Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-08-29
:uation-graduaily she had come to be

an intruder whose visit was to be de
ferred as long as possible. But Their
were signs Of. it's coming; as Winslo,
watched Lavender-observed her ter
der thoughtfulpess toward her mothe
her regard for the welfare of al
He remembered the picture she mad
when seated in the wood with the Ir
dams head on her lap. Bare-headet
her hood the wounded mans pillow
the dying sun tipping her hair wit
arrow-points of bronze, she ha
seemed wrath of daylight in tn
gathering shades. This revelation O
the softer side of the girls nature
of her ministrant care and dauntless
ness in danger, touched him wher
ballroom Establishments or mer
blithe maidenhood, had failed.
She rode in advance, often turning
for word or smile. Often Their,
were scarlet berries at her throat, o.
leaves twisted in hooking imitation
! OF Owatoga's headdress.
Winslow's pleasure in the sight
his growing joy in her company, was
dampened by self-reproach. Had al
his hopes, his ambition for a career II
the land Of promise, come to this:
That he could find content and salts
flying happiness in the mere presence
of woman?
At last they came in sight of the
Mississippi; dark, silent, the waters
rolled, a vast moat; beyond it, steer
and sheer, a wall of rock. To the trav.
elers, ignorant of all that lay behind
that rocky wall might have been the
fortr Of the setting sun.
The spring was early, and ice drift
ed helplessly under it's torn cerements
of snow. They were not far from the
settlement of New Madrid, and it was
determined to follow the course of
the river until the town was reached.
Slowly northward, for the spring
rains had begun, and the fens and
marshes were Shiny underfoot, and
foggy overhead.
The river, bearing it's icy burden
away to the south, served them in
guidance grim, but true.
At last they reached the point d.
rectly opposite New Madrid. The
squat stone cabins of the settlement
were huddled together on the farther
bank like great cakes of ice thrown
from the river.
The day was gloomy; the clustering
wind, hag-ridden, hurled snow and
rain in their faces with alternate spite.
"This Is not exactly a welcome,
warm and heartfelt, is it?" laughed
Wlnslow, as they dismounted and
stood on the bank of the gray river I'M
der scowling sky.
Out OF the dusk doomed a group of
Wigwams, and Owatoga went forward
to reconnolter. He returned in COM
pany with another Indian whom he had
engaged to ferry them over. Their
few household goods had been carried
in crates, bound with deerskin to the
backs Of ponies, ana these were trans
ferred to one pirogue. Two others were
reserved for the passengers.
They arranged for the sale of the
ponies and hospitality for the night,
but with the first dawn the party en-
parked on the river.
One Indian stood in the Prov, push
ing aside with a long pole the cakes of
ice which drifted like inquisitive mon
sters, close to the driving keel.
America covered in abject fear in
the stern; alternately invoking the
wrath of Heaven upon the rash under
taking, and beseeching Divine aid in
it's outcome
The other women bore the discom-
fort and danger with fortitude, even
pleasure. In both was a strong sense
OF the dramatic, the picturesque. To
Lavender, especially, this was as a
draught of wine-this race with the
swirling ice on the dark water in the
cold gray dawn. Here and there a
vain star yet dallied for last look
at herself in the watery mirror.
All was quiet in the village as they
neared the shore, and the boats rub
blng their sides together in friendly
fashion as they grated on the sand,
was the only sound.
There was no tavern then in the
town, but every cabin had a spare bed
and seat at table where strangers were
allowed to stay. For it was scarcely
a; welcome which these frontier folk
was rather a Tolerant suf-
ferance. Such a return in money or
trade as the guest saw fit to make,
was accepted, but none was ever de-
Their doors were open, and
with the opening of the door they
considered duty done; the stranger
could make shift to find his own nook
in the chimney corner.
Such fare the travellers found, and
for Lavender the style held a quaint.
interest.
Il like this kind of hospitality" she
said one day. Il like their independ-
ent attitude. What they give is free
ly given, and one feels that it is with.
out effort"
ENTIRELY so," Winslow agreed, dry
~, "and don't like it. Pot luck
as they call it, never appealed to me
rather enjoy being made over"
CHAPTER VIII.
Suddenly, as If to surprise them,
came the spring.
The winter carpet of sodden leaves
was changed to one of bright young
grass. Pussy-willows, like molting
birds, dotted the marshy land with