Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-20


smiled at them as the woman shook |
their hands. one by one.
Perhaps she was not strictly beauti- |
ful as most people judge, but she was
beautiful here, 400 miles beyond civ I!
iliZatiOn. Mukee, the half Cree, had
never seen a white woman. for even
the factors wife was part Chippeway-
an. and no one Of the others went
down 20 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 elementslly unusual,
nothing more than any pure woman
reared I'm the love of God and of a
home would have done In her spare
hours she began 10 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
| 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 a
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 1t the shadow OF death, fell like
a pail upon the post. sitting its life
and bringing with it grief that those
who lived there had never known be
fore.
There came to them no word from
Cummins now. He stood for a 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 MelisseT' whispered the man,
kneeling beside her again. 1T is very
pretty tonight
at 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 Elm. so torture
was saved them both. But suddenly
the woman quivered. and Cummins
heard a thrilling sound.
1T is the music" ste painted. John.
John. it is-the muSic-of-my-peo-
pie
The man Strengthened himself. his
face turned to the open door. He heard
# now. Was it the blessed angels com
n
bling note in his throat. and went. his
arms stretched ont. TO meet them. He
had never heard q sound Ike that
never in all his life in this endless will
deruess
My nsse. my Melisser' be sob
bed
A figure came from the shadows. and
with the dgure came the music. sweet
, and soft and low. John Cummins
stopped and turned his face straight
mp TO the sky. His heart died within
. , him.
The muSic ceased. snd when he look
ed again the figure was close 10 him
staggering as 1t walked. and a face
white and thin and starved came with
It II was boys face.
, For the museek Of the violon-some
= ting TO eatr' be heard. and the thin
a figure swsyed and fell almost into his
a arms The voice came weak again
!. "Thees is Jan-Jan Thoreau-and hi:
Violon.T
;. The woman's bloodless face and bel
n great staring. dark eyes greeted then
y as they entered the cabin As the mar
IN knelt beside her again and lifted he
, head against his breast she Whispered
A., once more:
n 1t is the-muslc-of my people-th,
= violin"
,eI John Cummins turned his head
n Play" be breathed