Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-22
Author of "Rebecca of sunnybrook Farm
- ~Nzr~-


Sokokis as they issued from the Indian
Cellar and carried their birchen canoes
along the wooded shore. 1t was in
those years that the silver skinned sal
mon leaped in its crystal depths, the
otter and the beaver crept with sleek
wet skins upon its shore and the
brown deer came down to quench his
thirst at its brink, while at twilight
the stealthy forms of bear and panther
and wolf were mirrored in its CLASSY
surface.
Time sped. Men chained the rivers
turbulent forces and ordered it to
grind at the mill. Then houses and
barns appeared along its banks.
bridges were built. orchards planted.
forests changed into farms. white
painted meeting houses cleaned
through the trees. and distant bells
rang from their steeples on quiet Sun
day mornings.
All at once myriads Of great hewn
logs vexed its downward course. sIen-
der logs linked together in long RATS
and huge logs drifting down singly OF
in pairs. Men appeared. running hith-
er and thither like ants and going
through mysterious operations the rea-
son for which the river could never
guess But the mill wheels turned
Ine great saws buzzed. the smoke from
tavern chimneys rose in the air. and
the rattle and clatter of stagecoaches
resounded along the road.
Now children padded with bare feet
in the rivers sandy coves and shall
lows, and lovers sat on its alder shaded
no ;t,ef
where the shufling bear was wont to
come down and drink.
The Saco could remember the "cold
year" when there was a black frost
every month of the twelve. and.
though almost all the corn along its
shores shriveled on the stalk, there
were two farms where the vapor from
the river saved the crops, and all the
seed for the next season came from the
favored spot, to be known as Egypt"
from that day henceforward.
Strange, complex things now began
10 happen. and the river played its own
part in some of these, for there were
disastrous freshets the sudden break
ing up of great jams of logs and the
drowning of men who were enGulfed
n the dark whirlpool below the rapids.
Caravans. with menageries OF wild
beasts. crossed the bridge now every
year. An Infatuated elephant lifted the
side of the old EdEewoOd tavern barn.
and the Wild laughter Of the roistering
rum drinkers who were tantalizinS the
animals hoated down to the rivers
edge. The roar of lion. tearing and
chewing the arm of one of the by
ISLANDERS, and the cheers of the throng
when a pIucky captain of the local
militia thrust a stake down the beasts
sounds displaced the for
mer warwhoop of the Indians and the
ring of the AK in the virgin forests
along the shores.
There were days and moonlight
nights. too, when strange sights and
sounds of quite another nature could
have been noted by the river as 1t
flowed under the bridge that united
the two little villages
Issuing from the door of the River
boro townhouse and winding down the
hill through the long row OF teams and
carriages that lined the roadside. came !
a procession of singing men and sing
ing women. Convinced OF sin, but en- |
tranced with promised pardon. spiritu- |
ally intoxicated By the glowing elo- !
quence OF che latter day prophet they |
were worshiping. the band of "Coch- |
ranites" marched down the dusty road |
and across the bridge, dancing, sway |
ing. waving handkerchiefs and shout |
ing hOsannas.
God watched and listened, knowing 1
that there would be other prophets, |
true and false. in the days to come. |
ana other professions following them. |
And the river watched and listened, |
too. as IL hurried on toward the sea /
with its story OF the present that was
some time to be the history of the past
When Jacob Cochrane was leading
his overwrought, ecstatic band across
the river. waitstilI Baxter, then a
.hiId was watching the strange, noisy
company from the window of little
prick dwelling on the top of the Town
House hill
Her stepmother stood beside her
rfth a young baby in her arms. but
when she saw what held the gaze OF
he child she drew her away, saying.
we mustn't look. Waitstill; your IA
her don't Ike it,
.Who was the big man at the head,
His name is Jacob Cochrane. but
ION tnustn't think or talk about him.
lie Is very wicked"
HE doesn't look any wickeder than
he Others" said the child. who was
he man that fell down in the road.
notber. and the woman that knelt and
,rsved over him? why did he fall, and
vbv did she Dray motherT
.sTbat was Master Aaron BoyntOn.
he schoolmaster. and his wife. He
nv made believe 10 fall down, as the