Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1918-11-02
MaxWell's
Harvest
C>0
Copyright, 1918, by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)
BY CLARISSA MACKIE


Maxwell stood with folded arms
watching his house burn to the ground.
In the grove of cheStnuts negro Serv-
ants ran to and fro, dragging the pre-
cious family heirlooms away from the
blistering heat of the fire.
Mahogany and glass and china and
silver, pictures and carpets, formed a
miscellaneous pile representing all the
home that was left to the last of the
Maxwells.
The long drought and its consequent
lack of water told the story to the
neighborS gathered about the young
master who looked with brooding eyes
on the scene of devastation. The
nearest neighbor had galloped five
miles when the first glare of light at
midnight had declared the alarm Of
fire.
He stood at MaxwelPs elbow, pant
ing with the exertion of his long ride,
a strange lock of triumph on his fat
face.
I'm sorry for you, old man." he
said with an air Of heartiness. you've
certainly had the devils own luck
First, the failure of your cotton-then
Blue Jeans dropping dead on the track
when he was marked for a winner and
lastly"
Maxwell waved an impatient hand.
"Spare me a recitation of my aff1ic-
tons, Seymour" he said dryly. There
isn't one item have overlooked, as
sure you! Not even the fact that the
insurance will exactly pay off the
mOrtgagew
Seymour's face settled into heavy
lines of ill-concealed satisfaction. "Oh,
say, 1 wasn't thinking of that, you
know, Maxwell, although 1 must say
can find a use for the five thousand
dollars loaned your uncle. It's been
tied up in that mortgage for fifteen
years and 1 don't see any more show
of it's being paid off now than before
he died-though you've tried hard to
do it, I'll admit! Everything's against
you, Maxwell. Better clear out and
start anew"
John Maxwell did not reply. He was
staring straight into the heart Of the
fire with troubled dark eyes. The
outer framework of the house had
crumbled in with the walls and lay
palpitating center of white heat.
Above it arose the six dark towering
stone chimneys-unharmed by the
flames.
In the heart Of the fire John saw
| fair face crowned with golden hair,
and the blue eyes that looked SO sadly
into his pronounced him a failure. He
| groaned as he turned again to his
companion.
you're right, Seymour-Tll clear
out and start over again somewhere
else. There isn't much chance for a
Northerner in the South anyway" His
eyes drifted back to the fire now dying
down into smOldering embers.
A train of dark figures went cease
lessly to and fro between the grove
and the cabins of the servants. Max
wells furniture would soon find hum
bier quarters.
"Cisterns empty, / supposed" ven
| tured Seymour after a while.
almost dry-couldn't draw a gallon
in time to do any good. l don't know
how it started-from the kitchen fire,
probably. All l know is-this y He
swept his hands toward the ruins of his
home and it was intercepted by the
| touch of soft, cool palm.
I'm so sorry, Mr.. Maxwell"
breathed Eleanor Lee at his side. Clad
in riding habit and with her golden
hair uncovered to the night wind she
had stolen from her bed to be beside
him in his trouble.
Eleanor! Go home at Once!" COM
manded Seymour angrily. "This is no
place for YOU"
"I'll ride back with you, stepfather,"
said Eleanor, looking down from her
saddle at his perturbed cOuntenance
plainly visible in the glare from the
smoldering ruins. Again she turned
to the young man beside her.
"You will build again, Mr.. Maxwell"
she said decisively.
Maxwell laughed shortly. II cannot,
Miss Lee. This fire beggars me. Mr..
Seymour will take the land off my
| hands,
And your" There was forced indif-
| ference in her tone.
begin over again"
"Here?"
| mo. / shall return to the North"
| There enSued a long silence while
the three looked at the glowing embers
of what had once been the finest man.
sion in West Virginia.
"If there's nothing we can do to help
you, Maxwell, we better go home.
Won't you make the Hall your head
quarters until" Seymour paused
awkwardly.
Until l clear out?" Maxwell's laugh
was not pleasant to hear. 'Thank you,
no, Seymour-I'll find a shakedown
somewhere on the plantation as long
as / am here" His voice trailed husk-
| lily into silence.
Seymour mounted his horse and
turned into the avenue. Come, Flea
mort is beginning to rain: this esca-