The state herald., 1914-01-16
PART ONE
CHAPTER !.
On the Labrador,

On the Labrador.
Dictated BY Mr.. Jesse Smith.
Don't you write anything down yet,
cause amt ready.
II ! wrote this yarn myself. I'd make
H good and red from tip to tip, claws
out. teeth bare. fur crawling with emo
lions. It wouldn't be dull, no, or evi-
dence.
But then it's to please you and
that's what I'm for
30 l proceeds to stroke the fur
smooth. lay the paws down soft. fold
up the smile. and purr. A sort of
huthfulness steals over me. Coin to
be dull. too.
No. dunno how to begin. II this
yarn was a rope. I'd coil 1t down be.
fore began to pay out. You lays the
end. 80. and flemish down. ring by ring
until the bight's coiled. smooth, ready
to fake OF as It runs. delayed a
tynching once to do just that, and re-
neve the patients mind. 1t all went
o6 so we'll!
she used to own we came of pedigree
stock; but when we're bad, seems we
took after father. You see mothers
folk was the elect. sort OF born saved.
They allowed there'd be room in
Heaven for one hundred and forty-four
thousand Just persons. mostly from
Nova Scotia. but when they took to
sorting the neighbors. they'd get ex.
elusive.
Anyway. mothers folk as a tribe. is
millionaires in grace and pretty well
nxed In Nova Scotia. Then she's found
out. secretly married among the &c ats.
Her names scratched out OF the fam
lily Bible. with strong hint to the
Lord to scratch her entry from the
Book Of Life. She's married a sailor.
man. before the mast. a Liveyere from
the Labrador. a man without dollar.
suspected of being Episcopalian.
In them days the Labrador amt
laid out exactly to suit mother. She's
used to luxury-coal In the lean.to.
taties In the cellar. cows In the barn.
barter store round the corner, mails.
church. school. and Jail right handy.
20 she can enjoy the ungodly getting
OF their Just deserts. But In our time
the Labrador was Just Gods country.
all rocks. ice. and sea. TO put the fear
into proud hearts-no need of each.
ers. II kills OF the weaklings-no
need OF doctors. A school to raise
men-no need OF preachers. The law
vas work or starve"-no place for
lawyers. It's police. and court. and
hangman all complete. fire and hail
snow and vapors. wind and storm full.
nliing His word.
Fathers home was an overturned
schooner. turfed In. and he was surely
proud OF having bigger place than
any other Liyeyere on the coast There
was the hold overhead for slowing
winter hsh. and room downstairs for
the family. the team OF seven husky
dogs. and even cord or two OF fre-
wood We kids used TO play at New.
fnlanders up In the hold, when the
winter storms were tearing the tops
on the hills. and the Eskimo devil
howled blue shrieks outside. The hus.
kies makes wolf songs all about the
fewness OF tish. and we'd hear mother
give father piece OF her mind. That's
about the nwt ! remember. but all
what mother thought about poor IA.
ther took years and years TO say.
used to be kind OF sorry for father.
You see he worked the bones thrt ugh
his hide Turing all winter and fsh.
Ing summers. and what he earned he'd
get In truck from the company. All
us Liyeyercs owed to the Hudson Ray.
but father worked hardest and he
owed most, hundreds and hundreds OF
skins. Tho company trusted him.
There wasn't man on tho coast
more trusted than h. was. with moth.
ar to feed. and six kids. besides seven
hunkirs. and fathers aunt. Thcsaa.
ionikn. a widow with four children
and a tumor. living down to Last
Hope beyond tho Rocks.
There was secrets about father, and
n mother ever found out You SEQ.
no looked like u white man. curly
yaiicr hair same nA mo. and he was
fearful strong. Hut In his inside
don't ever ,cil'-ho was partly small
boy same's me. and tho other haif OF
him-dont ever 10, on'-was noun.
taineor injun. seen his three broth.
srs. the nncst felierr you ever-yer.
Scotch half ifbreeds-and mother never
knew.
ThAr's me on fathers knee. with
my nose In his buekskin shirt. and
even to this day the wood smoke In
camp brings back tho wun. whereas
summers his boots smalt nshy, wba,
happened nrst or afterwards Ia all
mixed up. but there's the smoke smell
and sister Maggie lying In tho bunk.
all white and frore.
There's nah smell. and Polly who
used 10 ~allop me with slipper.
lying white and ffoEo, And yet I
knew she couldn't get frosa In sum
mer.
Then there's smoke smell. ami big