Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-29

l
attempted would have been patent to
| any one. What had been in the heart
of the shy. silent boy when he had
found thai long. dim stretch of forest,
decorated its entrance. cleared end
smoothed its aisle and carpeted it's al.
tar? What veriest work of God was In
these mighty living pillars and the
arched dome of green! How like stain
ed cathedral windows were the long
openings between the trees. filled with
riffs of. blue. rays Of gold and the shift
ing emerald OF leaves! Where could
be found mosaics to match this aisle
paved with living color and glowing
lights? Was Freckles devout Chris
tian and did he worship here? Or was
he an untaugh. heather aud down this
vista Of eatrancinG loneliness did Pan
come, piping and dryads. ny1nphs and
fairies dance for him?
Who can fathom the heart OF boy?
Mclean had beep thinking of Freckles
rs creature Of answering honesty.
courage and fai,hfulness. Here was
evidence of n heart aching tor beauty,
art, com partnership. worship. 1t was
writ large all over the floor. walls and
furnishing CT that little LlmberlOst
clearing.
When Duncan came Mclean told him
the story of the fight. and they laughed
until they cried: Then they started
around the line in search Of the tree.
Said Duncan. "Now the boy is In for
sore trouble.
Il hope not" answered Mclean.
You never in all Your life saw cur
whipped so completely. He won't
come back for the repetition of the
chorus. We can surely End the tree.
IL We can't Freckles can. will bring
enough OF the gang TO take it out II
once. That will insure peace for q
time at least. and am hoping that IL
month more the whole gang can be
moved here. 1t will soon be fall. and
then. IL be will so. l intend to send
Freckles to my mother to be educated.
With his quickness Of mind and body
and few years good help he can do
anything. Why. Duncan. I'd give a
hundred dollar bill II you could have
been here and seen for yourself"
Locating the tree was All easy task
because 1t was so well identified.
When the rumble OF the lumber wag.
ons passing the cabin on the way to
the swamp Weakened Freckies next
morning be sprang up and was soon
following them. The tree was giant
maple and so precious that they al
most dug it out by the roots.
Mclean had told Freckles to ride on
a section OF the maple with him. but
now the boy begged to 60 into the
swamp with Duncan.
Il don't see why you want to go"
said Mclean. Il have no business to
let you out today at all"
Its me chickens. sir" answered
Freckles.
Freckles hurried into the swamp.
He was some little distance behind.
but he could still see the men. Before
be overlook them they had turned
from the west road and had entered
the swamp toward the east. The un.
derbrush was almost impenetrable. AS
they plunged into 1t great black bird
swept over their heads.
aFreckles danced wildly. cts me
chickens! Oh. it's me chickens" be
shouted. "Oh. Duncan. come quick!
You've found the nest of me precious
chickeusw
Duncan hurried down to the mouth
Of q monstrous log but Freckles was
before him. he crashed through poi.
son vines and underbrush regardless
of any danger and climbed on the
stump. When Duncan got there he
was shouting like a wild thing.
Its hatched"' he yelled. lob. me
big chicken has hatched out me little
chicken. and there's another egg. I
Gun see 1t plain. and. oh, the funny
little white baby! Duncan. can you
see me little white chicken"
Duncan could easily see It, and 20
could every one else. Freckles ten
DERBY carried the kissing. blinking lit
tie thing out to the light in a leaf lined
hat The men found It sufficiently
wonderful to satisfy even Freckles,
who had forgotten be was ever sore
or stiff, and coddled over It with ev'
cry blarneying term Of endearment hs
knew.
Duncan gathered up bis tools.
Deals Oh. boysr' he said cheerfuily.
1.-THE log mauna be touched until
Freckles' chaukfes have finished With
It We might as weel gang. Better
put It back, Freckies. It's inst out,
and Il may chill. Ye will probably
hae twa the morn"
Freckles deposited the baby beside
tho egg. When he came back he ssid:
II made big mistake not to b bring
ing the egg out with the baby, but
was fearing to touch it It's shaped
Ike hens egg. and it's big ~ tur-
keys, and the benutifulest blus-just
splattsred with big brown splotches.
lie me- book said. precise. But you
never saw such sight ~ It made on
the yellow Of the rotten wood beside
that funny ieathery faced little white
baby
Tell ycn what. F=ee:;!es" said one
of the tsamsters. Have you evee
heard of this bird woman that goes oil
ovse the country with q camera md
makes pictures? She made some 0n
my osOtner Jtm's place last summer.
and inns % Wild about them be quits
plevfnt ma xoes after hee about -
tSsy sleSe he nndk He helps her ail 10