River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-03-17

birds of feather, crocs and hyenas
What's one mans meat-one mans
meat-how does it go?-I can't remem-
bert" he sobbed petulantly.
The red glow OF the fire urnt like
plague-spot on the broad dark breast
Of the waste as Grammel fed it 81
lently.
The weary, hollow voice went on:
You're looking very pretty this
morning, Alice, with the sun shining in
your hair. You knew I'd come back,
didn't you, darling?" He looked across
admiringly into Grammel's bearded
face. Lets set the rat-trap in the
stable-where is it? can't find it,
Then from the far distance of the
marshes come indescribabe noises
that sounded like Titans laughing, and
balls of fen-fire rolled, dimly seen,
through the fog, while Lee-Carson got
exceedingly afraid because he fancied
that he was on board a steamer on a
thick night, and that a collision was
imminent, and the skipper not proper
ly certificated.
II tell you, man, see her lights!
There!" he cried, strung like a harp
with excitement, pointing a shaking
hand into the darkness.
shes working round all right" said
Grammel, soothiugly. Cant YOU hear
the sailors singing?" adding to HIM
self: "lf l can only get him on his
songs, that will quiet him down, per-
haps."
Lee-Carson responded to this at
once, his eyes blazing.
Il can hear them. o, Lord, it is
good" he exclaimed, and seemed to lis
ten; and he added mysteriously: but
it's not the sailors-it's - don't YOU
know their oiccs?-why, it's Fordison
and Chester and-and the rest"
And the high trembling voice was
once more raised to join in the song:
"But northward, east. and westward.
And under the tropic sky
The price that we paid to conquer
Were the men who were proud to die"
lie chauted it over and over, till the
taut sinevs loosened and he fell back
exhausted, and lay still for many min
utes.
Presently Grammel crept around and
covered him up carefully. Lee Carson's
sleep was the sleep of exhaustion, but
it was better than no sleep at ALL
After awhile Grammel too lay down
and slept.
When Lee-Carson woke a huge red
moon on the horizon seemed very close
to his eyes, and he called out, wildly:
"Grammel! Grammel. Curse you,
Grammel, you're dead"
And from the other side of the fire
Grammel answered him, his dry lips
bleeding as they parted:
"Dead2 OF course I'm mott"
What's dcath?'' began Lce-Carson
again. Don't let that moon dance and
CLEAN in my eyes, it gets into my brain!
Grammel, what's dcath?"
"a sleep and a forgetting" quoted
Grammel, at his wits end.
NO, it's not that" said the sick man
more calmly. "Grammel, come here.
Where are your he CROPPED about for
the friendly hand that met his Look!
look,-the other side of the fret"
When Grammel could get his heavy
eyes open, lie looked across and saw
nothing, only the snaky tongues of the
fame Ieaping at intervals into the
moonstruck gloom.
There's nothing" he said, shortly
Grammel had no Imagination, hence he
was at Il loss, not knowing what he was
expected to see.
"Nothing?" repeated Lee-Careon,
peering anNiously forward mo, see
nothing perhaps dreamed.
think I'm going out. Most people die
about the dawn"
Rot" said Grammel. amely
Lee-Carson's lips parted in the old
whimsical smile. Presently he said:
I've seen things, Grammel, and I'd like
to tell you what / saw"
Grammel was sitting close by, his
hands clasped round his knees Being
the man he was, he said nothing, only
waited to hear.
Through the night I've seen them
gaIloping past, squadrons AMI squad
rons of mounted men-our fellows, YOU
know"
Grammcl shook his head impercepti-
bly,.
Il shouted to them shouted who
we were, but they were riding fast east
wards"
NO man rides east" said Grammel,
looking up.
You don't understand" said the sick
man gently; you don't know who they
are. They're the Frontier Men of Eng
land. and their recruiting sergeaut's
Death. Don't you remember?
They ride for ever, up and down
To guard the land they won.
Don't you see them-don,t you see
thcm-now? They're calling me, and
can't go! Oh, the morning of life is
sweet, but this is better! The end is
coming, GrammeI; its coming fast!"
lie lay down again moaning, and
CrammeI mixed much brandy with lit
tie mud and water aud gave it to him
In a little while Lee-Carson moved.
his face distorted in the torchlight of
the fire, as he shouted huskily;
"Fordison, Chester. stop I'm com
ing. shun't be long. and then we'll
ride together. Grammel will come
too-some day. HeII never die between
sheets. good old GrammeI! | wonder
if he'll ride lG stone as a ghost"'
He laughed out suddenly, and Gram
mel mutterel in his beard:
Ties got it bad-yery bad"
Wen ride past our graves together
and scare the beasts! Wen gallop into
the sunset! Who's with you? Oak
wood and Tommy Brown, all Of them!"
and in his delirious transport he tore
the blankets from him. IL have known
many good things in life-sea-dawns, !
and ships rushing through the arteries |
Of the world, but this is better than
ALL"
Gramme' had started up and was lis |
teniug intently. Still the voice, strained |
TO breaking pitch, rang on:
They start with us on our expedi- |
tons. they head our armies The /
Frontier Men OF Englandl Reinforced /
in every border-fzzle-hy the bullet
by the stab-hy the swamp-fever. You
at home, you needn't weep,-" He |
ceased to peer anNiously out into the |
gloom Of the swamp. Are you there, |