The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-10-06
| The SCa|er
A Blazed Trail Story.
By STEWART EDWARD WHITE.
Copyright, 1904 by s. S. Mcclure Co.
A Blazed Trail Story.
By STEWART EDWARD WHITE
Copyrights, 1904 by s. S. Mcclure Co.


The timber was situated some fifty
miles from the railroad in country
that threw all sorts Of difficulties
across the logger's path and had to be
hauled from nine to fifteen miles to
the river. Both Morrison and DAILY
groaned in spirit. Supplies would have
to be toted in to last the entire winter.
for when the snow came communica-
lion over fifty miles Of forest road
would be as good as cut of. Whom
could they trust among the lesser fore
men of their woods force? Whom
could they spare among the greater?
At this juncture they called to them
Tim Shearer, their walking boss and
the greatest riverman in the state.
You'll have to .jib' her." said Tim
promptly.
'Who would be hired at any price
to 90 up in that country on ten mile
haul?" demanded DAILY skeptically.
"Jest one man." replied Tim, IAN
know where to find him."
He returned with an individual at
the sight of whom the partners glanc-
ed toward each other in doubt and
dismay. But there seemed no help for
It. A contract was drawn up in which
the firm agreed to pay Sc thousand,
merchantable scale, for all saw logs
banked at a rollway to be situated
given number of miles from the forks
of Cass branch, while on his sid:
James Bourke, better known as the
Rough Red, agreed to put in at least
three and half million feet. After
the latter had scrawled his signature
he lurched from the Office, softly rub
bing his hairy freckled hand where
the pen had touched it.
'That means a crew of wild Irish
men," said Me rison.
"And thst means they'll just slaugh-
Ter the pine," added DAILY. They'll
saw high and crooked, they'll chuck
the tops. Who are we going to send to
scale for 'em?"
Morrison sighed. 81 hate to do it;
there's only FiH can make it CO."
So then they called to them another
Of their best men, named Fitz Patrick,
and sent him away alone to protect the
firms interests in the depths of the
wilderness.
The Rough Red was a big, broad
faced man with eyes far apart and a
bushy red beard. He wore a dingy
mackinaw coat, dingy black and
white checked flannel shirt, dingy blue
trousers tucked into high socks and
lumberman's rubbers. The only spot
Of color in his costume was the fam
ing red sash of the voyageur which he
passed twice around his waist. When
at work his little wide eyes 1ickered
with baleful wicked light his huge
voice beloved through the woods In a
torrent of imprecations and COM
mands, his splendid muscles swelled
yisibly even under his loose blanket
coat as he wrenched suddenly and
savagely at some mans stubborn can't
hook stock. A hint Of reluctance or op,
position brought his fist to the marx
with irresistible impact. Then he
would pluck his victim from the snow
and kick him to work, with savage
lest that raised laugh from every
body-excepting the object of it.
In the work was little system, bu
much efficacy. The men gambled
drank, fought, without a word of pro
test from their leader. With an ordi
nary crew such performances woult
have meant slight accomplishment, bu
these wild Irishmen with their blood
shot eyes, their ready jests, thei
equally ready fists plunged into tn
business of banking logs with all tn
abandon Of a carouse-and the worl
was done.
Law in that wilderness was not
saving that which the Rough Re'
chose to administer. Except in on
instance, penalty more severe than
beating there was none, for the me-
could not equal their leader in break
ing the greater and lesser laws o
morality. The one instance was tha
Of young Barney Mallan, who, Will
drunk, mishandled a horse 80 severel
as to lame It Him the Rough Re
called to formal account.
"Don't ye know that horses can't b
hadY he demanded, singularly enoug
without an oath. "Come here"
The man approached. With singl
powerful blow Of a starting bar th
Rough Red broke his tibia.
"Try tn lameness yerself," said th
Rough Red grimly.
On Thanksgiving day the entil
place went on a prolonged drunl
The Rough Red distinguished himse
by rolling the round stove through IL
door into the snow. He was bad
burned In accomplishing this delica
lest. but minded the smart no MOI
than he did the Admiring cheers Of h
anaudlin but cumulative mates. Fl
Patrick extingufh5iiied a dozen litt
fires that the Goals had started, shiftt
the intoxicated Mallan's leg out Of tt
danger Of some ones falling on it, al
dnnarted from that roaring hell no
to the fringe of the solemn forest. Al
this brings us to Fitz Patrick.
Fitz Patrick was a tall, slow mt