The Portland daily press., 1895-09-20

ANONP
One night as Lem entered the boarding
house before supper he was greeted by an
uproarious chorus Of voices from the men
who had assembled before him.
"Oh, say, Lem!" shouted Jim Bennett,
powerful man with voice in proportion
to his size, ''what do you think? Shorty
has been sparkin yer girl on the sly
"He had her out sleigh ridin last night.
He's been to see her lots when ye warn t
round" exclaimed another, with excite
ment. aye thought We stood alone in that
section all right, but we've just found out
Shorty stands in, too, an has kept mum
about it. Oh, he's sly one, Shorty is. Ye
want to watch OUT
Lem turned away with an easy laugh.
"Bosh," he said good naturally. "D'ye
think she's goin to take up with that lit
tie sawed off? Most girls requires man
to suit 'em, not half one like Shorty.
Shorty knows better'n to fool round me
none. Somebody might get hurt. -
AS Lem sauntered out of the room with
a conceited smile Oh his face one OF the
men remarked, with spice of envy: Lem
thinks every girl is stuck on him. I'd give
my old hat if Shorty would cut him out
Lem had no fears of Shorty, and when
he asked an explanation of Annie she said
that Shorty had only been in few times
to inquire about home folks, as they were
both from the same place. So Lem dis
missed all fears and again basked in the
paradise which was lighted by Armies
bright eyes and heated by her smiles.
One night Lem was later than usual
getting in from the woods Things had
gone wrong that day A bitter wind had
blown all day, bearing little snow furries
that cut like steel. A peevie had snapped
in two while he was rolling log, causing
him to take heavy fall, which had bruised
and Jared him considerably and ruff1ed
his temper also. Coming down with the
last load of logs that night, one of his
horses stepped in hole in the plank road,
which tore the skin from tho creatures leg
and famed him severely. Lem had to stop
and roll the logs from the truck, as the
horse was unable to aseist the other to Full
the load to the mill Then much time had
to be consumed attending the herse's
wounds before he could go to his supper.
The men were in the dining room when
Lem entered the mems room. He VOL
dered at the sound of unusual connection
which struck him before entering the din
ing room. Some unwonted excitement
had taken place he was sure.
AS he opened the door the roar of laugh
ter which greeted his appearance caused
him to pause in bewilderment upon the
threshold Each man evidently tried to
tell him something but laughter forbade
and bowls and shrieks of mirth rent the
air the like of which had never been heard
at Carey's camp.
"What is the matter with YEP" Lem de-
manded angrily of man who sat near,
gasping and choking over mirth and
bacon.
"Oh, Lem he shrieked between the
paroxysms of laughter, 'Sh-Sh- Shorty s
gone with Annie Davis to git married" z
For an instant howl greeted the dis
closure which almost made the walls sink
out, then a deathlike stiffness reigned.
The men fairly held their breaths, await
ing the explosion which was sure to fol
low, for Lem could swear In the true lum-
berman's style.
Lem stared around for few seconds,
the embodiment of ludicrous bewilder-
ment Finally he gasped in low, hating
tone, as if for once the power of speech
and, stranger yet, the power to swear
had left him, "Waal, I'll be everlastingly
goll durned!" and turned slowly and left
the room.
Pandemonium could be considered quiet
compared to the uproar that followed.
Benches were kicked over, men rolled over
the floor or slapped one another on the
back in the ecstasy of their mirth. To
think that Lem had been cheated out OF
his girl, and by Shorty of all persons!
Before bedtime Milt Flynn happened to
go down to the mill In the engine room
he brushed up against Lem, sitting alone
in the darkness. By the light Of his Ian,
tern Milt could see detected expression
on LENS face. A slight feeling of COM
miseration crept over him, and he sup
pressed the grin which had begun to over
spread his features. He sat down and pro-
ceeded to give Lem the details of the story.
Shorty and Annie had been lovers fl
some time away back at their own homes,
and this was only the result thai had been
intended when she came to visit her sister.
She had simply smiled on Lem to throw
the other men off their guard and give
them surprise. Shorty had planned 1t
and approved Of her conduct all the way
through.
Poor LENS heart burned fercely against
her-not SO much at the loss of his sweet,
heart as at the thought of being duped as
he had BEEN And then to be beaten by
Shorty! "Ef it had been any one but that
burned little runt, wouldn't keer," he
groaned to Milt Flynn. fBut that was
the gosh durndest trick ever played on q
Teller But I'll git even with 'en yit, see
Of DON'T He did not stop to consider
that Shorty had only bided his time and
paid bacs with interest some of the prac-
tical jokes Lem had always been SO fond
of playing on him.
Lem NARROW took up the burden of life
again, feeling that he had been inclosed
and whitewashed in the bargain. But life
was uncomfortable for him at Carey S camp.
The men were merciless in their teasing.
Lem stood it awhile in logged silence un.
til human nature could stand no more.
One night he hunted up old Isaac Carey
settled his account and informed him h,
was going to leave next day. Then 1t
went into the mems room and settled his
accounts with them there. The worm had
turned, and the men did not forget for
long time the profanity and maledictions
poured out upon them. The next morn
ing Lem NARROW left, and Carey's camp
saw him no more.-New York Advertiser.
RaoI Transfers.