Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-06-04
The Light IN
the Clearing
BvIRVING BACHELLER
Copyright 1917. The Bobbs-Merru Co

gradually ADJUST itself to the vyffI
Of its greatest leaders"
1t is remarkable that the grsa,
commoner should have made him
self understood by a boy Of eight
but in so doing he exemplIfIad m
gift that raised him above all tba
men ! have met-that OF throxin,
light into the dark places so thar
all could see the truth that was ma
den there
Now and then we came to noisr
water hills slanting far bac-,
through rocky timbered gorges ~
little foamy stairways In the river
leading up to higher levels. The
men carried the canoes around
these places while | followed oath
ering wild flowers and watchiro
the red-winged black birds thai
few above US calling hoarsely
across the open spaces. Now and
then, a roaring veering cloud NJ
pigeons passed in the upper ar
The breath OF the river was sweat
with the fragrance of pine ana
balsam.
We We're going around a bend
when we heard the voice Of hin
shouting above US. He had mn
the bow Of his canoe on a gra7ai
beach just below a little waterfall
and a great trout was Topping ana
tumbling about In the grass besida
him.
"Yip!" he shouted as he held nm
the radiant, struggling fish thai
reached from his chin to his belt
q tell We boys they're gcin' to Ia
sassy as the devil. Jump out an
go to work here"
With that emotions I Ieaped ont
upon the gravel and watched tha
fishing! A new express came into
the faces of the men. Their mouth,
opened. There was a curious souint
in their eyes. Their hands trem-
bled as they baited their hooks
The song of the river, tumbling
down rocky slant, filed the air.
| saw the first bite How the pole
benti How the line Kissed as it
went rushing through the water ont
among the spinning bubbles. What
a splash as the big fish in his coat
OF many colors broke through the
ripples and rose aloft and fell at
my feet throwing a spray all over
me as he came down! That was
the way they fshed in those days.
They angled with a stout pole of
seasoned tamarack and no reel, and
catching a fish was like breaking a
colt to halter.
While he was fishing Mr.. Wright
slipped off the rock he stood on
and sank shoulder deep in the wa
ter. l ran and held out my hand
crying loudly. Uncle Peabody help
ed him ashore with his pole. Tears
were flowing down my cheeks
while I stood sobbing in a kind OF
juvenile Mysteries.
What's the matter?" Uncle Pea
body demanded
Il was 'fraid Mr.. Wright-wa5
goin' to be drowned" l managed to
say.
The Comptroller shook his arms
and came and knelt by my side and
kissed me.
God bless the dear boy," he Ak
claimed. It's a long time since
any one cried for me. I love you,
Bart
When Bill swore after that the
Comptroller raised his hand and
shook his head and uttered a pro-
testing hiss.
We got a dozen trout before We
resumed our journey and reached
camp soon after / o'clock very hun
cry. 1t was a rude bark Iean-to.
and we soon make a roaring fire IN
front of it. What a dinner we had
the bacon and the fish fried in its
fat and the boiled potatoes and the
flap jacks and maple sugar! All
through my long life I have sought
in vain for a dinner Ike II. I
helped with the washing OF the
dishes, and. that done, Bill make 4
back for his fire OF green beech
logs, placed one upon the other and
held in place by stakes driven IN
the ground. BY and by Mr.. Wright
asked me II l would like TO walk
over 10 Alder Brook with him.
The fish are smaller there and I
guess you could catch en-" said
he.
TT1rky-,..1