Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1911-04-21

l"o oiu euSoSS ooh get CT nv n,
the Lord knows what other So
sort of crime I'll be COM;
next"
There were three sleepless ones
Mariposa Creek that night ans
because they wanted to find q wa
make 1t easier for each other
Mccarthy found the wav n
and early next morning he waa
their door. They were washina
dishes, Ezra doing the drying wi3h
old salt sack, while Abner Wit,
piece of rubber blanket tied III
him for an apron, was loudly snI,
ing the soap and water, and \
were smoking industriously,
well, boys" said Mccarthy o.
fully letting his bulk settle down E
a spindly-legged, yellow-plush covo
chair which he dragged into f
kitchen with him, 81 guess vo,N
right. This is a mighty rich claN
and no mistake"
1Ao ""oo0o eoAiS freshly cut tObh
co in the palm of his hand nh
both the partners said: Yes A.
it's mighty rich"
Now, we all got to be fair and III
est with each other, amt we? WI
l thought it was no good till j
proved it up: If you went away
have the cabin left, and I've come
buy you out. I'll give you three III
sand for The Grand Reunion ha
and you keep the last cleanup"
That was "a powerful sight"
money, and Hugh had to fairly bu
them into taking it. They did
want it because they didn't think
fair, although it was enough to NAL
them independent, with what HtA
they could take from the AhDalI
and what they had saved, for the I'd
of their lives.
And SO the Mariposa knew them
more, but the partners don't know
this day that The Grand Reunion h!
never been considered worth workiII
and that the cabin built with sud
care is sealed with cobwebs.
The partners made two little Dacj
of the things brought with them Wild
they came, shook hands with al
babe a courteous goodby to eveI
man on Hugh's claim, and IaboriousI
climbed the other side of the gulch
the crest of the divide, where twenI
men below spied them, and gave
cheer that sounded out it's farewd
above the roar Of the waters. Tho
waved their hands and Disappeared.
It was night when they came
that other little cabin, which from il
loneliness and desertion greeted thej
in unchanged LONELINESS Save I'd
the dust and the creaking voice Of il
stiffened hinges, it was all the sam
The time-Worn stools with their shin
faces, the hunks with their mats
fir boughs, and the wheeZy little stow
with it's long-dead ashes. They grope
for the kindling stick, which wa
where they had left it those man
months ago; found the candles On tn
shelf as of old, and prepared the
evening meal.
Then, when the moon came Il
through the same gap in the hillsid
where for SO many years they ha
watched it come before, and stare
at them with a smile OF welcome, the
climbed the hill. Climbed up
where the flowers were now runnin
in unkempt wildness, and with tren
bling hands patted the Weather-beate
cross above the grave Of the onl
woman they had ever claimed as the
own.
They looked out across the grea
gulch, with it's splendid sentinel tree
silhouetted against the glory of tn
night, over the singing stream Whic
threw silver sparks at the moon, an
then 1T the homely little cabin, wit
it's shaft of light streaming throug
a long-unused window.
With a great sigh of unt4ld THANH
fulness and content they muSmured
each other, and to the night: 1T
looks jest like it ulster. Yes, jest llk
it uster."
They we're back with their hill
their cabin, their flowers, and thel
cross, where the God they kne'
seemed a little closer than anyWher
else in all the wide, wide world