Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-12
CHAPTER v.

~ CO
&2a u han before me. Don't pint
yer gun at me- the man whispered
Thought twas funny he could see me
when I couldn't see him. Said twas
MS hNshe an we'u ue,.,. n.,,
him l was sick Uumatia, an coul,in
stir. Said he was sorry an come owe,
near us. Tol him I was an oil man
gotn' west with n small boy. stopped
In the rain. Got sick. out o. purvi-
sions. Bout ready t die. Didn't know
what Z do. Started { strike a match.
an the man said: Don't make no
light, cos l don't want to hev ye see
my face. Never let nobody see my
face Said he never went ont less twas
dark night until folks was abel.
Said we looked like good folks. s;cnirt
me a little cos we couldn't see u thing.
Also he said: Don't be 'fraid of me
DO what I can fer ye.'"
I remember the man crossed the
creaking floor and sat down near us
after he had parleyed with Uncle Eb
awhile in whispers. Young as I was,
] keep a vivid impression Of that night,
and, aided by the diary of Uncle Eb,
! have made a record of what was said
that is in the main accurate.
"Do you know where you are?" he
inquired presently, whispering as he
had done before.
1--WE no idee," said Uncle Eb.
well, down the hill Is Paradise val
ley. in the township O. PARKWAY" he
NNnAI sHAsa Al- -rI - .-.l.-
Rad an a purity country. Been settled
& lang time, an the farms are big an
prosperous kind nv a land o. plenty.
Fiat big no ise at the foot O. the hill
10 Dave Brewers. He's the richest
man in the valley"
How do you happen t. be livin' here,
II We don't min tellin' me?" Uncle Eb
asked.
Cray said he. "'Fraid O. every
body. an everybody's 'fraid O me.
Lived a good long time in this way.
Winters I go into the big woods. Got
a camp In n big cave, an when I'm
Their: ! see n little daylight. Here in
the clearin' I'm only up In the night
time. Thet's how I've come to see so
well in the dark. It's give me cats
eyes"
Don't ye git lonesome?" Uncle Eb
asked.
"Awful-sometimes," he answered
with a sad sigh. IAN it seems good t.
talk with s'me5ody besides myself. l
get enough to eat generally. There are
deer in the woods an cows in the fields.
ye know, an potatoes an corn an her,
riss an apples an all tibet kind O. thing.
Then I've got my traps in the woods.
where 1 ketch patridges an squirrels
an coons an all the meat l need. I've
got n place in the thick timber t do
my c%ookin'-all l want e do-in the
middle Of the night. Sometimes |
come here an spend a day in the garnet
II I'm caught in a storm or IL | happen
to stay n little too late in the valley.
Once In a great while I meet q man
somewhere in the open. but he always
gifts away quick as he can. Guess they
think I'm a g~host-dunnc what l think
o. them"
Our host went on talking as IL he
were glad to tell the secrets of his
heart to some creature of his own kind.
i have often wondered at his frank
ness, but there was a fatherly tender
ness. / remember, in the voice of Uncle
Eb, and l Judge it tempted his conf
dence. Probably the love OF compan
1onship can never be so dead in a man
but that the voice Of kindness may call
1t back to life again.
"1n bring you n bite T. eat before
mornin'." he said presently as he rose
to go. Let me feel O. your han, mis-
ter"
Uncle Eb gave him his hand and
thanked him.
Feels good. First I've he'd hold Of IN
a long time" he whispered. whats
the day O. the month";"
1.-THE 25th."
II must remember. Where did YOU
com FROM"
Uncle Eb told him, briefly, the story
OF u going west.
"Guess you'd never do me no harm.
would ye?" the man asked.
mot a bit" Uncle Eb answered.
Then be babe us goodby, crossed the
creaking floor and went away in the
darkness.
"Sing'lar character" Uncle Eb NUT.
tered.
was getting drowsy. and that was
the last l heard. In the morning we
found a small pail Of milk sitting neal
us, a roasted partridge. two fried fish
and some boiled potatoes. 1t was
more than enough TO carry us through
the day, with q fair allowance for
Fred. Uncle Eb was a bit better, but
very lame at that, and kept to his bed
the greater part Of the day. The time
went slow with me, ! remember. Uncle
Eb was not cheerful and told me but
one story, and that had no life in II.
At dusk he let me go out in the road
to play awhile with Fred and the
wagon. but came to the door and called
US in shortly. l went to bed in a
rather unhappy frame of mind. The
dog reused me by barking in the mid.
die Of the night, and l heard again the
familiar whisper Of the stranger.
"sh-h-h! Re still. dog" he whis,
persd. But l was up to my ears in
sleep and went under shortly. so l have
NJ knowledge Of what passed that
night. Uncle Eb tells In his diary that
he had a talk with him lasting more
than an hour. but goes no further and
never seemed willing to talk much