Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-05-21
CHAPTER xIx,-tContinued.D

swift-mOving forces Of the mill. He con
trolls the fierce fires that melt the stub
born ore; yields the tremendous machin-
cry that shapes the unwilling metal to his
desire; nothing is too hard or too heavy
for him; the roar that fills his ears is q
paean in praise of his genius and might
nature submissively Obeys his will, his
pulses swell and thrill with the conscious
ness of power, and he bears himself erect
with the dignity of masterhood. What
does not the world of to-day owe to the
men who make the iron! They are the
true kings of civilization. Practically,
all that is fashioned, all that is done, all
that is thought for the worlds progress
to-day is rooted in their work. The first
iron worker was a god, and god among
gods, mind you. What would JOve's
laundering have amounted to if he had
not had Vulcan to forge his thunderbOlts
for him.?
''Why, you surprise me, Uncle David.
/ had no idea you felt that way. How
does it come that you never went into
iron-workingY
Il hardly know myself. Sometimes it
seems to me that in some dimly remem-
bered, remote time, as if in half-fOrgot-
ten former life, | wrought iron. 1t is a
curious fancy that comes to me, not in
dreams, as you might suppose, but when
] am all alone, wide awake, sitting still,
letting my mind do it's own thinking and
not trying to control it at all. And it
has come to me, too, when visiting an
iron mill and seeing new sand strange
machinery, which | would ut once com
prehend the uses of, without explanation,
and recognize as an improvement upon
something | would vaguely remember as
employed for a like purpose in some shad-
Owy, by-gone time, far back of the knowl-
edge of Davy Henderson. 1t is strange
that l aye contented me on q farm. And
yet, on second thoughts, it isn't. There
are few men, | think, who would not fain
be something else than what they are and
ill some other place than that into which
fate has thrust and keeps them. l guess.
the much I've done in building has kept
me content. Building is next to iron
making. The happiest days of my life,
believe, were those in which / was build
ing that stone court house; and the big
ger the stone to be handled was, the bet
ter liked the job. Gosh, lad, I'd like to
build with mountains! But, ell, what an
old dreamer I'm getting to be! Come!
Let's talk of something else. What are
you going to do?"
I'm not very clear about anything be-
yond marrying Hetty and finding out if
it's true that skunk Sim MulYeiL, had
a warrant for me, and if 50, what for"
"Oho! SO that is worrying you? Well,
some think he had, but more don't believe
it, and nobody pretends to say what it
was for. Something was said, on Train
ing Day, about thieving. but it is under
stood, of course that that was only to
start the fight. The way Sim and Rufus
came to their just and righteous end
gives some color to the rumOr that there
was Il warrant for you and Sim had it,
for some of those cussed Mulveils have
jumped, by sheer guesswork, to the fact
that he and Rufe were drowned when
chasing YOU"
And Hetty?"
mo. The curious thing is that her
is not known to a soul in
Washington County except her mother
and yours. Mary Elder and me-"
And Danny"
We'll, l suppose that imp may have
some idea of it, but it's hardly likely, or
he would have blabbed it, just for mis-
chief"
John smiled, thinking he knew Danny
better, but did not feel called upon to de-
fend him.
But, to return to what l was saying.
some of the Mulveils do have the idea L
and do sort of blame you. And
it is just possible they may try to make
things unpleasant for you on your return,
just at first"
ANY NIulveil who desires trouble with
me can have all he wants of it,"
Il have no doubt, and it is JUS: to
avert anything of the sort that | want
matters little my way just now. 1t is
only by giving no opportunities for the
breaking out of that foolish old grudge,
we can hope to ever get it eXtinguished.
1t is disgrace to us as civilized mon and
Christians that it should exist, and just
see how it stands in the way of your own
happiness"
We'll. what do you prOposeP
Il will take you straight home, and l
want you to stay there until l come for
YOU tomorrow morning. We will 90 to
church together. 1t will be Communion
Sabbath. and everybody will be there"
IN go to church with YOU, Uicle Da-
vid. hut l don't feel like promising that |
will stay at home until then"
You want TO go and see Hetty to-
night. Now. he ruled by me this once.
John. for your own good. Don't go there
tonight. 1t will only make trouble for
You and Hetty. Do as l tell you. and
think | can promise you that before long
when you - there You viii receive well
come. Take my advice, and stay at home
tonight"
Well I'll do it. III wait until to-
morrow. But understand, nothing holds
me after church. l know myself too well
now to promise what 1 will. or will not.
do after I've seen Hetty &gain."
Wen try TO make the treatment as
light for you. John, as the nature of your
case will permit"
Uncle David let his horses jog along at
easy pace. They had already traversed
the road once that day, having been start
cd on it long before dawn, aud the old
man-oue Of whose favorite maxims was:
The merciful man is mercitul unto his
beaSt-saw no occasion for hurrying
their return. As it was, he had John
home long before dark, and drove away
10 Ms UA u 44pu>Ct ACAN 4AA- NAtS AAA IL HIS
mothers arms.
Mrs. Cameron's joy over the return OF
her son could hardly have been greater
had he just got back from q three-yeaT
whaling voyage. Never until he ran
away with Hetty had he spent night
from home, and miserably lonely old
woman she had felt herself during his
seemingly interminable absence. He had
only been gone four months, according TO
the almanac. but no calendar correctly
marks the flight Of time for those who
love the absent. And really, she declar-
ell. he must have been gone much longer,
fo- he had had time 70 grow bigger.
stronger. more manly, sraver. with q
Nose assured manner and Self-conhdent
bearing than was his before. The i'm
perceptible degrees by which he had
grown up, day by day. under her eyes
constantly, since his infancy. had some
how kept alive in her heart the fancy
OF hooking upon her biz boy as still heI
little child. until now this break had
come in the habits OF lifetime. and Il
wSS with q startled. half-painful feelinS