The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-04-21
THE MAN WHO WORKED FOR
C0LLISTER.

plHcNOouS WIS the Di1 NOlllsler Iarfli.
Its buildings were not huddled in the
center of it, where they could keep one
another in countenance, bat each stood
by itself, facing the desolate stretches
of gray sand and pine stumps in its
own way. Near each a few uncut
pine-trees kept guard, presumably for
shade, but really sending their strag
Cling shadows far beyond the mark.
Many Northern heart had ached
from watching them, they were so tall
and issolate; for, having beea forest
bred, they had sad and detached ex-
preston when they stood alone or in
groups, just like the look on Northern
faces when they met the still distances
of the South.
In Coliister's day he and the man
who worked for him were the only
strangers who had need to watch the
pines. 4 land-improvement company
had opened up the farm, but after sink
ing all its money in the Unsuitable
depths of sandy soil where the Lord,
who knew best, had planted pine-trees,
the great bustling company made an
assignment of its stumpy fields, and
somewhat later the farm passed into
the hands Of Collister. Who Collister
was, and where he came from, were
variously related far and wide through
the piny woods; for he was one of those
people who lives are an odd blending
of reclusion and notoriety. He kept
up the little store on the farm; and
though it was usually his man who
came up from the fields when any one
stood at the closed store and shouted,
is trade was largely augmented by
the hope of seeing Collister.
The sunken money ofthe land COM
pany must have enriched the soil, for
the farm prospered as well as the store,
yielding unprecedentedly in such
patches as the two'men chose to culti-
vate. In midsummer the schooner
captains in their loose red shirts, came
painting up two sunburned miles from
the bayou to chatter with Collister or
his man over the price of watermelons;
and when their schooners were loaded,
the land breeze which carried the cool
green freight through bayou and bay
out to the long reaches of the sound,
where the sea wind took the burden
on, sent abroad not only schooner and
cargo and men, but countless strange
reports of the ways and doings of Col
lister. At least one of these bulletins
never changed. Year after year, when
fall came, and he had added the sea-
sons proceeds to his accumulating
wealth-when even the peanuts had
been dug. and the scent of their roast
ing spread through the piny woods on
the fresh air of the winter evenings,
making an appetizing advertisement
for the store,-it was whispered through
the country, and far out on the gulf,
that Collister said he would marry any
girl who could make good bread-light
bread. That settled at least one ques-
ton. Collister came from the North.
The man who worked for him was
thought TO have come from the same
place: but though he did the cooking,
his skill must have left something to
be desired, and after current gossip had
risked all surmises on the likelihood of
Collister's finding wife under the con-
dition imposed, it usually added that,
ifColIister married, the man who work
ed for him would take il as a slight,
and leave.
An old county road led through the
big farm, and along it the country peo-
pie passed in surprising numbers and
frequency for so sparsely settled re-
gion. They took their way leisureiy,
and if they could not afford five-cent
purchase at the store, gave plenty OF
time 10 staring right and Left behind
the stumps in cheerful determination
to see something worth remembrance.
One day, when the store chanced to be
standing open, one OF these passers
walked 10 to the Threshold and stood
for a while looking in. The room was
small and dingy, lighted only by the
opening of the door, and crammed
with boxes, leaky barrels, farm pro-
duce, and side-ineat. One corner had
been arranged with calicoes and rib
bons and threads; but though the in
spector was young and pretty girl in
the most dingy of cotton gowns, she
had scarcely a thought for that corner;
she was staring at a man who was so
hard at work re-arranging the boxes
and barrels that he did not notice her
shadow at his elbow. Finally he
glanced up of his own accord.
"Hello," he said, coming forward;
sdo you want to buy something? Why
didn't you sing out?"
For little while longer the girl star
ed al him as steadily as if he had not
moved. Most of the people who live in
the pine-woods come to have a raggeded
look. but this was the raggest person
she had ever seen. He was rs ragged
as bunch of pineneedles; yet he had
the same clean and wholesome look,
- ~. e.. 10 MAG ploasauf