Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1920-01-10
Perfumed Epistles
r.
By r. RAY BAKER
BY r. RAY BAKER

| ~H i'"VNA- Az was uOt interested, mat
was all.
While the rest of the surveying
crowd that was measuring the Low
Ridge range for the coming of the rail.
road spent its spare time in receiving
perlumed mail and answering it Bic
Bruce sought solace in nicotine in the
| seclusion of his bunk or roameu the
wilds of Wilderness woods and com
muned with nature.
Go to it, boys was his advice.
Some day youll learn better. Wom-
en- are ali right ms parlor decorations
| and 10 consume surplus cash in candy
and clothes, but as for Newell, I'm
going to buy myself farm some day.
| where l can have horses, dogs and
cows and chickens. They're of some
use in the world, and they don't go
back. on you when you're down and
out"
Naturally, the others resented
/ these outburSts. They defended the
fair sex valiantly, and by sheer num-
bers forced Big Bruce to desist from
his oral attacks.
"All right, III keep still in the flu
ture," he growled but you can't pre-
vent a fellow thinking; and while
you're fooling your time away with
pens and ink you can let your minds
dwell on the fact that I consider you re
all COMPOUNDED idiots"
Sunday was day of rest in the
woods as Well as the places where
civilization reigned, and also it was a
day when a great deal Of letter writ
ing was accomplished in Loves
Lodge" which Big Bruce sarcastical-
ty christened the shanty where the
surveyors were making their head
| quarters.
ON one of these Sundays Bruce set
out on a hike which he called
"relief expedition"
I'm going to get relief from the
| perfumed air of this shack" he an
nounced as he took an old walking
| stick he had carved from tree
branch, a package of sandwiches aud
sanitary cup. Here's hoping you
all get married and settle down to
| blissful contentment-no excitement,
no pleasure, no nothing" and he strobe
| disdainfully from the shack into the
woods.
1t was not case of envy with Big
| Bruce. He could have been admired
by many girls had he chosen, for he
was a good, healthy, handsome speci-
men who looked well either In ball
room or backwoods However, Big
Bruce had not met the right sort of
women.
His mother died when he was tod
dler, and when he grew up his fathers
financial standing threw him in with
| lot of society buds who had no mis-
sion In life other than 10 look beauti-
full, sip iced drinks and play bridge.
No, women held no interest for him.
| They We're to him, as he had said.
mere ornaments or playthings and not
| to be given consideration In serious,
busy world
Big Bruce drew his lungs full of
pure air as lie swung along the ridge,
knew a hat-bottomed rowboat was
drawn up on shore. 1t was well along
In summer and vegetation was in full
bloom, with birds chirping in the trees
and insects buzzing merrily-and some
Of them singing just as merrily.
Bruce expelled clouds Of pungent
tobacco smoke, drawn from vener-
able pipe. and hummed a tune. He
was enjoying himself immensely.
Getting into the rowb0at. he pro-
pelled it across the lake, which was
about two miles wide and five miles
long. A stiff breeze ruled the water
| into choppy waves, but Big Bruce's
strong arms drove the scow through
them without noticing the resistance.
! Arriving on the other side he drew the
craft up ~ shore and continued his
wonderings.
Suddenly, while walking along en-
joyiug The solitude Of the woods and
thinking Of his foolish friends back
! in Lovers Lodge" he felt sharp,
| piercing pain in his right side, Al the
same instant the report Of q rifle
echoed through the forest Big Bruce
tumblod in heap on the ground and
/ almost lost consciousness.
For moments that seemed Ike hours
the young man lay there helpless. the
pain growing more intense an the
while With an effort be reached his
lett hand 10 the wound and Withdrew
It covered with blood He felt nau-
seated and black dots swan before
| his eyes.
Realizing 1t would not DO TO lie
there and allow his strength to ebb,
he forced himself to crawl along the
path oil which he had been walking.
/ It seemed that ne had craWled AT least
thre6 aiiles, stopping frequently 70 re-
gain strength, when he cane into
William Penn, the Founder
of Pennsylvania. Died at
the Ace OF SeVenty-Four