Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-03-14
and Freckles sprang back.

~ SNNSS oIANAS ooN
Out of the clear sky above him, first
level with his face, then skimming,
dipping, fitting, whirling until it LIT
quill down in the path in front of
him, came a glossy, iridescent big
black feather. AS it struck the
ground Freckles snatched it up and
with an almost continuous movement
faced the sky. There was not a tree
of any size in a large open space.
From the clear sky it had fallen. and
Freckles, gazing eagerly into the arch
Of June blue with Il few lazy clouds
floating far up in the sea Of ether,
had neither mind nor knowledge to
dream of a bird hanging as if frozen
there. He turned the big quill ques-
tioningly, and again his awed eyes
swept the sky.
"a feather dropped from heaven!'
he breathed r%everently. Are the holy
angels melting? But, no; if they were
it would be white. Maybe all the an
gels are not for being white. What if
the angels of God are white and those
Of the devil are black? But a black
one has no business up there. Maybe
some poor black angel is so tired Of be-
ing punished it's for slipping up to the
gates. beating its wings trying to
make the Master hear"
Again and again Freckles searched
the sky, but there was no answering
CLEAN Of golden gates, 10 form of sail
ing bird. Then he went slowly on his
way, turning the feather over and
wondering about it. 1t was a wing
quill eighteen inches in length. with a
big, heavy spine, gray at the base,
shading to jet black at the tip, and it
caught the play of the suns rays in
slanting CLEANS of green and bronze.
Again Freckles' "old man Of the sea-
sat sullen and heavy on his shoulders
and weighted him down until lis step
Jagged and his heart ached.
where did it come from? What
is it? Oh. how l wish l knew he
kept repeating.
Before him spread a great green
pool. filled with rotting logs and
ieuves. borGnred with delicate ferns
and grasses. among which lifted the
\lCdAuS SD1ACo VI liz uCGN L1C
blue Of water hyacinth and the deli
cate yellow of the jewel flower. AS
Freckles leaned. handling the feather
and staring first at it and then into
the depths Of the pool, he once more
gave voice to his old query. Il won
der what it isT
Straight across from him, couched
-, +h> $1,000, =, = n ~ old lor n Lf~
green bullfrog. with palpitant throat
and batting eyes, lifted his head and
beloved in answer, Fin dout. fin
dout!!"
"'Wha-what's that?" stammered
Freckles. almost too much taken aback
to speak. IL know you are only a
bullfrog; but. be jabers. that sound
ed nightly like speech. Wouldn't you
please to be saying it over?"
The bullfrog cuddled contentedly in
the ooze. Then suddenly he lifted his
voice and, like an imperative drum
beat. rolled it again. Fin dout. fin
dout. fin lout!."
Freckles had the answer.
Like the lightning's flash. something
seemed to snap in his brain. There
was a wavering flame before his eyes.
Then his mind cleared. His head lift
ed in a new poise. his shoulders squar-
ed, and his spine Strengthened. The
agony was over. His soul 1oated free.
Freckles came into his birthright>
Before God. l Will" He uttered the
oath so impressively that the record
ing angel never WINGED as he posted it
up in the prayer column.
Freckles set his hat over the top of
n Of the locust posts used between
trees to hold up the wire and fastened
the feather securely in the band. Then
he started down the line. talking to
himself as men that have worked long
alone always fall into the habit of do
ing.
"What a fool have BEEN be nnt-
tered. "Of course that's what ! h%"r
to do. There wouldn't likely anybody.
be doing it for me. OF course I can.
What am I a man for? If I was a
four footed thing of the swamp maybe
I couldn't, but a man can do anything
if he's the grit to work hard enough
and stick at it. Mr.. Mclean is always
saying. and here's the way I am to do
it. He said. too, that there were peo-
pie that knew everything in the
swamp. Of curse they have written
books. The thing for me to be doing
is to quit moping and be buying m
some books. Never bought a book in
me life or anything else Of much ac-
count. for that matter. Oh, amt I
glad l didn't waste me money! I'll
surely be having enough to get a few.
Let me see."