Evening journal., 1905-04-05
CHAPTER VI.

ow stretching away % the foot of
Woody ledge, and at sunset IL lay Ike
a fallen mast athwart the COW paths,
Its long top arm flying pennant on
the side of Bowmans hill. In summer
this bar Of shadow moved like clock
hand on the green dial Of the pasture,
and the help could tell the time by the
slant Of it. Lone pine had a mighty
girth at the bottom. and its bare body
tapered into.the sky as straight as an
arrow. Uncle Eb used 70 say that
It's one long, naked branch that swung
and creaked near the top OF It, like a
sign OF hospitality on the highway of
the birds, was 200 feet above ground.
There we've a few stubs here and there
upon its shaft-the roost Of crows and
owls and hen hawks 1t must have
passed for a low resort In the feathered
kingdom because il was only the rob-
'bcrs Of the sky that halted on lone
pine.
This towering shaft OF dead timber
commemorated the ancient forest
through which the northern Yankees
cut their trails in the beginning Of the
century They were a tall big isted,
brawny lot Of men who came across
The Adirondacks from Vermont and he
gan TO break the green canopy that for
ages had covered the valley of the St
Lawrence. Generally they drove a COW
with. them. and such game as they
could kill on the journey supplemented
their diet Of pudding and milk" Some
settled where the wagon broke or
where they had buried a member OF the
family. and there they cleared the for.
ests that once covered the smooth acres
OF today.
Gradually the rough surface OF the
trail grew smoother until It became
Paradise road. the well worn thorough
fare Of the stagecoach. with its Inns
and outs" as the drivers used to say,
the inns where the men folks" sat In
the freilght OF the bazing logs after
supper and told tales OF adventure until
bedtime, while the women sat with
their knitting in the parlor and the
young men wrestled IN the stable yard.
The men Of middle age had stopped and
massive shoulders and deep furrowed
ing old and he might answer you by
holding hls whip in front OF him and
leaping over It between his hands.
Theres.was "a little clearing around
thus ig'plne tree when, David Brewer
settled in the valley. It's shadows,
shlgting in the light Of sun and moon
like the arm Of a compass, swept the
spreading acres OF his farm, and he
built bis house some forty rods from
th9,fQot.pLitQp higher ground. David
was the oldest Of thirteen children.
His father had died the year before he
came % ST Lawrence county. leaving
him nothing but heavy responsibilities
Fortunately his great strength and his
kindly nature were equal to the burden.
Mother and children We're landed safe
" 10 thelr new home on Bowmans hill
the nay that David was eighteen.
have heard the old folks OF that
country tell what a splendid figure OF
q man he was those days-six feet one
in his stockings and broad at the shouL
der. His eyes were gray and set un.
der heavy brows have never forgot.
ten the big man that laid hold Of me
and the broad, clean shaven, serious
face that looked into mine the day /
came 20 Paradise valley. AS / write
can see plainly his dimpled chin, his
large nose, his firm mouth that was
the key to his character. "Open OF
shet," ! have heard the old folks say,
1T showed he was no fool"
After two years David took a wife
and settled in Paradise valley He
prospered in small way considered
handsome thereabouts. In few yeara
he had cleared the rich acres of his
farm TO the sugar bush that was the
north vesubule OF the big forest. He
had seen the clearing widen until he
could discern the bare SUBMITS Of the
distant hills. and far as he could see
were the neat white houses OF the set
tiers, Children had come. three OF
them, the eldest a son who had left
home and died in a far country long
before we came TO Paradise valley, the
youngest a baby.
could not have enjoyed my new
home more II I had been born in il.
had much need Of a mothers tender
ness. no doubt. for l remember with
what a sense OF peace and comfort I
lay on the lap Of Elizabeth Brewer that
first evening and heard her singing as
she rocked. The little daughter stood
at her knees, looking down at me and
patting my bare toes OF reaching over
10 feel my face.
"God'sent him to us, didn't he, moth
err" said she.
Maybe" Mrs. Brewer answered.
wen be good to him anyway"
Then that old query came into my
mind. asked them II It was heaven
where we were
No" they answered.
"'Tain't anywhere near here, is it,
/ went on.
Then she told me about the gate OF
death and began sowing in me the
seed Of Gods truth. as know now
the seed Of many harvests. / slept
with Uncle Eb in the garnet that night
and for long after we came to the
Brewers. He continued to get better
and was shortly able to give his hand
10 the work Of the farm.
There was room for all OF us in that
ample Wilderness OF his Imagination,
and the cry OF the swift woke its echoes
every evening Cor time. Bears and
pan.herx Fronled In the deep thickets,
but the swifts took firmer grip on us,
heing bolder. and more terrible. Uncle
- became a great favOrite In the
family and Davif Rro,yer came n