Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-12-06
D'ri and /
By IRVING BAcFIELLER
Author Eben Holden" Darrell Of the Blessed Isles" Etc.
Copyright. 1901. BY 1e.AroD rusu.A,as Company
BY IRVING RACHELLEF
Darrell Of the Blessed Isles" Etc.

.op Pubushing companyJ
Of Joy. He would lean forward, sway
Ing his head, and shouting ''Yip!" as
the bow hurried. D'ri was a hard
working man, but the feel of the i'd
die warmed and limbered him from
toe to finger. He was over-modest.
making light of his skill if he ever
sroke Of it. and had no ear for COM
pliment While our elders were dane
Ing and others Of my age were play
ing games in the fredericksburg
games with rush and tumble in them.
puss-in-the-corner, hunt-the-squirrel,
and the like. Even then / thought
I was in love with pretty Rose Mer-
riman. She would never let me kiss
her, even though had caught her and
had the right
My mother gave me all the school,
Ing had that winter. A year later
they built schoolhouse, not quite a
mile away, where found more fun
than learning. After two years l
shouldered my ak and went to the
overland with the choppers every win
ter morning.
My father was stronger than any of
them except D'ri, who could drive his
ak to the bit every blow, day after day.
He had the strength OF giant, and
no man I knew tried ever to cope
with him. BY the middle of May we
began rolling in for the raft. AS soon
as they were floating. the logs were
withed together and moored in Sec
tons. The bay became presently q
quaking, redolent plain of timber.
When we started the raft, early in
June. that summer Of 1910. and worked
1t into the broad river with sweeps
and poles, was aboard with D'ri and
six other men. bound for the big city
! OF which had heard so much. was
to visit the relatives of my mother
and spend year in the College Dc St
Pierre. We had q little frame house
on big platform. back of the middle
section of the raft, with hunks in it,
where We ate and slept and told
stories. Lying on the platform there
was q large fat stone that held our
fires for both cooking and comfort.
D'ri called me In the dusk Of the early
morning. the first night out, and said
We were near the Sault. got up.
rubbed my eyes, and felt . mighty
thrill as I heard the roar Of the great
rapids and the creaking withes, and
felt the lift Of the speeding waters.
D'ri said they had broken the raft
into three parts, ours being hindmost.
The roaring grew louder. until my
shout was as whisper in hurricane.
The logs began to heave and fall. and
waves came rushing through them.
Sheets Of spray shot skyward, coming
down like shower. We were shaken
as by an earthquake in the rough wa
ter. Then the roar fell back Of us, and
the raft grew steady.
"Gin us a tough twist" said D'ri,
shouting down at me-"kind Nv a twist
o the bit n kick n the side"
II was coming daylight as we sailed
into still water, and then D'ri put his
hands to his mouth and hailed loudly
getting an answer out of the gloom
ahead.
Col dun Of It hain't tho power Nv
thousan' painters!" D'ri continued
laughing as he spoke. Never see
nothin' Jump n kick n spit like the,
air, less It he'd fur on-never n ali
my born days."
D'ri's sober face showed dimly now
In the dawn. His hands were ON hi.
hips: his faded felt hat was tipped
l IA
were quarreling over that disputed ter
ritory between his knees and ankles
His boots had checked the invasion.
Smooth water now" said he
thoughtfully. Seems terribly still
Hain't breath Nv air stirrin'. Jeru
shy Jane Pepper! Wha' does the
meanf'
He stepped aside quickly a. som,
bits Of bark and small bough Of hem
lock fell at our feet. Then a shower
OF pine needles came slowly down
scattering over US and hitting the tim
Der with faint hiss. Before we coul,
look up Q dry stick as long a. lol
fell rafting on the platform.
Never seen no sech doin's afors,
said Dri, looking upward. Thing
don't sssm { me- { be actin egEzac'l,
natral-nut Jest % I'd like t sec EN-
Al the light came clearer. We say
clouds heaped black and blue over tn
tree-tops In the southwest. We stoo,
. moment looking The clouds wer
heaping higher. pulsing with light
roaring with thunder. What seemed :
DO q flock of pigeons rose suddenl
above the far forest. and then foil q
II they had all been shot. A gust q
wind coasted down the still ether. fu,
. tering like rag and shaking out
few drops Of rain.
Look therel" I shouted, psintin
aloft.
"Harkl" said D'ri, sharply, raisin
his hand Of three fingers.
: We could hear a far sound like thu
Of q great wagon rumbling on q ston
7 road.
TheAlmighty's whippin' his bosses.
, said D'ri. Looks es eft he was plur
!, gin 'em through the woods way yer
der. Look a. thet air sky"
The cloud-masses were looming raj
Idly. They had glow like that {
. copper.
= 'Tryin' to put ruf on the world
: my companion shouted. 'Swingil
Their hammers hard on the rivets."
, A little peak Of green vapor shove
above the skyline. 1t doomed high {
9 we looked. It grew into lofty CO
. umn, Keeling far above the forest. B.