, and my heart
still warns involuntarily toward the
wild, impulsive boy, with his headstrong
soul all agog for mischief.
confess l was somewhat disrnayed
by the 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 raptures with everything that dis
quleted me. NoUiing was more charm
1ngly romantic tlal our hut on the bluff,
and no river could equal tae brown. mel
ancaoly Scugog.
We did not settle down to the regula-
tion life of the settler all at once; we
determined to sip the nectar of life on
the ScuSoS, If, inIeed, there was any of
that ambroslal draft to be drained in
the township. The fascination of the
swift canoe Kept us almost constantly on
the DARK mysterious river; and in truth
there was scarcely any other outlet from
our dwelling save on its waters. By
dly we l5AeI and we shot from our frail
skis, and 10y night, when the moon was
up, we would paddle them in her silyery
wake.
have said that few rough settlers
for...el our society on the Scugog.
Among them were some half breeds-a
species of degenerate Indian-who had
sunk from tne dignity of forest life to
The sorvltuue and bul4eting of the white
settlers. 1ney were Lazy, good for moth
ing fellows, except III tle matter of fish
ing OF shooting, wherein they were pro-
ficient. We found them useful in Civ
Ing instruction In the canoe life of our
river home. l preferred, for my own
part. to go prctVy much by myself on
our w&UCr eXcursIoI5. JACK, however.
had no sch IDEA of placid enjoyment,
and speedily leaving me to my aquatic
reveries he hired hangdos, looking
scoundrel named Olier to assist him in
the lnsanage.nenG OF his canoe.
am no great ois, Iple Of Lavater, but
| never A-.ei lhat half bre3I All these
dre5s Of lnIlln NOBILITY are sailow, blear
eyed creatures, with a world of cum
ming, but tins fellow was cnief of them
all for every .updlsive trait OF course
Jack ridiculed lay sentiments about this
new servltor; he was u match for half
dozen, twenty fellows like Olier, he
said; and Ii was all II sSht, and | was not
to botAer my head about him.
1t was ges ing late i'll the fall; the In
dian summer-tAat beautiful dream of
loveAness--had restored TO us in evanes-
cent beauty the gIories of Canadian
autumn. 1 ne forests were as gay with
color as heralus tabard, and the ar
was yet balny with the lingering sweet
ness of summer. One exquisite evening,
born of one of these lovely days, | was
hstlessly smoking as lay on the top of
the bluff, vAoanCly slietching home land
scapes in Tie dark Scugog rolling be-
meath. A c, .oe shot around the bend of
the river be4Jw the village; it was pad
died by a so-.tary figure, who turned out
to be Jack. Enew he had gone down
the Scugo3 to fish along with Olier;
but no half breed squatteI in the oppo-
site end of the canoe. A vague dread
seized upon me as Jack, running his lit
tie blrk sheer up the bank, shouldered
his paddle and marched up to me.
"Ilow now, Jack? What have you
done with your charming companionY'
! inquired. Disgusting my conjectural
fear.
"Gad | don't know" replied my
brother, sitting down, oriental fashion,
beside me.
mot know"
mot Bit" was his answer. ''How
should | be acquainted with all the ins
and outs of that Rosamond's bowery''
Here he indicated as much forest with
his aims as would have made few
thousands of the bower in question.
ooh, perceive. He's gone tracking
deer or some hing of that sort" said l,
immensely relieved by Jacks manner.
There was a slight pause My fears re-
turned. | felt there was something
wrong.
Nv ell" said Jack, ,"Ill tell you; l don't
Bee why there need be any secret about
it. You were quite right about that
Oiier-you were. Hes good for moth
Ing fellow, and coolly refused this after
noon to paddle me when l wanted to go
down tne river a bit farther than usual"
And your
Il ran the canoe upon yard of bank
whether an island or not cannot tell