Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-03

ilization. Mukee. the half Cree. had
never seen white woman, for even
the factors wife was part Chippeway-
an. and no one of the others went
down to the edge Of the southern Will
derness more than once each twelve
month or so.
The girl-she was scarce more than
budding into womanhood-fell happily
into the ways Of her new life. She did
nothing that was elementally unusual,
nothing more than any pure woman
reared in the love Of God and OF a
home would have done. In her spare
hours she began to teach the half doz-
en- wild little children about the post,
and every Sunday she told them won
derful stories out of the Bible. She
ministered to the sick. for that was q
part Of her code Of life. Everywhere
she carried her glad smile. her CHEEKY
greeting. her wistful earnestness, to
brighten what seemed to her the sad
and lonely lives Of these silent men of
the north.
And she succeeded, not because she
was unlike other millions Of her kind.
but because Of the difference between
the fortieth degree and the sixtieth.
the difference in the viewpoint Of men
who fought themselves into moral
shreds In the big game Of life and those
who lived a thousand miles nearer to
; the dome Of the earth
A few days before there had come
wonderful event in the history Of the
company's post A new life was born
into the little cabin Of Cummins and
his wife. Then had come the sudden
change. and the gloom. that brought
with it the shadow of death. fell like
a pail upon the post. sitting its life
and bringing with 1t grief that those
who lived there had never known be.
fore.
There came to them no word from
Cummins now. He stood for mo-
ment before his lighted door and then
went back. and the word passed softly
from one to another that the most
beautiful thing in the world was still
living her sweet life in that little cabin
at the end of the clearing
you hear the music in the skies
now, my Melisse?" whispered the man.
kneeling beside her again. ut is very
pretty tonight"
1T was not that" repeated the wo-
man.
She attempted to stroke his face.
but Cummins saw nothing of the eff
fort. for the hand lay all but motion.
less. He saw nothing Of the fading
Softness that glowed in the big. loving
eyes, for his own eyes were blinded
by a hot film. And the woman saw
nothing Of the hot Aim. 40 torture
was saved them both. But suddenly
the woman quivered. and Cummins
heard a thrilling sound.
1T Is the music" she painted. John,
I John, 1t is-the music-of-ny-pe0-
ple!"
The man Strengthened himself. his
face turned to the open door. He heard
1t now. Was 1t the blessed angels CON-
ing for his Melissa: He rose. a sob
bling note in his throat. and went. his
arms stretched out. to meet them. He
had never heard sound like that
never In all his life in this endless will
derness.
my Melissa. my Melissew be Sob
bed.
A figure came from the shadows, and
with the figure came the music. sweet
and soft and low. John Cummins
stopped and turned his face straight
up to the sky. His heart died within
| him.
| The music ceased. and when he look.
ed again the figure was close to him.
staggering as 1t walked. and a face
white and thin and starved came with
It. 1t was boys face.
For the museek of the violon-some-
ting to eat" he heard, and the thin
figure swayed and fell almost into his
arms. The voice came weak again.
"rhees Ii Jan-Jan Thoreau-and bis
viOl0n."
The woman's bloodless face and her
great staring. dark eyes greeted them
as they entered the cabin. As the man
knelt beside her again and lifted her
head against bis breast she whispered
once more:
1T is the-music-of my people-the
violinl"
John Cummins turned his head.
play" he breathed.
"Ah. the white angel is seek-ver'
seek" murmured Jan, and he drew his
bow gently across the strings of his
violin.
From the instrument there came
something so soft and sweet that John
Cummins closed his eyes AZ he held
the woman against his breast and lis
tened Not until he opened them again
and faif 4 stsan9s chill aGaipst III