The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-12-06

| ohC' P'NNhNS loWutI ndShS, III
ascetic iron lounge, with its knobby
mattress, intrusively displaying its un
evenness beneath the coarse honeycoml
spread. impressed him so disagreeablv.
1t must have been Liza own exquisite
| personality that stamped the contrast
so sharply. He attempted colloquial
| diversion:
"You say you skirted the pond Why,
what road did you Gomez
None l walked ~
"Walked?"
More accurately speaking / slid.
stumbled, coasted, tumbled down an
excessively twiggy precipice. Fancy is
tethered to sapling somewhere above
in the aerial regions from which | de-
scended. ~
You came down above the pond?"
eyes"
There are steps cut in the cliff low
er down. Seth ought to have told Won
about them. 1t would have been easier
on you. -
Il ran off from Seth. l was afraid he
would want to come with me and |
wanted to come alone What do YOU do
with yourself here, Strong?''
Il keep woodward for the steam
boats and crop. thought you knew
Yes do know what you pretend to
be about, but in your off hours how
do you amuse yourself? Looking for
fillet of 'fenny snake wool of bat or
toe OF frog That pond, you know, is
SO suggestive"
"Only degree less unprofitably, but
/ think details of my daily routine could
scarcely interest you, he said frigidly.
He moved restlessly away from his
perch on the table. She was scrutiniz-
ing him mercilessly, taking note of the
vigorous, 1.-the body, so young, so capa-
bic, so listless in its attitude of weary
indifference to all things, as he moved
over to the dusty chimney jamb and
rested one elbow upon it, looking down
Mt her with growing impatience.
Three burrows had already plowed
their way across his smooth, broad fore
head, telling of solitary and meditative
hours. A look of perpetual revolt was
becoming fixed in his eyes. Upon the
entire man was stamped the aspect of |
one wholly in protest against the world |
as he found it.
Earnest, loving sympathy welled !
from Liza's heart to her lips and froze |
there. 1t was not easy to proffer it in |
view of Strong's dumb protest against |
her intrusion. She took temporary refuge |
in levity to gain breathing time.
"How luxuriously you live, Strong |
One queensware plate, Clipped; one !
cup and saucer, no handle on cup;
bone knife, might be a utensil or a
weapon; steel fork, two pronged two
German silver tablespoons Superfiuous
elegance! Nothing spoonable is visible
Salt in empty sardine box; sugar ditto
Viands are corn bread, fried bacon,
,ashaw cooked in molasses, baked sweet
CONGREGATIONS; napery-
hone. ~
Strong's face darkened visibly under
his airy impertinence He stood gnaw-
ng the ends of his long mustache in
wrath. Slowly Liza turned
coward him and lifted her lovely eyes
% his face. There was no mirth in
hem now; instead, biting scorn, a
flashing indignation, a resolute daring.
She was there to save, not to scott She
must not finch
"Do you like it, Strong?'' she asked
N cool, high voice.
do l like what?''
She waved her hands comprehen-
lively.
''This-all of this; this shocking
lnceiled cabin, with its smoke black
alters overhead; this worn, sunken
,are floor; that noxious pond out yon.
Ter, with its blood chilling air; this
horrible isolation; this dreadful lone
mess day and night, night and day
)h, it is horrible, Strong, horriblep
1t is not so bad when one is in uni
ON with it. a"
"But you are not in unison with it.
You cannot be. i read revolt in every
inc of your face. You are SO young and
trong and free. Think of it, Strong,
rec; free to go out tomorrow, if you
will, and take your place among the
nen who are doing and daring and
chewing; free to measure your brain
With their brains, your Drawn against
heirs 1t means so much, just to be a
nan, Strong.
He laughed almost viciously, and
vas about to say something in keeping
With the mirthless sound, but she put
ut an imperious little hand and went
n with increasing vehemence
Il know. know what you are going
0 say. 1t is uphill work for a man to
make Roadway here unless he is born
n the slave owners purple. But why
tay here? 1t is such great big, roomy
vorld-a place in it for all sorts, Strong,
faces where no credentials but spot
ess name and strong will are needed.
And have neither |" The gloom i'm
lis face darkened into hopelesshess
Neither Do you intend that the
tigma OF our fathers vocation shall
wrap you. too, in pail? With me it
must. For me there is nothing but &C
eptance, but tell you, Strong, woml
N as am, if it were not for the ten
ler, loving hearts at home that would |
hrob with pain il forsook them. I | ,
Unnld m A L