Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-18


held ~ the pattern Of the wnrres.
Constantine was drunk again las.
night. and I had to give him q talking
to when we came back. Oh, but I laid
him out! He's frightened to death of
me when I'm angry"
She furfowed her brow in q scowl-
the daintiest. most ridiculous pucker Of
a brow that ever mar saw-and drew
her red lips into an angry pout a. she
recounted her temperance tnlk till the
trader broke in. bis voice very soft, his
gray blue eyes Is tender az those of
u woman:
ITS good to have you home again,
Necia. The old sun don't shine a.
bright when you're away, and when 1t
rains 1t seems like the moss and the
grass and the little trees was CRYING
for you. reckon everything weeps
when you're gone. girl, everything ex.
cept your old dad, and sometimes he
feels like he'd have to bust out and
join the rest Of them"
/ missed you dreadfully, daddy SIR.
said. 1T seemed as II those days at
the mission would never end. Father
Rarnum and the others were very kind,
and I studied hard. but there wasn't
any fun iE things without you"
Il reckon you know az much az a
priest now. don't you"
"Oh. lots more" she said gravely.
you see. I am n woman"
He nodded r%efectively. $50 you are!
/ keep forgetting that"
Their faces were set toward the
west. where the low sun hung over a
ragged range Of hills topped with v
lasting white. Beyond were other
ranges thrus. skyward in a magniH.
cent confusion. while still to the fa>
ther side lay the purple valley Of the
koyukuk. n valley that called insist
emily to restless men, welcoming them
In the spring and sending them back
In the late summer tired and haggard
with the hunger Of the north.
when Will Poleon get back, do YOU
supposeT"
Most any day now. unless the Daw-
son dance halls are too much for him.
1t won't take him long to sell our
skins il what I hear Is true"
what Is that"
about these Cheechakos. They saw
there are thousands Of tenderfeet up
there and more coming in every day"
Gale turned his eyes downstream to
the barracks and noted that the long
hagstnr had at last been erected.
Even as he looked he saw n bundle
mounting toward its tip and then be.
held the stars and stripes flutter out
IN the air. while the men below cheer.
&C noisily. 1t was some time before
Re answered.
"Poleon Doret is like the rest of US
men up here In the north. We have
taken care Of ourselves 30 far. aud I
guess we're able to keep 1t up without
the help Of a smooth faced Yankee kid
for guardian"
Lieutenant Burrell isn't a Yankee"
said Necia. He IL Q Blue Grass man.
He comes from Kentucky"
Der father srunted contemptuously.
II might have known 1t. A regular
male man with any ginger In him
would shed his coat and 60 to work,
instead OF wearing his clothes but.
toned up nll day. 1t don't take much
'savvy' to run a handful Of thirteen
dollar a month soldiers" Necin stirred
q bit restlessly. and the trader con.
tinued: 1T ain't mans work; It's
loading. II he tries to boss Us hem get
quito a surprise"
He won't Try to boss you. He has
been sent here 10 build Q military post
ana to protect the miners In their own
self government. He won't take any
part in their affairs - long % they
nre conducted p~saceably."
Tho old III grunted again. with
added contempt, while his daughter !
continued: |
This rush to the upper country has ,
brought In all sorts Of people, rood.
bad-aud worse. and tho soldiers haye
been ssnt to prevent trouble ana 10
hold things steady w the law can b.
established. The Canadian msuptsd
police arc sending al thslr WORT char.
setsrs down river. and eur ssadises
have been scattsss1 among The Amer.
lean camps fcr our peotsct!ea. ltA,nt /
rs ans."
"Whsrs do you learn oil thisf~
"Lieutenant Burreil told me-" she ~.
piled. at which her father rsgusdsd !
s~i>eniE. -ahs- could. MOI. ee-~''