The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1896-03-05
CHAPTER l.


him great stairway Of forest-covcrod
ridges climbed into the coast range.
with an their tumblcl ocean OF tree
tops turning . golden olive in the sun.
set. Tn his left the earth sank sharply
down 70 meet the waters of the bay,
while just before him. with q sheer
drop Of quito % hundred feet, the head
hung over the deep with its granite chin
brushed 10y the buifcting food Its
whole fucc was solid rock; tho forehead
trenchcd and fuTowcd like giants
musclc-l,uottod breast, the checks rent
and crodcd by uncountcd storms, while
vast slab of stone hung pendant in
the center like a nose. with others fall
On endwisc IN the surf below, and lean.
ing against The wind-worn lips like
shattered monoliths.
From the crest the view was wide
md beautiful, the sea spreading ont its
ever changing plain 20 the horizon;
here. rs the slSy's moods came and
went, a silver track, there n field of
violet, and beyond il level emerald. In
the far southwest n group of islands lay
low in the sea, like blue monsters
swimming outward, and beyond them
fleet of lumber schooners was fading
in the onlng. The boy drew a long
breath Of WEAKNESS as he watched
them. lie could not help feeling how
sweet II would seem 90 he sailing away
from all the Notwithstanding trouble that
tore his own and other bosoms there on
Beaver head.
lie was leaning against a tumble
down wall which crossed the crown of
the cliff a few rods from where IL
dropped or 20 meet the sea. Near by
there was gap in the wall, evidently
once a rate, and a little way back along
the path an old stone house. A tall
man could almost touch the caves, but
/ it was wide and long, being divided into
two low hut rather roomy halves,
while It's walls were thick, but cracked
and matted with moss, through which
/ two small. square windows pcercd out
| like suukcn eyes. About the yard were
| a number of rcdwoods, massive and
/ straight with the sea winds purring
| amonr their branches and the sunshine
ycilowing ON their tops.
| The house had been built. so tradi-
| ton said, years before by weather
/ beaten old tar named Beaver, who,
| strangely enough, deserted the sea for
an Indian wilc and this queer shelter
On the head, only 60 forsalSc them in
turn 20 take TO the sea again. Then
| The seasons had flown on, and presently
u village had sprung mp about the inlet
| bny, with great sawmills nj its inner
end. whore little river brought the
| logs down from the redwood forests.
! Here Travc hrmor. the boys father
( drifting westward through the pincries
| cf Michigan and Wisconsin, and maxi
| inr now and then futile stand against
\ drink, ll-luclS and poverty, had come TO
work in the mills, but failing, through
| rum, driftcd 1T last, with his ragged
! flock, into the old stone hut upon the
/ head.
Their progrcss had been pitiful
enough, and Paul, the eldest of the five
] children, bearing It's scars upon his
body, and It's infnmy in lns memory,
had felt, with every season as he pro
| crossed toward manhood n growing
sense Of blight and degradation. lie
knew whence his lameness came; that
when lac was child his father once
came home In a storm of drunkenness,
/ and being pleaded with by the boys
mother, splintercd his flask Of liquor
on the hearth in an ecstacy of rage,
and thct he, n baby crawling round the
! crate had Tapped at the liquid like q
lions cab lcllinr grecdily at blood, and
that his father had caught him up in O
drunken fury and dashed him into the
Gre. from which he he'd come limpinl
thus far on the road Of life.
Often he had felt something like NOR
tai hatred OF liis father rise within him
and that day when he turned from
watching the lumber schooncrs go dow
over the blue hood, and saw his mother
worn with toll aud faded with bite
care. bending over her washtub tina
her children might have bread, an an
ger rose In his heart that was almos
iii for taking human life. But wheI
his mother spoke TO him in tender cheer
fulucss as she nlways did, II vanished in
moment.
II need some rinsing water, Paul"
she said, strengthening mp with difficult
~ in the steam Of the tub and stripping
the Pliuting bubbles from her thin,
tired arms. I'll Jimmy or Carl would
only stay round I'd have them do il, but
a. NNNAlh AlAsN WY ~ hi'nA hiNhgn WI
when needed
"Oh, IN do IT, mother; Til do H." said
the boy with a half pathetic smile, I'm
stronger than they are, only my legs
amt SO good!" And taking up a wood
en- yoke with bucket attached to either
end, ne placed II across his neck and
shoulders, and went limping down the
hillside, whatlingn little that his weary
mother might hear.
Tho woman stood a moment, leaning
d with her soap-oaton hands upon the
tubs edge, and looked after him with
tender eyes. Then sho glanced at little
Gabe, six years old, and threc-year-old
Lannic, who werc playing under tho
> trees, and began washing ngain. Hes
! the BEST OF thcu .n she murmured as
, She rubbed ellis hearts as soft as a
girls; he'd help nae more than he does
/ II he could Oh. II lis father had only
peyrr done that awful thing to him.
a And toass slipped down her checks and
q fcll into the sUl5
The boy topped al o spring half way
down the bluif, and filling the pals,
4, looked moment nj the mills back of
J tho bay. Red-shirtcd logmen were
9 working with their cunt-hoolSa
I .tpop0 the brown riclkS. their