The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-14
A LOGGING CAMP ROMANCE.

ping all things in beautiful mantle of
white. The one railway station at Bent
ley, little Wisconsin village was crowd
ed with pleasure-seekers waiting for the
west-bound train, which was an hour late.
There was to be a dance that evening in
an adjoining town. The place was tull of
laughter. and the merry voices suggested
no thought of cares the dawn would
bring. A few travelling men sat around,
wrapped in huge coats, curiously study
ing the vagaries of the ill-assorted crowd,
as one naturally Will when in contact with
strange fellow creatures. The regular
passenger feels no place i'm the unusual
sur that the eXcursionists create, but he
medltauvely accepts his position and half
sadly recalls the memories of his own
Joyous youth, when holidays brought to
nm similar happy associations. a little
band of musicians. with their instru-
ments, had gathered in one corner of the
room, while half dozen youngsters sur
rounqed the man with the drum and
ga2eu enN.ouSly at him, and wondeungly
eyed the big fiddle.
The train on the branch road from the
north, called the Jumper" probably a
most literal cognomen for the little old.
fashioned locomotive with its single car,
drew in on the other side of the station to
make connection with the west-bound.
minute later the door opened slowly,
revealing, to those nearest, two men, pre-
ceded by the conductor, bearing a heavy
burden between them. IL was a litter made
from rough boards, and upon it lay a hu-
man form, wrapped in blankets Instantly
almost, a hush fell upon those gathered
near the door which quickly communicat-
ed itself TO every part of the room, broken
only by eager whispers of inquiry from
the startled spectators.
Gently they laid the seemingly lifeless
burden upon the floor, and one of the
hearers, tall, stalwart young fellow, clad
~ the style peculiar to loggers, tenderly
lifted one of the blankets from the mani
mate form, revealing pale, though sin
gularly handsome, face of young man.
eli 10 ef1ff for
minute aud whispered some word of hope
IN his ear, for the poor lad slowly opened
a pair OF large dark eyes and gazed ten
derry at the anxious face above him.
Then, realizing that he was in a strange
place and among strangers. he turned
away with sad, wan smile, and a pa
tient sigh escaped his cold, trembling lips
Poor fellow, said the conductor in
an undertone, to the sympathetic by
ISLANDERS; hes most gone He's hurt in
side, somewhere, and it's doubtful if he
will live until he gets to the hospital"
can be of any service to you? Pm
a physician" and a young man stepped
forward and offered his card to the con-
ductor.
7 haint got anything to do with it,"
him. and he nodded toward the young
Woodsman who had just risen from be-
side the patient. Hes his brother, and
he hain't left him a minute since we
started from Kerley. | never saw broth
ers so mighty fond of each other as they
are. Why, he won't even let any one go
near him." Up TO this time the elder
brother, as he appeared to be. had spoken
no word, although at the outset he had
peen pied with many questions from Gu
r1ous onlookers. They had received only
a stony, unconscious stare in answer. Sud
denly he seemed TO realize that some
courtesy was due to the sympathetic adj
Vances some of the gentleman had ten
dered, but he kindly refused any prof
tered assistance. In few words he eX-
planned that the lad was suffering intense
pam, and that nothing could be done un-
til he reached Maryville-"if no ever lives
TO reach there" he added, in a voice that
was scarcely audible
The other "lumber-j jack" however, who
had come down from the camp with the
two brothers, volunteered some infor-
nation as TO the unfortunate affair. In
another part of the room his recital had
drawn around him an eager crowd of
listeners
Them two were the queerest baggage
| ever seen in log-camp," he was say
ing IN TONG meant only for those stand
lnS nearest him. They was as thick as
molasses. You'd never see one les you'd
see the other. They wouldn't seem to
nave much to do with the rest of the
!Siiels III camp somehow; thy were better
than any of US. But I was goin to tell
you bout the accident.
1t happened early this mornin They
always worked tOgether-Jed, that's the
older. and Frankie-that's what we called
EN-; We was loadin some logs from
skid onto the sled. frankie was on top
the bottom. don't know how it hap
peneq-l was on the other side of the
sled Sled. l heard Jed say, Be careful,
frank, that they don't slip under your
Then in second I heard Jed yell: Look
out! and then: on, my Godr Next /
meg nesrG I,ss scream r. II scarf me most out OF
shrek: Well. before l could get there
FRANKIE was pinned in between some logs,
trying to loosen them.
FINALLY we got him out, but he was all
ininp-hke and out of his head. Jed cried
IKE a baby at first, then he grew cold
and ugly and wouldn't let any one touch
tne ooy-Sald ii wouldn't be any use and
Woula only cause unnecessary pain, and
lnat the doctors at the hospital were the
only ones who could do anything for him.
20 tne Doys DID what they could. We
putt that box with the end handles that
ne ; layln on, and started down on this
train. I'm afraid he won't live to ger
mere mere seems sometimes that he don't
In the meantime, at the other end n,
lhhe room the suffering lad lay-his life
slowly ebblng away. The waiting passen-
gers nad Withdrawn quietly to other parts
or the room. and the two were a1Tnoss
alone. The elder brother seemed utterlv
ppDiilhx,ious 70 his surroundings. and sat
look upon his face that seemed to- cbaie
lenge fate. to do its worst.
~ me stiliness OF death had fallen upon
me SPOT where, but few moments since
all had been reckless gayety. The nnonos'
ohous clicking of the telegraph secn1ed
10 measure on the feeble stroke of the dy-
"Jed? whispered the boy
res, what is II, frankie? / am here,
,Did you get the tickets to Marvvilie3.,
mo, not yet, frankie: there's time
enough. The train is an hour late. T."
Yes. yes, know, jed. But you mustn't
se ro t. ., u VIII be no use. l shall die be-
NO. no-not thatr sobbed Jed he
tween clenched teeth you must live To-
ny sake-live till We get to the hospital.
Il can't Jed. know I'm dying So MO
must go tho other y-East-back homo
rake me back home, Jed. and ask father
70 forgive me-Home, jed, homel Please
llit my head a little; l can't breathe
There, that's better"
Just then the dying hoy caught SIGHT of
the musicians off in the further corner ~
into his eyes. '''
"oh. Jed" he whispered. do Won sun-
pose they would play? oh. If they only
Jed hesitated second then motIoned
the leader 20 him and whispered the bov's
request IN his ear. In few minutes the
soft strans of Home Sweet Home" hroke
ton. '''
,"oh, jed, Tn so hanpy nowi I'm not
grows dark"
Home home, sweet. sweet