Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-19

'twan't higher n my head! But he
cleared 1t jest ms easy as a g%rasshopper
d go over a straw. I'd like & know
where lie comes from, gol dummed II !
wouldn't. He's the consarndest queer
est animal n these woods"
Alb emphasized this lucid view Of the
night man by an animated movement
Of his fist that held the big hunting
knife with which he whitfield. Then he
emptied his pipe and began cutting
more tobacco.
"Some says e = a ghost" said Tip
Taylor, splitting his sentence with a
yawn, as he lay on q buffalo robe in the
shanty.
"Shucks an shoestrings!" said Alb.
"He looks too nat'ral. Don't believe no
ghost ever wore whiskers an long hair
like his'n. Thet don't hor { reason"
This remark was followed by dead
silence. Tip seemed to lack both cour.
age and information with which to pro-
long the argument.
Gerald had long been asleep. and we
were all worn out with uphill travelling
and the lack of rest. Uncle Eb went
out to look after the horses that were
tcthered near us. Alb rose. looked ur
through the tree tops, ventured . guess
about the weather and strobe of into
the darkness.
We were five days in camp. hunting
fishing, fighting flies and picking blue
berries. Gcrald's cough had not i'm
proved at all; II was. If anything. q
bit worse than 1t had been. and the
worry Of that had cloudcd our holiday
We were not in high spirit when finally
we decided to break camp the mex
afternoon.
Tip had everything ready for oul
journey home. Each day Gerald hat
grown paler and thinner. AS VIZ
wrapped him In n shawl and tenderly
helped him into the wagon l read hi,
doom in his face. We saw so much o.
that kind of thing in our stern climat,
over. We sat In silence. speeding dowi
the long hills in the fading light of til,
afternoon. Those Few solemn hours II
which l heard only the wagons rumble
and the sweet calls of the whippoorwil
waves Of music on n sea of silence
started me in a way Of thought which
has led me high and low these many
years and still invites me. The day
was near its end when We got to thu
first big clearing. From the top Of
high hill we could see above the IN
forest the red rim Of the setting sun
big with winding from the skein o
day, that was now flying OF the ire,
tops in the west.
We stopped to feed the horses and Il
take a bite Of jerked v~enison, wrappe,
ourselves warmer. for It was now dusl
and chilly, and went on again. Tn
road went mostly downhlll going OIL
Of the woods and we could make goo
time. 1t was near midnight when W
drove In at our gate. There was
light In the sitting room. and Uncl
Eb and I went In with Gerald at once
Elizabeth Brewer knelt ut the feet O
her son u~nbuttoned his coat and too
of his muffler. Then she put her arm
about his neck, while neither spoke no
uttered any sound. Both mother an
son felt and understood and were g
lent. The ancient law OF God tina
rends asunder and makes havoc OF ou
plans bore heavy on them in that me-
ment, I have no doubt. but neither mur
INJURED. Uncle Eb began to pump Wig
orously at the c~lstern. while Davi'
fused with the fire. We were al
quaking inwardly, but neither betray
I'd q sign of 1t. 1t Is a way the Puri
tan has Of suffering. His emotion
are like the deep undercurrents Of tn
sea.