The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-14

| full on night like this
II inquired .f there was no other hous'
near. and he replied that he had been tol,
| that there was none within twenty miles
and finally I entered and received rough
| but hearty enough welcome from the ole
| man. Abel Goodspeed. and his two sons
| Abel Goodspeed was a grarled old man. q
| giant IN stature and OF corresponding
| width Of shoulder and chest. and his son.
resembled him. had rarely seen three mer
| who seemed 10 eSemplity such power oi
| brute force, and from the tremendous set o
| their square Jaws and the answering CLEAN
| OF their black eyes from under their knitted
| brows such concentrated power Of will
| Although l could take no exception &c
| their welcome. Yet l felt a certain uneas.
| ness. as II had been rendered hospItali:.
| by some dangerous wild beasts instead o.
| fellow-merl: and Yet the interior OF the
| house after the wild darkness without
| seemed fairly inviting There was bright
| fire on the hearth. and one Of the sons stoo
over great kettle swung from the crane
| stirring a vsnison stew. whose savory odol
was intoxicating 10 one who had walked
az far as had in the mountain air. TIE
room was comfortably furnished. too. some
cushioned chairs. table with a brlsh,
| cover. and some Towering plants on sheit
| at a window; but the plants were all a-Hu1-
ter with the wind which no glass could en-
| tirely exclude
Il hung nly hat and coat ard bundle on
some pegs behind the door and sat down III
one OF the cushioned chairs before the fire.
with the other traveller beside me
We had sa, there only few moments IN
silence. except for word or two OF
allusion 70 the force Of the wind.
The one son continued to stir the
savory mess in the pot over the
fire the other was setting some dishes
on the table. for the men appeared TO do the
g ,,,I 10
sat close TO the lamp. reading large BOOK
which I observed. with some surprise. to
look like Bible when suddenly there came
a tremendous onslaught Of wind. follower
Immediately by crash somewhere near the
house. IT, indeed. 1t were not some portion
OF the house roof. ] Immediately. and the
other traveller with mel had learned tha'
his name was Edward Wellman-sprans up
and rushed to the door which We flung open
and hurried out. To my great surprise the
others did not seem in the least moved. Inc
son who was cooking continued TO stir the
venison stew the other 70 set the table. the
old man to read the Bible.
Directly when the young man and
were outside We saw what had happened.
A maple tree which had stood beside the
barn had fallen and lay over the roof: ITS
branches showing golden in the light rom
the house windows. We could hear the
frightened believing Of the cattle INSIDE
1t seemed TO me that any minute. with IN"
force of the wind and the weight OF the tree,
the roof might cave in. and 1t also seemed
TO me that a man might risk his life to no
purpose should he enter the building to save
the cattle. and Vet 1t should be done.
II rushed to the house door and screa1nen
as loudly as could above the din Hullo.
/ screamed: .Hullo.
The sons did not appear to hear. but the
old man turned slightly from his fro"rili. =.
n
consideration Of his book. -" nat : " '"'
he inquired. grutfy.
1.-The tree has fallen on your barn roof
l shrieked in reply, for the wind Just then
swelled TO such fury OF rage that my
voice against il was like an infants. Inc
tree has fallen on your barn roof and 1t may
cave in any minute. and your cattle Will DE
crushed The young man behind me aiso
echoed my shout. 'Hullo" he called. loudly
Come out and help II you want to save
your cattle"
Then the old man looked fully up from
his book and shook his head, like lion.
with rage and his eyes giowed with impious
fury, and he swore great oath that the
cattle might die and be damned for all him.
shouting out with a daring OF biasphemy
that took away my breath that he VINO
had charge of them might save them IL
He would and could. since He had sent
the wind. Then he turned again to his book
and said no more TO all our entreaties. The
two sons paid no heed at all, but went on
with their household tasks.
Then my fellow-traveler. with laugh
which at such a time made me shudder.
called to me to come. since no one else
would. and we hastened together to the
barn. and we slid open the heavy doors
and entered under that omnously creaking.
bending roof. while the wind shook the
whole structure to its foundations. and we
loosened the stanchions which confined the
paving. believing cattle and leaped aside
while they lunsed out into the night before
our wild shouts. Then we ran out our
selves. for death was hard at our heels.
you may be sure. and before we reached
the door of the house the barn roof crashed. |
We entered and told the old man and his |
sons that the barn roof had fallen. but the |
cattle were safe. The news was received |
with a bitter smile and no thanks. Howev- |
er. one of the sons spoke.
81 heard the roof go. I am used to the |
sound. 1t is the third time Z drove them
,ut the last time. and they ali ran over the |
brow of Lone Mountain and were killed.
said the otter in a curious. impartial. ju- (
licial sort of voice. 1t was as II he were
Weighing Judgment. and I recoiled for some |
-eason which I could not fairly grasp.
Il resumed my seat and my fellow-trav- |
,ler also resumed his. and I watched again
he preparations for supper proceed. but in
'pite of the grateful shelter and my hunger
was half inclined to leave the place and |
axe my chances out in the mountains and |
he night. There was something about this
ard uncanny Indifference to
which filled me with a vague ter
-or of something. / knew not what. How
,ver. suddenly the door opened and the
;oung girl. whose face had seen at the
,hamher window. entered. and with her
presence the gloom and the dim shadow as
II evil seemed to tighten. The old man
md sons spoke TO her caressingly telling
Ter who We strangers were and how We
we're to be lodged there for the night, and !
;he greeted US with gentle and timid
she seemed to be petted child. from
whose slender shoulders all possible bur
lens were removed l noticed that none of |
he household tasks seemed to fall to her.
'he sat down in a particularly comfortable '
little chair, which seemed to be her especial
and busted herself with some del !
cate needlework, while her brothers fin I
shed preparing supper which was soon set |
'efore us. 1t was a meal almost luxurious |
0 one in my famished condition. but could
at little. My. fellow-traveler. however. par
ook with a hearty appetite, although
ras positive from the glances which he
ave me from time to time that he shared
ny bewilderment. II not my msgvings
However the girl enlirened the situation
or both of us. She was SO fair and gentle
nd altogether lovely that felt nv head
I once filled with her. and | knew from
he manner in which the other young man
1oked at her that he was in similar |
tate l also noticed that She often t-lr-,nd
er innocent face in his direction, and that
OF word which he spoke escape1 her
that might have been the Jealous |
ancy of young man, and il may not have
cen so.
tya oil L., |