Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-07-10
TIL LIGHT
IN THE PLFARINh
. A TALE OF THE NORTH COUNTRY
IN THE TINE OF SILAS WRIGHT
Ey
IRVINE 1AEHElLER
eBN HOLDEN. DH AND l. Darrell OF THE BLESSED ISLES
KEEpN1 lip WITH LIZZIE ETC ETC
IRVINE HAEHELLER
AUTHOR or
eBEN HOLDEN. DRl AND |. Darrell OF THE BLESSED ISLES.
KEEPING up WITH LzZIE, ETC, ETC

~ ~ oo SAoI4SSS OuI lOullu LlldI lily
nakedness had so expanded that they
would not it, so I hitched my
white mare on the spring wagon and
drove to the village for my trunk.
Every week day after that I worked
in the fields until the senator arrived
in Canton about the middle of August.
On n Of those happy days I received
a letter from old Kate, dated, to my
surprise, in Saratoga. 1t said:
'Dear Barton Baynes: I thought I
would let you know that my father is
dead. I have come here to rest and
have found some work to do. I am bet
ter now. Have seen Sally. She is very
beautiful and kind. She does not know
that I am the old witch, I have changed
so. The others do not know-it is
better that way. I think it was the
Lord that brought me here. He has a
way of taking care Of some people,
my boy. Do you remember when I be-
gan to call you my boy-you were very
little. 1t is long, long ago since I first
saw you in your fathers dooryard-
you said you were going to mill on a
butterfy's back. You looked just as /
thought my boy would look. You gave
me a kiss. What a wonderful gift it
was to me then! I began to love you.
I have no one else to think of now. l
hope you won't mind my thinking so
much Of you.
"God bless you,
KATE FULLERTON."
I understood now why the strong
will and singular insight of this wom-
an had so often exercised themselves
in my behalf. I could not remember
the far day and the happy circum-
stance of which she spoke, but I wrote
her a letter which must have warmed
her heart I am sure.
Silas Wright arrived in Canton and
drove up to our home. He reached
our door at eight in the morning with
his hound and rifle. He had aged rap
idly since I had seer him last. His
hair was almost white. There were
many new lines in his face. He
did not lapse into the dialect of his
fathers when he spoke of the ancient
pestimes Of hunting and fishing as he
had been wont to do.
"Bart," he said when the greetings
were over, "let's you and me go and
spend a day in the woods. I'll leave
my man here to help your uncle while
you're gone"
We went by driving south a few
miles and tramping in to the foot of
the saltwater on our rivera trail
long familiar to me. The dog left us
soon after we took it and began to
range over thick wooded hills. We sat
down among small, spirelike spruces
at the rivers edge with a long stretch
of water in sight while the music of
the hounds voice came family to our
ears from the distant forest.
ooh, I've been dreaming of this for
a long time," said the senator as he
leaned back against a tree and filled
his lungs and looked out upon the wa
ter, green with lily pads along the
edge and flecked with the last of the
white blossoms. 81 believe you want
to leave this lovely country"
81 am waiting for the call to 60
I saiG.
swell, I'm inclined to think you are
the kind Of man who ought to 60" he
answered almost sadly. "You are
needed. I have been waiting until we
should meet to congratulate you on
your behavior at Cobleskill. l think
you have the right spirit-that is the
all-important matter. You will en-
counter strange company in the game
of politics. Let me tell you a story"
He told me many stories of his life
in Washington, interrupted by a sound
like that of approaching footsteps. We
ceased talking and presently a flock
of cartridges came near us, pacing
along over the mat Of leaves in a lei
surely fashion. We sat perfectly still.
A young cock bird with his beautiful
ruff standing out, like the hair on the
back of a frightened dog, strobe
toward us with a comic threat in his
manner. It seemed as if he were of
half a mind to knock us into the river
But we sat as still as stumps and he
spared us and went on with the others,
The baying Of the hound was nearer
now. Suddenly we saw a big buck
come down to the shore of the cove
near us and on our side of the stream
He looked to right and left. Then he
made a long leap into the water and
waded slowly until it covered him. He
raised his nose and laid his antlers
back over his shoulders and swan
quietly downstream, his nose JUS
showing above the water. His antlers
were like a bit of driftwood. If we
had not seen him take the water his
antlers might easily have passed fol
a bunch of dead sticks. Soon the buck
slowly lifted his head and turned his
neck and looked at both shores. Their
very deliberately he resumed his place
under water and went on. We watched
him as he took the farther shore be
=, low us ana made Off In the woods