Courier Democrat., 1904-04-28

It was very cola. All day long the
restless wind swept across the shivers
ing surface Of the plains and tore
around the corners Of the islands The
big woods are as good Gs an overcoat.
The overcoat had been taken away.
When the lunch sleigh arrived the
men huddled shivering IN the lee of
one of the knolls and tried to eat with
benumbed fingers before fire that
was but .noclery. Often it was near
" dark before their work warmed
them again. All of the sideways had
to be placed on the edges of the is
lands themselves, and the logs had to
be travoyed over the steep little knolls.
A single misstep out on to the plain
meant a mired horse. Three times
heavy SHOWS obliterated the roads, SO
that they had to be plowed out before
the men could go to work again. 1t
was struggle.
Railway was evidently worried. He
often paused before gang to inquire
how they were making it." He SEEM
ed afraid they might wish to quit,
which was indeed the case. but he
should never have taken before them
any attitude but that Of absolute con-
f1dence in their intentions. His anx-
iety was natural, however. He re-
allied the absolute necessity Of skid
ding and hauling this job before the
heavy choking SHOWS Of the latter part
Of January should make it impossible
to keep the roads open. So insistent
was this necessity that he had seized
the first respite in the phenomenal
snowfall of the early autumn to begin
work. The cutting in the woods could
wait.
Left to themselves, probably the men
would never have dreamed of objecting
to whatever privations the task car
ried with it. Railways anxiety for
their comfort, however, caused them
finally to imagine that perhaps they
might have some just grounds for CON-
plaint after all. That is a great trait
Of the lumber jack.
But Dyer, the scaler, finally caused
the outbreak. Dyer was an efficient
enough man in his way, but he loved
his own ease. His habit was to stay in
his bunk of mornings until we'll after
daylight. To this there could be no
objection except on the part Of the
cook, who was supposed to attend to
his business himself, for the scaler was
active in his work when once he began
1t and could keep up with the skidding.
But now he displayed strong antipa-
thy to the north wind on the plains.
~ 81,
gum" said he to Radway. "And I've
got some respect for my ears and feet.
She'll warm up little by tomorrow,
and perhaps the wind III die. l can
catch up to you fellows by hustling
little, so guess I'll stay in and work
ON the books today"
Gall right" Radway assented. lit
tie doubtfully.
This happened perhaps two days out
Of the week. Finally Dyer hung out a
thermometer, which he used to consult.
The men saw it and consulted it too
At once they felt much colder.
''She was STAN 10 below" sputtered
Baptiste Teller, the Frenchman who
played the fiddle. "He freeze t'rou to
hees eenside. Dat is too cole for max |
in de work.
''Them plains is sure holy fright"
assented Purdy.
eth old man knows it himself"
agreed big Nolan.
Ibid you see him rammin' around
yesterday askin' US if we found her too
cold? He knows very we'll he ought |
not to keep a man out that sort o
weather"
"You'd shiver like dog in brier
path on a warm day in July" said
jackson Hines contemptuously.
"Shut upy' said they. You're barn
boss. You don't have to be out in the
cold"
This was true. So Jackson's inter-
vention went for a little worse than |
nothing.
''It amt lax he has nuttin' BESIDES"
went on Baptiste. "He can max de
cut in de needle of de fores'."
''That's right" agreed Bob Stratton. |
'They's the west half Of eight amt |
been cut yet"
So they sent a delegation to Radway
i
"Boss." said he bluntly. "she's too
cold to work on them plains today.
Bhe's the coldest day we had"
Railway was too old hand at the |
business to make any promises on the |
spot.
"1'll see, boys" said he.
When the breakfast was over the |
crew were sent to making skidways |
and travoying roads on "eight." This |
was a precedent. In time the work on |
The plains was grumblingly done in any |
weather. However, as to this Radway
proved firm enough. He was a good |
fighter when he knew he was being i'm |
posed upon.
And as the days slipped by he tight
ened the reins. Christmas was ap-
An easy mathematical COM
putation reduced the question Of COM
pleting his contract with Morrison & !
DAILY to a certain weekly quota. In
fact, he was surprised at the size Of II.
He would have to work diligently and