The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-12-26

and lamentation in the house
hold of John Gale this after
10 Molly and Johnny were
in the throes of an overwhelming sor-
row the noise of which might be heard
from the barracks to the Indian vii
!age. They were sparing of tears, as
a rule, but when they did give way to
woe they published 1t abroad, yelling
with utter abandon, their black eyes
puckered up, their mouths distended
into squares. from which came such
a measure of sound as to rack the ears
auu burden the air heavily with sad
ness. Poleon was going away-thefr
own particular Poleon! They had
found the French Canadian at the riv-
er with their father loading his canoe,
and they had asked him whittier he
Jared. When the meaning of his
words struck home they looked at each
other in dismay; then, bred as they
were to mask emotion, they Joined
hands and trudged silently back up the
bank with filing eyes and chins
a-quiver until they gained the rear of
the house. Here they sat down all for
lorn and began to weep bitterly and in
an ascending crescendo.
whats the matter with you. tikes,
anyhow inquired the lieutenant. He
had always filed them with a speech
less w He was a nice man, they
had both agreed long ago, and very
splendid to the eye, but he was moth
ing like Poleon, who was one of them,
only somewhat bigger.
"Come, now, Tell me all about It,"
the soldier insisted. HAS something
happened to the three legged puppyY'
Molly denied the occurrence of any
such catastrophe.
"Then you've lost the little shiny rifle
that shoots with ARR" But Johnny
dispeiled this horrible suspicion by
drawing the formidable weapon out
Of the grass behind him.
well, there isn't anything else bad
enough to aus all this outlay of an
guish. Can't | help you out?"
"Poleon's goin' away!!' said Johnny.
"Now, that's too bad, of course" the
young a assented. But think what
nice things he'll bring you when he
comes back"
"He amt comm back!" walled the
little girl and, being q woman, yielded
again to her weakness, unashamed.
Burrell tried to extract a more de-
tailed explanation, but this was as far
as their knowledge ran. So he sought
out the Canadian and found him with
Gale in the store, a scanty pile Of food
and ammunition on the counter be-
tween them.
"Poleon," said he, you're not going
away?"
Eyes," said Doret. "I'm takin' lr
trip"
"Oh, but you can't" cried Burrell.
Up He paused awkwardly, while
down the breeze came the lament of
the two little Gales. well, 1 feel just
as they do" He motioned In the d.
rection of the sound. II wanted you
for a friend, Doret. l hate to lose
you"
81 ain never got my satisfy yet, so
I'm pass on-all de tam pass on.
Mebbe dis trip / fin de place."
I'm sorry-because-well, I'm a self
ish sort of c~uss-and'- Burrell pulled
up b~lushingly, with a strong mans dis
play Of shame at his own emotion. Il
owe all my happiness to you, old man
We shall never live long enough for
that. But you mustn't go without know
ing that / feel more than I'll eve have
words to say"
He was making 1t very hard for the
Frenchman, whose heart was aching
already with a dull, unending pain.
And then, as if he were not tried suff-
ciently, the girl herself came flying in.
whats this l hearr' she cried. AL
luna tells me- She saw the telltale
pile on the counter, and her face grew
white. "Then it's true? oh, Poleon!'
He smiled and spoke cheerily. Eyes,
I been t'inkin' bout dis trip long TAM"
"It's the wanderlust." murmured
Burrell to himself. He'll never rest"
"What a child you are" cried Necia,
half angrily. Cant you conquer that
rowing spirit and settle down like a
MANI" She laid her hand OF his arm
appealingly. Haven't 1 told you there
isn't any far country?"
He laughed aloud, for all the world
as If the sun were bright and the fret
for adventure were still keen In him,
then, picking up his bundle, said:
"Dere's no use argue wit Canayen
man. Mebbe some day / come pad
die back roun' de BEN down yonder
an you hear me singin' dose chanson.
But now de day she's too fine, de river
she's laugh too loud, an de birds she's
sing too purity for Frencheman to stop
on shore. Ba gosh, I'm glad" He
began to hum, and they heard him
singing all the way down to the river
bank as If the spirit Of youth and
hope and gladness were not dead
within him:
"Chante, rossignol, chante!
TOT qui a lie occur gal;
Tu as lie occur a rire
Mai J. / alta pleurer,
II y a longtemps que j t'aime
Jamaise je ne t'oublierai."
["Sing, little bird; oh, sing away,
You with the voice SO light and gay!
Yours Is a heart that laughter cheers.
Mine Is a heart that's full OF tears.