Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-11-23

elSS CIOWuln dSdynSL inc UlS pou1y
gates watchin' a chance to slip
through. 1 can see 'em there through
the shiny pickets watchin' their
chances, Silas. But can't seem to
see 'em separated, either up there or
down here whenever they chance to
come slipping into the kitchen here"
Silas glanced furtively about as II
in quest of these invisible forms of
small people often mentioned before
by Mother Slusser in affectionate ret
respect.
We'll, Mother he said, failing to
find that any small folks were present
and keeping his tones as even as he
could, what in Moses name has that
got to do with me findin' a new spring
of water for the cattle to take the
place of the one that's gone dry?"
why, Silas," Mother said, going
over to him with the chopping bowl
in her hands. ''diggin' is diggin' amt
it? You don't think much about what
tbs makes you dig, whether it's water,
or iron, or oil-not while you're dig
gin, now, do you, Silas?"
We'll, WELL" Silas replied, instantly
contrite, "mebbe you're right Ma,
mabbe you're right. We won't quar-
rel about it seem there's only two of
us to the Slusser establishment. We
got to be friends, Ma 500, 500. Yes,
yes; as long as we live we got to be
friends, and diggin' is diggin', sure
enough. So, then, if you say the
word, I'll go at it first thing in the
morning, right where the stick point
ed for fair, and we'll see what's to
pay under. But l amt expecting any
great shakes of spring because the
test want strong enough to hold. I'll
warrant I'll find the dirt all stained
up with yellow spots Of iron, or else
therell be some other bunco of a
metal showing, that l amt calculated
on. Beats all how a manlI &c ooled
when he's working hard for something
he wants and the unexpected always
pops up. Amt that SO, MAJ" he add
ed in his best coaxing manner.
His wife kept silence for full min
ute, then replied irrelevantly.
eff Arson should happen to come
home, Pa, for the holidays, the work
would be lighter for you. It's real
hard on you, diggin' is, whatever it's
you want to uncover, to have to do it
all alone. I should presume to say
that If Arson was here"
"Oh, I guess Arson amt thinkin' of
US, Ma" Silas interrupted with a sud
den touch of bitterness, hes given
himself over to them combine fell
lows. There he's got cogs to catch
aholt of him, and red tape to hold him,
and anchors to weight him, and yeller
tailed bulldogs, and horse collars,
and '-nine-tails for to be tying,
and such.
You are always too hard on An
son. Silas," his wife protested, reach
ing for a white bowl that stood on
the table behind her, and pouring the
chopped raisins and citron into it.
"Anson has sent us money regular
every Christmas fer five year, and
we've needed it pretty nigh every time
1t came. too. But some way it al
ways seems like dream money to me,
coming out of what appears to be
Nowhere in particular. Arson seems
that way, too-sort Of myth-like and
unreal, and misty. I amt blamin' him
for not coming home in seven years,
but his stoppin' away sort of makes
him out like he was up yonder with
all the rest OF the children. And /
can never count just Alright, first-off,
whether there's four or FIVE of 'em
In heaven playin' ring-around-the-rosy
But when they come in here teasin'
and begin to be locked and nursed
there's such a many l don't even try
to count 'em. They're that coaxin'
and misty and elusive and persistent
and me never able to put my hands
on 'eml" Her voice broke at the last
in spite of her.
We'll, well. 500, so-o!" almost
whispered Silas' soothing tones. then
he cleared the huskiness of his voice
away abruptly. well, ma, presume
Ansons good and substantial as fur
as that goes. I reckon he's good
talIow and bones. all right, with
plenty of red blood coursin' about and
cutting up mischief the way it always
did. He amt mist, or smoke, or
dream-stuff, not Arson, ma, / guess
you'd find out If you could set eyes
on him. But to go back to that pesky
business of findin' water for the cattle
so't l won't have to fetch and lug
their drink to 'em from the house.