The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-02-17

hat he could carry her into the house
and lay her on the bed. He sent the
oldest boy scudding down the corduroy
for the nearest neighbor, and between
them they undressed her and discover
ed that she was not bitten. They bath
ed and bound up the bleeding wrist
and coaxed her back to consciousness.
She lay sobbing and shuddering. The
first intelligent word she said was.
"Freckles. look at that jar on the
kitchen table and see If my yeast is no
running over"
Several days went by before she
could give Duncan and Freckles any
detailed account Of what had hap
pened to her. She could not rest until
she sent for Mclean and begged him
to save Freckles from further risk
about that place of horrors. The boss
went down to the swamp with his
mind fully made up to do SO.
Freckles laughed. "why, MT. Nc
Lean, don't you let a woman's nervous
system set you worrying over me-" he
said. "Tm not denying how she felt,
because I've been through it meself,
but that's all over and gone. It's the
height of me glory to fight it out with
the old swamp and all that's in it or
will be coming to it and then to turn
1t over to you, as promised you and
meself I'd do, sir. You couldn't break
the heart of me entire quicker than
to be taking it from me now when
I'm Just on the home stretch. You
, mustn't let woman get mixed up
with business, for I've always heard
about how it's bringing trouble"
The Bird Woman and the angel ar
rived on time for the third of the
series and found Mclean on the line
talking to Freckles. The boss was fill
| ed with enthusiasm over a marsh arti
Gle of the Bird Woman's that he had
just read. He begged to be allowed
to accompany her into the swamp and
watch the method by which she Sc
cured an illustration in such a loca-
ton.
The Bird Woman explained to him
that 1t was an easy matter with the
subject she then had in hand. and as
Little Chicken was too small to be
frightened by him and large enough
to be getting troublesome, she was
glad Of his company. They went to
the chicken log together. leaving to
the happy Freckles the care of the
angel, who had brought her banjo and
a roll of songs. The Bird Woman
told them that they might go to Freck-
les room and practice until she fin
= ished with Little Chicken, and then
she and Mclean would come to the
concert.
It was almost three hours before
they finished and came down the west
trail. AS they reached the bushes at
the entrance the voice of the angel
stopped them, for 1t was commanding
and filed with much impatience.
"Freckles James Ross Mclean" she
was saying, you fill me with dark
blue despair! You're singing as If
your voice was glass and liable to
break at any minute. Why don't you
sing as you did week ago? You
|
there was the making Of great sing
er in you. and now you are singing
do you know how badly you are sing
ing?"
"Yis," said Freckles meekly. "1'm
thinking I'm too happy to be singing
well today. The music don't come
right only when I'm lonesome and sad.
The worlds for being all sunshine at
prisint, for among you and Mr.. Nc
Lean and the Bird Woman I'm after
being that happy that can't keep me
thoughts on me notes. It's more than
sorry am to be disappointing you.
Play it over, and I'll be beginning
again, and this time I'll hold hard"
"Well," said the angel, cit seems to
me that If had all the things to be
proud Of that you have I'd lift up my
head and sing!"
"And what is it I've to be proud Of.
ma'am?" politely inquired Freckles.
"Why. a whole worldful Of things"
cried the angel explosively. "For one
thing, you can be good and proud over
the way you've kept the timber thieves
out of this lease and the trust your
father has in you. You can be proud
over the way every one speaks Of you.
1 heard a man say few days ago that
the Limberlost was full of disagreeable
things-positive dangers, unhealthy as
1t could be. and that since the memory
of the first settlers It has been rem
devious for runaways, thieves and
murderers. This swamp is named for
a man that got here and wandered
around till he starved. That man l
was talking with said he wouldn't take
your job for $1,000 a month-in fact.
he said he wouldn't have it for any
money. and you've never missed day
or lost tree. Proud! Why, should
think you would just parade around
about proper over that!
"And you can always be proud that
you are born an Irishman. My father
is Irish. and If you want to see him
just get up and strut give him teeny