Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-25

ly: His extra exharation cooled, but Jake was a
scker, and the insistent notices strung along his
route were as SO many pin pricks to his resolution
a preacher was preacher: YOU could go to hear
him If you liked, or stay away if you chose. But it
would take years of temperng sun and rain to eface
the work Of this single day; Even the naked rock
the more the rider pondered, the more he felt the
inscriptions to be an insult to his kind Then his
jaw set he thought of the eipsyfaced girls recoil
He owed her black brother that account, too
He had no business to have medded but his motives
had been Of the best
He logged into Midtown at dusk, and. stabling his
horse in an accustomed redwood ring, made straight
way for the "Sawyer's Roost,' a ramshackle two
walls he well knew he should find alies-rollicking
lads from the mill yards, and freeborn men of the
and reparded the genial dspenser at Watsons " as
their best friend His zest for the attack mounted
high with the joyous hubbub evoked by his simple
plan to boot the ofcious stranger out OF town. But
he made mention here, either, of the fence deco
rators fair compagnon de voyage.
He woke late for Sabbath stiffness held the
screaming Midtown saws, and, tumblng into his
clothes guessed knowing ly at the attraction drawing
group of both sexes about a wide circle OF young
evergreens. Outside its sawdust enshrouded heart
the sporadic little town was rife with circular red
wood coverts dividing the dwellings from an
e
before him to have once numbered Ave towering
monarchs-by their marks These had passed; and
their had been cut But the up springing
tertiary growth had woven itself into quinette of
round chambers. large enough to house comfortably
van, horse. and Travellers and the whole hanked
by odd pulpit stump of alien fir, sawed half and
half with four-foot split between the cuts. Above
this permanent furnishing, set ready for Ron1any
divine hung the raying call of the curious, neatly
painted square board bearing this legend:
THE CHURCH OF THE WILDERNESS
Jeremiah T. Micah.
Pastor.
Service 1890 "A. M.
Under this sign
The intending mischief maker experienced dis
tinct loss OF exaltaton. H had expected the exer
cses to take place in the big hall the company
store, the struggling quadrangle surrounded by
the company official buildings and the post office
never under the very wheels OF the caravan the girl
haunting eyes.
Oddly enough, he had been regarding the proposed
preachment as wholly, mans function; now the ad-
mixture OF Midtown femininity in gay Sunday prints
gave him light But he told himself grrnly that the
coming rumpus might show the fair stranger that he
was not the only one scouting the bgoted brush.
wielders lead, might even give her grit to demand
proper consideration Of herself He peered among
the ssnshe' for Rss of 5 But udd eod
should besiege her privacy, and, glowering he
strobe off to marshal his men
LET him get into full swing boys; an, when give
tn signal catter." He laid his commands on his
gleeful henchmen as the perambulant preacher rose
s"a as't o hs Of Rs
He had no mind to be recognized. Seven-eighths Of
Mitowns mixed citizenry offered hin, shield; and
he wanted to catch every word and choose his owr
Then. before the speaker opened his lips, the sen
der Abigails face swan in front Of hin,-ot sullen
uplifted And the notes of voice rich her owr
vibrant coloring reached into a hymn familiar tc
us all:
: Earth is desert drear, Heaven is my home"
blowsy slattern at the lumberman's side gasped
such singing had never been heard in the Santa Cruz
Sierra since it lifted from its ocean-bed. A lit
tie mother of behind him caught her breath ii
sob But, unconscious of the STIR the singer threw
the passion of storm and flood mountain and desert
) into her liquid tones
; Dangers and stand round me on every
hand:
1t was over, and the textwriter prayed that they
!. who did but tarry in the land might turn mem
hearts to God But Jake Polhemus heard only thu
human hum hunger of ad that r0dy she had
. herself with the hope of Heaven. But his spiri
answered to her spirit and he knew: she bled for
Il home on earth, womanly kingdom, the dear inheri
: tance of the flesh. Her soul surfeitcd with TIL
>. two years OF wandering the worse years of wander
= ing to come doomed before her nightmare of mona
: die unrest And he ground his teeth in revolt. II
:, would have claimed her before the town but for tn
" memory Of frightened stare
= The initiated stamped and catcalled for the prom
sed sign for the peregrinated revvast, after man
6 the flesh and certain of his listeners, having lai
;. aside the precepts OF wcltaught youth, vince
matter of yu'' growlcd. an aggressive voice. He
done. an tn gals gon' tub sng!" But the speak
G. stopped abrHp y ~SStns his leaders, s1G 20,
!, roustabout al his shoulder,
a BMt the logger FrPNpsd him in vsclikc grasp
20 Shut up! Its her" he commanded; and the othe
- stood she shore lilts like a bird" I've alowc
II pcaceably And shecpishly barred his head he
-. creed scared ,hyward;
,c "In the fair green fields OF Eden On tn. other sid
+ There is rest for the weary There is rest for yo
<~o~-