Oxford Democrat., 1912-06-11

and hal1 carrying ner. tuey Hhue tueu
way to the clearing. Then. brawny
Scotswoman though she was, she keel
ed over again. The children added
their wailing to Freckles' panic.
This time he was 80 near the cabin
that 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 II 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. Mr.. Nc
Lean. don't you let woman's nervous
system set you worrying over me-" he
suid. "Tm not denying how she felt,
because I've been through 1t meself.
but that's all over and gone. It's the
heigh: nf me glory to fight 1t out with
the old swamp aud all that's In 1t or
will he coming to 1t and then to turn
il over to you. as l promised you and
meself I'd do. sir. You couldn't break
the heart a. me entire quicker than
tu be taking 1t from me now when
I'm lust 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 I'LL
ed with enthusiasm over a marsh arti-
e Of the Bird Woman's that he had
lust read. He begged to be allowed
20 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
tile chicken log together. leaving to
the happy Freckles the care OF the
angel, who had brought her banjo ana
4 roll of songs. The Bird Woman
told them that they might 60 to Freck'
les room and practice until she hn-
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 6ll me with dark
blue despair! You're singing as II
YOUR voice was glass and liable to
break mt any minute. Why don't you
sing as you did a week ago? You
are Il fraud. You led me to think that
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 I'm
thinking I'm too happy to he singing
we'll today. The music don't come
right only when I'm lonesome anc sad
The worlds for being all sunshine al
prisint. for among you and Mr.. Mo
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 b. disappointing you
IWY II oNtt, uuu ~ ~ w c'''
again. and this time I'll hold hard.
"WeIl." said the angel. lit seems to
me that II | had all the things to DE
proud Of that you have Id 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 youi
father has In you. You can be proud
over the way every one speaks OF you.
! heard a man say few days ago that
the I.imberlost was full of disagreeable
tLinrs-pusitive dangers. unhealthy as
It could be. and that since the memory
of fhe first settlers It has been rem
devious for runaways. thieves ana
murderers. This swamp Is named foi
man that got here and Wandered
around till he starved. That man
was talking with said he wouldn't take
your lob for $1,000 q month-in fact
he said he wouldn't have 1t for an:
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 fatnei
is Irish. aud II you want to see him
Just get up and strut give him teeny
opening to enlarge on his race. He
says that If the Irish had decent terri
tory they'd lead the world. he says
they've always been handicapped by
lack of space and of fertile soil. BE
says II Ireland had been as big and fer
tile as Indiana. why. England wouidn't
ever have had the upper hand. Shed
Just be little appendage. Fancy Eng
land an appendage! He says Ireland
has the finest orators and the keenest
statesmen in Europe today. and when
England wants to fight with whom
does she fll her trenches? lrishmen'
of course! ireland has the greenest
grass and trees. the finest stones and
lakes. and they've jaunting cars.
don't know just exactly what they are,
but Ireland has all there are anyway
They've a lot Of great actors and q
few singers. and there never was q
sweeter poet than one Of theirs. You
should hear my father recite Dear
Harp Of My Country He does 1t this
i @avp