Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-01-14

itent.
There were two lays in the season
when the regular routine of the woods
mans work was interrupted by func-
tons which possess a Omantic charm.
One was when the Friends and neiSn-
bors from a wide region assembled to
help him raise" the walls of his cab
in.
From all sides they appeared, in
their picturesque costumes of home
spun or fur. Suddenly, through the
cVcr-open gates of the forest, teams or
horses crashed, drawing after them
clanking log chains, and driven ty men
who carried saws and cant hooks" on
their broad shoulders. Loud halloos or
greeting. cheerful words of encourage
mcnt, an eager and agreeable hustle or
business, filed the clearing.
Log by log the walls rose. as the
horses rolled them into place with the
aid of the great chains which the pio-
neers wrapped round them. 1t was
only a rude log cabin they built-with
Il great, wide opening through the mid
die, a room on either side. and a pic
t%uresque chimney at either end; but il
was not to be despised wen for grace,
and When warmth and comfort and
ad~aptability to needs and OppOrtunf-
ties are considered, there have been
few buildings erected by the genius of
man more justly entitled to admira-
ton.
When this single days work was
ended there remained nothing for Da-
vid to do but think and daub the walls
with mud. cover the rude rafters of
the roof with his shakes, build the
chimneys out of short sticks. courthouse
fashion, and cement them on the in
side with clay to protect them from
the flames.
The other day was the one on which,
at the close of the long and genial
miner when the mass of timber and
rushwoo had been thoroughly sea-
soned by the hot suns. he set his
torches to the carefully constructed
piles.
Steven and Pepeeta were to share
with him in the excitement of this con-
migration, and David had postponed it
until dusk, in order that they might
enjoy it's entire sublimity. He had
taken the precaution to plow many fur
rows around the cabin and also around
the edge of the clearing. so the flames
could neither destroy his house nor
devastate the forest.
'tS WI , "
nothing can exceed the ferocity of fire
in the debris which the woodsmen.
scatter about them. When the dusk
had settled down On this woodland
| world and long shadows had crept
| across the clearing, wrapping them
selves round the trees at it's edge and
scattering themselves among the thick
branches till they were almost hid
from view. David lighted a pine torch
and gave it into the hands OF the ca
ger boy, who seized it and like a young
Prometheus started forth. A single
touch to the dry tinde was enough.
With a dull explosion. the mass burst
into flame. Shouting in his exultation,
the little torch-bearer rushed on, ig-
| hitting pile after pile. and leaving be-
hind him almost at every step a mighty
connagration. At each new instant. as
the night advanced. until ten, twenty.
fifty great heaps were roaring and
| seething with anne Great Jets
spouted up into the midnight heavens
| as if about to kiss the very stars, and
| suddenly expired in the illimitable
| space them. Immense sparks,
| shot out from these bonfires as from
| the craters of volcanoes, went sailing
| into the void around them and fell
Missing into the water of the brooks or
| silently into the new-plowed burrows.
The LIQUIDS above the heads of the
| subdued and almost terrified beholders,
| fer no one Is ever altogether prepared
for the absolute awfulness of such a
spectacle. were glowing with the fierce
| light which the fires threw upon them.
| Weird i~liuminations played fantastic
tricks in the foliage from which the
startled shadows had vanished. The
| roar of the ever-increasing fires be-
came louder and louder, until in very
terror Pepeeta crept into David's arms
for protection. while the child who had
fearlessly produced this scene of awful
| grandeur inc destruction shouted with
triumph at his play.
"Thee's a reckless little fire eater"
said David. watching his figure as it
appeared and disappeared. "How
! youth trifes with forces whose powers
it can neither measure nor control! 1t
was well that I drew a furrow around
our cabin or it would " been burn
ed go
His gaze was fixed on the little cab
in which seemed to dance and oscillate
in the palpitating light: and touched
by the ~analogies and symbols which
his penetrating eye discovered in the
SihipA0 SSCASS u odAAJ liz AS SVitiih
ued to s~oliloquize, saying, II should
have drawn burrows around my life.
before I played with fret"
Nay, David."e replied Pepeeta. I'VE
should v have played with fire at
ALL"
How wise we are-too late!"
Shall we walk n more cautiously
when the next untried pathway
opens?" he added. somewhat sadly. as
he recalled the errors Of the past.
w ought to. if experience has any
value" said Pepeeta.
But has it? Or does it only inter-
pref the past. and not point out the
future?"
Something of both, I think"
Well, we must trust it."
But not it alone. There is some
thing better and safer"
What is that, my love-"
THE path finding instinct Of the
soul ITSELF
DO you believe there is such an in
stinct?"
"As much as 1 believe the carrier
pigeon has it. 1t is the inner light OF
which you told me. OF see, I remem-
Der my lesson like an obedient child"
Why. then, are we so often misled?"
he asked, tempting her.
Because we do not wholly trust it,"
she said.