Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-11

IsVH gOou thlnE lot tue year cut.
The season was Capricious,
hanging for days at time at the
brink of n thaw. only TO stilfen again
into severe weather. This was try
ing on the nerves. for at each of these
false alarms the six camps fell into
feverish haste to get the job finished
before the breakup. 1t was really quite
extraordinary how much was accom-
plished under the nagging spur of
weathc conditions and the cruel rowel-
ing of Thorpe.
The hitter had now no thought be-
yond his work AID that was the
thought of mailman. lie had been
stern and unyielding enough before,
goodness knows, but now he was terri
bic. Not for an instant was there
resting spell The vericst chore hoy
talked. thought dreamed, of nothing
but saw logs. Men whispered vaguely
of n record cut. The difficulties of
snow, accident. topography, Were
swept aside like straws. Little time
was wasted and no opportunities. 1t
did not matter how smoothly affairs
happened to be running for the mo-
ment: every advantage, even the small
est. was eagerly seized 10 advance the
work. A drop Of five degrees during
the frequent warm spells brought ont
the sprinklcrs even in the dead Of
night At night the men fell into their
hunks like sand bags, and their last
conscious thought, if indeed they had
any at all, was of eagerness for the
morrow. II was madness, hut it was
the madness these men loved.
For now TO his old religion Thorpe
had added a fanaticism and over the
sanaticism was gradually creeping Il
film of doubt. To the conscientious
energy which a sense of duty supplied
was added the tremendous kinetic
force of love turned into other chan
nels. And in the wild nights while the
other men slept Thorpes half crazed
brain was revolving over and over
again the words of the sentence he had
heard from liilda's lips. There can be
nothing better than love"
His actions. his mind, his very soul,
vehcmcntly denied the proposition. He
clung as ever TO his high Puritanic
idea of mans purpose. But down deep
IN very tiny. sacred corner OF his
heart a very snail voice sometimes
made itself heard when other more
militant voices were still: 1T may be.
1t may be
The last month of hauling was also
one Of snow Each day q little fell.
BY and by tie accumulation amounted
to much. In the woods where the wind
roud not get ut it it lay deep and soft
above the tops of bushes. On either
side Of the logging roads the snow piled
so high as to form a kind of rampant
When all this water in suspense should
begin To flow and to seek its level in
the water courses Of the district the
logs would have plenty to float them
at least
So late did the cold weather last that
even with the added blowing TO do. the
six camps beat all records. On the
banks at Camp one were 900 coo
feet The totals Of all five amounted
to 100000. About 100000 Of this
was on French creek. the remainder
on the a. bank of the Ossnwina-
+,
Sadler & Smith, had put up some r.
100000 more Tho drive promised to
he quite an affair.
About the 10Th of April attention be-
came strained. Every day the mount
ing sun made heavy attacks on the
snow: every night the temperature
dropped below the freezing point. The
river began 10 show more air holes, oc-
Casional open places. About the cen
Ter the ice looked worn and sogGy.
Some one saw n flock of geese high in
the air. Then came rain,
One morning early Long Jim Pine
came into the mems camp bearing Il
huge chunk OF tnllow This lie held
against the hot stove until its surface
had softcncd, when he began to swab
liberal quantities of grease on bis
spiked river shoes. which he flshcd out
from under his bunk.
"Shes comm. boys" he said.
He donned pair of wooden trousers
that had been chcTned off at the knee
thick wooden stockings and the river
shoes Then he frightened his broad
leather belt about his heavy shirt
cooked his little hat over his ear ant
walked over in the corner to select {;
peavey from the lot the blacksmith hac
just put in shape. 4 peavey is like {
cant hook except that it is pointed n
the end. Thus it can he used either a
hook or pike. At the same momcn
Shcarer. similarly attired and equipped
appeared in the doorway. The OPENING
Of the portal admitted n roar of sound
The river was rising.
Come On, boys; she's on" said n
sharply.
Lively, boys, lively" shoute'
1norpo. shell he down on US before
we know e.
Above tie cracking Of dead branchc,
In the wind sounded "A steady roar like
the believing Of q wild beast lHshinl
itself TO fury. The freshet was abroad.
The men heard II, and their eye,
frightened with the lust Of battle
Thcy cheercd
At the banks of the r'Ycr Thorpe is
sued his directions The affair haC
been all prearranged. Immediately
above the first rol!Ways was Dan
Three. with It's two wide slucc
through which a ycritablc flood coulC
be loosonel at will then four miles far
Their lay the roliway Of Sadler & Smith
the In river firm and above 1 ON tum