Mower County transcript., 1904-04-20

who had come down ii Il. fhs adyan
or 'tjan," Of the spring. drive. They
should have finished their orRies 6J
now and, empty OF pocket, should Be
found hanging about the boarding
houses and the quieter saloons. Thorpe
intended to offer good wages for good
men. He would not need more than
twenty at first, for during the an
preaching winter he intended to log on
very small scale indeed. The time
for expansion would come later.
With this object in view he set out
from his hotel about half past Z onsthe
day of his arrival to cruise saboutfn
the lumber jack district. The hotel
clerk had obligingiy given him the
names of number of the quieter sa-
looms where the boys 'hung OUT be-
tween bursts Of prosperity. In the
first of these Thorpe was helped ma
terially in his vague and uncertain
quest by encountering an old acquaint-
ance. Jackson Hines.
The old man peered at Thorpe.
"Don't you know me?" inquired
Thorpe.
Know you? You bet I do. How
are you, Harry? Where have you been
keepin' yourself? You look about as
fat as stall fed knittin' needle"
1--WE been land looking in the upper
peninsula" explained Thorpe, ION the
Ossawinamakee. up in the Marquette
country
"Sho!" commented Jackson in won
der. Way up there Where the moon
changes"
Its a fine country" went on Thorpe
so every one could hear. with great
cutting of white pine. It runs as high
as twelve hundred thousand to the
forty sometimes"
"Trees clean an free of limbs?' ask
ed Jackson.
"They're as good as the stuff over on
seventeen You remember that
"Clean as a baby's Leg" agreed Jack
son.
"Have a glass of beer?" asked
Thorpe.
DRY as tobacco box" confessed
Jackson.
So they all drank.
On a sudden inspiration Thorpe re-
solved to ask the old mans advice as
to crew and horses. 1t might not be
good for much, but it would do no
harm.
jackson listened attentively to the
others brief recital.
"Why don't you see Tim Shearer?
! He amt doin' nothin' since the jam
came down." was his comment.
isn't lie with the NJ. & D. people %
asked Thorpe.
"Nope. Quit"
FLOWS that?''
"'Count of Morrison. He's been film
his teeth for NJ. & D. right along.
Somethin' behind it all, l reckon."%
"Wherell find him?' asked Thorpe.
Jackson gave the name of small
boarding house. Shortly after Thorpe
left him to amuse the others with his
unique conversation and hunted up
Shearer's stopping place.
The boarding house proved to be of
the typical lumber jack class-a mar
row stoop, hallway and stair in the
center and an office and bar on either
side. Shearer and half dozen other
men about his own age sat. their
chairs on two legs and their cork
boots on the rounds of the chairs,
smoking placidly in the tepid evening
air. He approached and attempted an
identifying scrutiny. The men. with
the taciturnity of their class in the
presence of stranger, said nothing.
"Well, bub," finally drawled a voice
from the corner, "blowed that stake
you made out of Railway yet?'
'"That you, Shearery' inquired
Thorpe, advancing. You're the man
I'm looking for.''
'~You've found me-" replied the old
man dryly.
Thorpe was requested elaborately to
':shake hands" with the owners of six
names. Then. he had a chance to init
mate quietly to Shearer that he wanted
a word with him alone. The river man
rose silently and led the way up the
straight. uncarpeted stairs. along q mar
row. uncarpeted hall, to square, un-
carpeted bedroom. The walls and cell
ings of this apartment were of un-
painted planed pine. 1t contained a
cheap bureau, one chair and bed and
washstand to match the bureau. Shear
er lit the lamp and sat on the bed.
"What is it?' he asked.
Il have little pine up in the north
ern peninsula within walking distance
of Marquette" said Thorpe, "and l
want to get a crew of about twenty
men. 1t occurred to me that you might
be willing to help me-"
The river man frowned steadily at his
fnterlocutor from under his bushy
brows.
"How much pine you got?" he asked
finally.
"About 300.o00.O0o." replied Thorpe
quietly.
The old mans blue eyes fixed them
selves with unwavering steadiness on
ThOrpe'S fare