The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-20


shoeng skating, keeing kept them together for hours
traversng the white fields, skinming the shining
lake flying in long leaps down the rolling nowcovered
hills Their confidence in each others sympathy grew
the weeks passed Jim brought to his father his boy
sh puzzles and often shared with him his day-dreams
And the mans mature sense impaired to the boy balance
and steadness and breadth Sometimes as thew sat in
the library each at work Mr. Bradstreet would glance
up and, catching Jms eye read aloud some sentence
his anohers that had struck his fancy certain
of the boys interest if not of his full appreciation and
not nfrequenty glad of his fresh, youthful point of
view.
So it came about quite naturally that one day his
father spoke to Jim of the book he writing. Mr.
Bradstreet was retieent in such matters He seldom
mentioned his own literary affairs, and when he began
to speak to his about them Jim recognized it final
proof Of degree of intimacy his most daring fancies
had failed to picture In the pride he felt at becoming
his fathers literary conhdant he first gave thought
to the book possible rival But gradually, with
pages to pages and his fathers absorption III grew
ALSO old idea returned to Jms brain, the feeling that
he had expressed to Philip Gordon, sense that what
his father cared for most in all the world his work
One day he overheard his father speaking to friend
of many years standing 1t is the best yet Melrose,
Mr. Bradstreet said, touching with gentle lingering
gesture the pile of closely typed sheets the desk.
ED like to be remembered by it. | would willingly
risk my reputation this one book Why, do you
know he laughed slow laugh of humorous selfap-
probation, g. grown positively maudln about this
story. | timd it hen her chick,
and that ducl<ling If ANYTHING should happen to it,
but nothing You it my dearest possession
The very next day Jim sent by his father to re-
turn book to an elderly invalid friend In the course
fathers new book and of the enthusiastic hopes the
author had for its success
"Tve got to beat that book Jim whispered to himself
on his way home.
Spring deepened through mist of young green into
the fuller tones of summer and Jim and his father pre-
pared to spend the long vacation together Hitherto
they had been much apart in the July of this
year them established together in cottage that
chung to the skirts of the bigger hotel perched above
translucent Vermont lake Mr. Bradstreet found easy
to work there He had been too deeply in the swing or
It to leave the book behind and for several hours each
day he wrote steadily. Meanwhile Tim amused himself
with the youth of the hotel and cottages. He quite
used to being pointed out to transient visitors the
son OF James R. Bradstreet, you know who is sum
merng here but the young people hailed him with no
illusions to his father Among his contemporaries Jim
needed references.
He was beginning to feel himself baf1ed and some
times he felt he almost hated the story he had glored
in few months before He was not used to playing
a secondary role.
Toward the end of August Mr. Bradstreet was called
away suddenly and Jim was left for day or two to
keep bachelors hall in their threeroom apartment
Oh yes, he will be back very soon, the boy ex-
planned to interested group of ladies the hotel
piazza " In fact expect him this very evening, Mrs
6nsv Me- Mrs. was Oh m coming an on T ra and
there's fishing trip that will keep me busy this morn
ing | see the fellows are watng-f you will excuse
me" and Jim bowed himself off.
Md-afternoon instead of noon the return of the
anglers. From the point where they had struck into
the woods they rowed swiftly hungry back toward the
Hello" cried Ned Fellowes suddenly, 81 wonder
what's doing over there by the hotel?
men, women and children, guests and employees could
be seen running the lawn. Several of the women
cad b pitchers Fo and pals the a m4 %eF6 q O 1e1
of the cottages pulled delicate spiral of smoke.
The first boat turned bend in the lake
Jimmy gasped the boy in the bow twisting his
head around /" It's FIRE! Row, fellows, row. Don't
say, it's yours, Jim" shriled an excited voice.
dyes" said Jim quietly. Keep her head steady,
Bill" With long strokes he sent the boat ahead of the
hofa nfar
Jim had seen at glance the location of the fire, and
there was room for but thought in his brain
At the landing he sprang out and raced across the
grass and down the little stretch of shaded road Smoke
pouring from every window Of the cottage where
his and mis- fathers rooms The cracde Of flames
to him as he he could see orked red tongues
licking at the roof Now broadside of fire burst
through the windows the south-his own rooms
opened to the north Two three men played futile
action two more lines of hose
Employees of the hotel urged the guests back out OF
danger; they made Gordon around the cottage
Keep back please"
Nobody else allowed inside"
Can't LET you through, Mr. Jr1--its a furnace IN
there Here, stop that boy 49,,
The one idea had kept its place preeminent IN Jims
brain as he ran His father was gone and his father
anything should happen to tit is my dearest posses
son" scared themselves on his consciousness There
was envy now It did not occur to him now to wish
Ito beat the book" He swerved little from his
straight course passed the head waiter who had forbid
den him passage and darted into the burning cottage
When Jim awoke to consciousness some hours later
he felt rather than saw for his eyes bandaged that
there were people by the bed.
Dad, he whispered tentatively. .
Yes, JIM answered his fathers voice close TO ms
ear Here am, my boy
lin felt very tired and very uncomfortable but anxiety
weIled up within him. Dad, is the-did you find the
book-all right"
The book is safe Jim" said his father. And ther
suddenly his voice hurried with little catch in it
Jin boy what did you think cared for that wretche6
book compared with you?
3 "A warm feeling stirred at Jins heart He tried Il
move the hand that lay the coverle II big ant
heavy with bandages and hard to lift His father under
stood the movement and laid his the poultceS
fingers Jim smiled content but still little bewildeTed
II isn't wretched book" he contradicted weakly
It's bully one the best yet, and-you said you'd lik
/ to be remembered by it,
Yom are the book I'd rather be remembered by
Jim" said his father gently
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