Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-02-26

monies, in conformity with ancient Gus
tom, with prolniscuous free fight, came
to an amicable understanding with one
another, and, joining forces in pursuit of
minks, rabbits and chipmunks, made the
forest ring with their hunting choruses.
AT noon the men suspended their work,
and the dogs temporarily abandoned their
boOtless hunting Each man had brought
his dinner with him, and in a sunny spot,
we'll sheltered from the wind, they all
sat down near together to eat and chat.
The entente cordiale among the dogs was
violently ruptured in their eager rivalry
for the first bones thrown them, but re-
established upon their general recognition
that their masters were leaving to them
much more food than they could devour.
After quickly finishing their meal, the
younger men, to kill time during the re-
naming portion of the dinner hour, enter
ed into a series of competitive contests
of strength and skill, putting" heavy
stone, tossing the caber," jumping and
throwing stones at a mark. In each. OF
these exercises the competitors gradually
but surely dropped out until but two
were left, John Cameron and Rufus
Goldie, between whom there was a. strong
feeling of rivalry that spurred them to
efforts far beyond those of their fellows.
1t was not simply personal but rather
the concentration to two focal points of
the antagonism long existent between
those opposing factions, the Camerons
and the Mulveils. By insensible degrees,
from the time Rufus came to live in this
neighborhOod, he and John had grown
into prominence as the very nearly
matched champions of the young men
who, according to traditional duty, were
keeping alive the ancient. grudge of their
ancestors. Yet Rufus was not exactly a
Mulveil, but only related to them His
connection was admittedly no closer than
that his mothers first husband, who was
a Beaseley-she being a McBride-had
a brother married to girl who half
brother took one of the Baker girls -
wife, and everybody knew that the Bak-
erS were related to the Mulveils from
away back" though few could tell ex-
actly how. That was the way in which
most of the old women figured out his
distant cousinship," though there were
some who claimed to have found connec-
ton in another way, through the Clan
cys-a claim against which much could
have been, and was, said, without reach
ing any gertrude. At all events, he was
recognized as a relative and welcomed as
an adherent of the Mulveils. But he was
a 'ne'er-dO-well," working pretty faith
fully at Sim Mulvei's sawmill or on his
farm, but never, somehow, accommodating
anything for himself, not even acquiring
possession of saddle horse. 1t was
whispered that he gambled. OF course,
he was expected to have vices, for it was
we'll known that he worked in Pittsburg
several months before coming out to
Washington County to live, five years
ago, and the contamination of city life
was beyond question. Every one had to
admit, however, that he was a cookbook
ing young fellow, lacking in the open
frankness of countenance that character
lied John Cameron, but with fine ath-
letic figure, regular features and a hand
some head Of straight hair, black as coal.
Each of Golde's feats in the athletic
contest was loudly applauded by the Null
wells, and each time he was defeated by
John, the Camerons shouted for joy and
triumph over their neighbors. From these
indicative manifestations of feeling, pro-
gress was easy to the utterance of taunts
and insinuated threats.
Several of the older men present,
mindful of the promises given two years
before by the recognized heads of the
factions, when Squire McCalmont
brought about formal agreement of
peace between them, interfered to pre-
vent the fight that seemed imminent-and
60 xr-hi ah oh, hoJ
established on other "Road-tax Days"
Their endeavors, at least, caused the hot
headed youngsters to hesitate, and fortu
nately an incident occurred which divert
ed their attention and averted the threat
ened danger, by restoring general good
humor.
Danny Mulveil and the mail rider sud
denly came dashing down the road, riding
furiously and bowling like Comanches.
The imp" whose saddle was simply
sheepskin, was mounted upon a bright
bay two-year-old with a blazed face, that
everybody recognized at a glance as the
property Of minister Mcleod. The mail
rider-a boy only two or three years old
er than Danny-rode a good horse, with
which he had, in a succession of semi
weekly races, repeatedly beaten every an
imal IN the Mulveil stables-or, at least,
those to which the imp had access. But
Danny, who was not the sort of boy who
could be ever so effectually downed that
he would stay downed, had to-day stolen
from the pasture the minister's blooded
colt, the JOY of that good mans heart
and the pride of his life, and was deter
mined to ride him for all there is in
him."
(To be continued.)