The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-26

Dem dat look sour, dey go hungry yoos
de same And We make muSeek, gay
museek dat make you want to dance
but ven you listen you hear, under. al
ways little sob. Dat is de heart of the
Swedish people. And some, dey study
de black art. Ven dis world mean al
ways go hungry, go hungry, go hun
cry, man must tink about anoddel
world De right way dat Is by de hymn
book But in de old country some dc
read de black book
IT noticed that she picked up knife
as she spoke and made the sign of the
cross.
why do you do that? I asked
You are not Catholic
$50 We do in my country, she an
swered. Tt is older dan Catolic. In
de iron is fire, and evil spirits fear 1t.
In dis country is good grain and my
people forget about spirits.
"At parting in the morning I asked
her how best to find my way to the
Cunning Man. She gave me surpris-
ed and doubtful look.
You tink you go to see him?' she
asked dissuadingly.
Eyes. He lives near Lake Chesako,
doesn't he? I asked, for in spite OF
my assurance 1 was continually haunt
ed by the fear that after all be might
prove to be q myth.
'"sYes, dair lives he she answered
obviously.
1cTTs he a good one?'
"jDey is all bad. Dey hat to sell de
soul for de black book
Have you ever seen him?
oh, no, God defend u.s.
'Why?' 1 asked, amused by her de-
vout air.
ct is not good to NEEDLE Wit such
things she said seriously. 1t is safer
to keep to vat is of dis cart
81 laughed and rode away, rather
flattered to know that my boldness
frightened her.
1.-The next night lodged in desert
ed cabin in the woods. 1t had once
been the home of a lonely old mar,
reputed a miser. He had certainly
been a miner, and had come back from
California in the sos to build himself
this hut in the woods, where he dwelt
alone and Stunned his neighbors.
Whether or not his seeming poverty
covered the boarded wealth that was
credited to him was never known, bur
he fell victim at last to his reputa-
ton, for he was found dead one day
and there were signs that death had
not come in the quiet course of nature.
After that the place was Stunned eX-
cept by hunters who came out from
the city and made the hut their heac-
quarters at night. / had been directed
to 1t as the most convenient inn for
my last stopping place. / remember
yet how JOLLY the big fire I built IN
the fireplace flashed over the bare logs
of the walls and warmed the snug
little room like an oven. 1 slept with
my saddle for a pillow, and dreamed
of Alice. The next day, about noon,
l reached Lake Chesako.
Here I halted at one farm house af-
ter another to ask the way, but the
blank unintelligence that overspread
each face at MY question was discour-
aging. Either the people knew moth
ing about the Cunning Man or had
reasons for not confessirg the knowl-
edge. I began to fear that the whole
story was going to fall to pieces, now
that I had reached the end of my jour
ney, when, as I stood in the road de-
batting what to do next, woman went
hurriedly by me, and as she passed
saw that she was sobbing to herself.
I followed to ask, in her own language,
if I could help her in any way.
No, no. she sobbed. 1T is too
late. He is dead now, belize. If I
had sought the Cunning Man before
but I feared And now he may have
Are you going to the Cunning Man
now?' I asked, catching eagerly at
the clue.
Yes, yes she said, and hurried on
without another glance at me. | fol-
lowed without further words. She took
a little Travelled wood road that lead
through a piece of heavy timber, where
the snow lay SO soft and thick that
the earth seemed muff1ed with it. A dry
leaf fluttering down was enough 10
startle me with it's interruption of the
silence The stiffness was so impress
sive that the fancy came to me that
the wizard must have spread a spell
upon the woods. But the woman neither
faltered nor looked to right or left She
had passed beyond the region of per-
sonal tremors. At last we came to a
little opening in the woods and she
Quickened her step and at the last al
most ran up the path that led to the
door of a log hut which I did not see
at al! until we were almost upon 1t
The place had an unused look that
would have led me to pass it by rs
untenanted, but, as we approached. the
door opened silently. and a small ole
man stood in the doorway watching
us. He made no gesture of salutation
nor did he stand aside to bid us enter
He looked at us with small bright eye:
that were like the eyes of an ANNA
under the bushy fur cap, which came
down to his eyebrows.
Why do you come to me for help
the dead?' he asked abruptly. as tn
woman, sinking on the very doorstep
raised her hands to him with an al
of supplication, but without speaking
An hour ago he died. even as vol
crossed the frozen brook.
xt-oy1oo N of bo n ndc foil uith011
a word, and after moment struggled
to her feet Only as she turned ava.
she moaned in a hushed way to her
self
"'Will you not ask her to come in ant
rest I asked Indignantly, for the Gun
ming Man was watching her with al
alert curiosity that held no sign o
compassion. She has come Ions
way, and must be nearly dying Of COLI
and fatigue.
HE cast a swift glance at me, aler
and observant, but all answer he mad
was to call after the woman in highl.
pitched voice.
MARK that told the hour of death
though no one could have borne tn
word Mark that I knew on what er
rand you came
"She stopped to look back and cour
leSy, Will q pollCIll, Oil oli'
then hurried away.
May I come in, then?' I asked i'm
patiently. I cannot tell my business
on the doorstep
Wait. Anothe is coming, he said
pointing into the forest in another di
rection. His manner was strangel.
eager ard curious. He is coming fast
Many come so to me from great dis
tances All over the land they know
there is none like me- he added will
what struck me as childish boastful
ness. He continued to peer into thu
distance in the direction he had point
ed, and 1 confess 1 felt my heart sinl
family when presently a man, spen
and breathless with running, cam,
into sight. He was dressed as / hat
coaY1 tho phOnnpro in tha wOOdc npd H.