The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-05-26
THE PRINCETON UNION: THURsDAY. NAY ae- 1aoA

provisions were to be slowed, and the
Cookie a hulking youth, assisted
Thorpe and the driver to carry them in.
In few moments the task was fin
ished, with the exception of a half doz-
en- other cases, which the driver desig-
| mated as for the ''van" The horses
were unhitched and stabbed in the
third of the big log buildings. The
driver indicated the second.
Better go into the mems camp and
sit down till tn boss gets in," he adj
vtsed.
Thorpe entered a dim, overheated
structure lined on two sides by a flou-
bic tier of large hunks partitioned
from one another like cabins of a boat
and conferred by a huge stove over
which hung slender poles. The latter
were to dry clothes on. Just outside
the hunks ran straight, hard bench.
Thorpe stood at the entrance trying to
accustom his eyes to the dimness.
''Set down." said voice, ION tn door
if you want to, but I'd prefer th dea.
con seat.''
Thorpe obediently took position on
the bench, or deacon seat" His eyes,
more used to the light, could make out
thin, tall, bent old man, with bare
Uranium, two visible teeth and three
days stubble Of white beard over his
meager, twisted face.
He caught, perhaps, Thorpe's surpris-
ed expression.
''You think tn old mans no good, do
you?" he cackled without the slightest
| malice. ''Looks is deceivin'." He
sprang up swiftly, seized the toe of his
| right foot in his left hand and jumped
his left foot through the loop thus
formed. Then he sat down again and
laughed at Thorpe's establishment.
"Old Jackson's still purity smart"
said he. ''I'm barn boss. They amt
man in tn country knows as much
about bosses as 1 do. We amt had
but two sick this fall, an between you
an me they's skate lot. You're a
greenhorn, amt you?
eyes," confessed Thorpe.
"Well," said Jackson refectively, but
rapidly, lie Fabian, he's quiet, but
ban; and O'Grady, he talks loud. but
you can bluff him; and Perry, he's only
bad when he gets full of red likker;
and Norton, he's bad when he gets
mad like, and will use axes"
Thorpe did not know he was getting
valuable points on the camp DULLES.
At dark the old man lit two lamps,
which served dimly to gloze the shad-
ows, and thrust logs of wood into the
cast iron stove. Soon after, the men
came in. They were queer, mixed
lot. There were active, clear built,
precise Frenchmen, with small hands
and feet and peculiarly trim way of
wearing their rough garments; typical
native born American lumber Jacks,
powerful in frame, rakish in air, reck-
less in manner; big blond Scandina-
VANS and Swedes, strong men at the
saving; an Indian or SO, strangely in
contrast to the rest, and a variety of
lrishmen, Englishmen and Canadians.
These men tramped in without word
and set busily to work at various tasks.
Some sat on the deacon seat" and be-
gan to take off their socks and rub
bers. Still others selected and lit Ian
terms from a pendant row near the
window and followed old Jackson out
of doors. They were the transfers,
you'll find the old man in the Office"
| said Jackson.
Thorpe made his way across to the
small log cabin indicated as the Office,
| and pushed open the door,
A man sat at desk placing figures
on sheet of paper. He obtained the
| figures from statistics penciled on three
thin leaves of beechwood riveted to-
gether. In a chair by the stove lounged
bulkier figure, which Thorpe con-
cluded to be that of the "old man,
II was sent here by Shearer," said
Thorpe directly. "He said you might
| give me some work.
| So long silence fell that the appli-
cant began to wonder if his question
had been heard.
II might" replied the man dryly at
| last.
"Well, will you?" Thorpe inquired,
the humor of the situation overcoming
| him.
Have you ever worked in the woods?'
mo"
The man smoked silently.
"Ill put you on the road in the morn
1ng," he concluded, as though this were
the deciding qualification.
One of the men entered abruptly and
approached the counter. The writer at
the desk laid aside his tablets.
what is it, Alberto" he asked.
"Jot of chewin',' was the reply.
The scaler took from the shelf a long
plug of tobacco and cut off two inches.
"Ain't hittin' the van much, are YOU,
Albert?' he commented, putting the
mans name and the amount in a little
book. Thorpe went out after leaving
his name for the time book, enlightened
as to the method of obtaining supplies.
He promised himself some warm cloth
ing from the van when he should have
worked out the necessary credit.
At supper he learned something else
that he must not talk at table. For