Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-07-13

agIOW from my DdIH L SAL uONu once
more beside the fire, which | replen
ished, and began grayely to consider my
position.
There was now no doubt about my UNI
cle's enmity; there was no doubt | car
ried my life in my hand, and he would
leave no stone unturned that he might
compass my destruction. But | was
young and spirited, and like most lads
that have been country-bred, had
great opinion of my shrewdness. | had
come to his door no better than beggar
and little more than q child; he had
met with treachery and violence; it
would be a fine contamination to take the
upper hand, and drive him like herd Of
sheep.
ing at the fire; and | saw myself III
fancy smell out his secrets one after an
other, and grow to be that mans king
and ruler. The warlock of Essendean,
they say, had made a mirror in which
men could read the future; it must have
been of other stuff than burning coal;
for in all the shapes and pictures that l
ship, never a seaman with
hairy cap, never a big bludgeon
for my silly head, or the least sign Of all
those tribulations that were ripe to fall
on me.
Presently, all swollen with conceit, |
went upstairs and gave my prisoner his
liberty. He gave me good-morning civil
ly; and | gave the same to him, smiling
down upon him from the heights of my
Sufficiency. Soon we were set to break
fast, as it might have been the day be-
fore.
''Well, SIR" said I, with jeering tone,
"have you nothing more to say to rle!'
And then, as he made no articulate re-
ply, sit will be time, | think. to under
oh, - rs
took me for a country Johnnie Raw,
with no more mother-wit or courage
than porridge-stick. | took you for q
good man, or no worse than others at
least. It seems we were both wrong.
What cause you have to fear me, to
cheat me, and to attempt my life
He murmured something about a jest,
and that he liked bit of fun and then,
seeing me smile, changed his tone, and
assured me he would make all clear as
soon as we had breakfasted. [ saw by
his face that he had no lie ready for me,
though he was hard at work preparing
one; and [ think [ was about to tell him
so, when we were interrupted by
knocking at the door.
Bidding my uncle sit where he was, /
went to open it, and found on the door
step half-grown boy in sea clothes He
had no sooner seen me than he began to
(Which / had never before heard of, far
less seem swapping his fingers in the air
and footing it right cleverly. For all
that he was blue with the cold; and
there was something in his face, look
between tears and laughter, that was
highly pathetic and consorted i'll with
his gayety of manner.
What cheer, mater says he, with a
cracked voice.
asked him soberly to name his pleas
ure.
80, pleasure!'' says he; and then began
to sing:
For it's my delight, of shiny night
In the season of the year
"Well," said l, eff you have no pleas
ure at ALL will even be so unmannerly
as shut you out"
no fun about you? or do you want to get
me thrashed? I've brought letter from
old Heasy-oasy to Mr.. Belflower.' He
showed me q letter as he spoke. "And |
say, mate" he added, I'm mortally
hungry"
''Well, said l. "come into the house,
and you shall have bite if [ go empty
for it.
With that / brought him in ind set
him down to my own place, where he
fell-to greedily on the remains of break
fast, winking to me between whites, and
making many faces, which [ think the
poor soul considered manly. Meanwhile,
my uncle had read the letter and sat
thinking: then, suddenly. he got to his
feet with great air of liveliness, and
pulled me apart into the furthest corner
of the room.
"Read that" said he, and put The let
ter in my hand.
Here it is, lying before me as / write:
The HAYES Inn, at the Queens Ferry.
Sir:-I lie here with my hawser up and
down, and send my cabin-bOy to informe.
seas, today will be the last occasion, as the
wind will serve us we'll out OF the firth.
will not seek to deny that have had crosses
with your doer,* Mr.. Rankeilor; of which,
if not speedily redd up, you may locke to
see some losses follow. 1 have drawn
bill upon you, as per margin, and am, sir,
your most obedit., humble servant.
*Agent Elias Hoseason.'
you see, Davie,v resumed my uncle,
as soon as he saw that / had done, Il
have a venture with this man HoseasOn,
the captain of trading brig, the Cove
nant Of Dysart. Now if you and me
was TO walk over with yOn Lad, I could
see the captain at the Hawes- OF maybe
on board the Covenant if there was pa
pers to be signed; and so far from a loss
of time, we can jog on to the lawyer,
Mr.. Rankeillor's. After a. that's come
and gone, we would be swier [unwTElingI
to believe me upon my naked W0fd, put
yen can believe RankeiEI0r. He's factor
to half the gentry in these parts; an
auId man, forby5 highly respeckit; and
he kenned your father"
I stood awhile and thought. [ was
going to some place of shipping, which
was doubtless popuIous, and where my
uncle burst attempt no violence, and, in
deed, even the society of the csbfn-boy
so far protected me. Once there, | be-
lieyed I could force ON the visit to- the
lawyer, even if my uncle We're not I'm
sincere in proposing it; and perhaps, in
the bottom of my heart, [ wished a
nearer -iew Of the sea and ships. You
are 70 remember [ had lived all my life
in the inland hills, and just two days
before had my first sight of the firth Lying
like a blue floor, and the sailed ships
moving ON the face of it, no bigger than
toys. One thing with another, I made
up my mTnd.
Every WE'LL says T., Nlet us go to the
ferry
Ny uncle got into his hat and coat,
and buckIed an old rusty cutIass on;
and them we trod the fire out. locked the
door and set forth upon our walk
The wind, being in that cold quarter,
the northwest, blew nearly In our faces
as we went It was the month of June;