The Lamar register., 1920-09-15
6he |
B l. u e
MOON
Il Tale of the /
Flatwoods
~ DAVID ANDHR0ON
coe,1nsss 8 :. Ssss. S.s.n S..s.sn

prise. A half frown clouded the lustsT
Of her eyes.
What a question IT,
He turned and left the cabin closed
the door after him and strods down
the slope to the houseboat
The men who hunted the river mus.
sci along the Wabash before the day.
Of the button industry hunted II fof
the pearl sometimes found Undecided
between Its hesh and shell. Stra xglins
up and down the streams, often sinSly
sometimes 10 crews. they were q shift
less fiery. reckless breed-0f feather
with the buccaneers of other days. and
led on by the same lure: q chance
ding at fortune. A pearl Of great
value was sometimes found-even run
ming well up into the Thousands. But
the chance Of finding such q pearl was
small. Still there was the chance. and
IL is surprising what a certain type
Of men will endure for such chance,
when the ssme ends might be at
tanned. certain and surs. BY patient 10.
dustry.
A grizzlsd old river man sat with
the nose of his skif jammsd up on the
gravel by the bow Of the hous-bost
when the Pearihunter came down the
slope. The Boss they called him. the
river men. because In his long years In
the industry he had managed to
scrape together an "outnt" and work
a crew Of "clammsrs" too poor to hunt
alone. His hands were still upon the
oars. The Pearlhuntsr pushed the
boat on and sprans in. directing the
Boss to row around BY the stern Of the
houseboat after the nsh spear he had
been nlins that afternoon
See y'u'vs moved" the Boss OBJ
served a. the skin slipped out into the
str~am.
Mothers cough" was the answer.
"she thought II would help hsr to got
up there under the tress."
That coush-it1l Git away with 'sr,
II she hain't keerful she ouShta have
medicine"
Il told her -. but she won't have
t."
The Boss did not pursue the point.
A woman's will was somsthins be
never took the trouble to question.
ahfAhk tSWg1 oak INV LIZ NoIIeutt
after the Pearihuntsr secured his
spear. hs turned the nose Of the skin
down stream and shippsd his oars long
enough TO light his pipe.
Mother hung back . little right ct
the last" the young man said. his
mind doubtless dwelling on the un-
usual experience. the nrst sxpe1encs
IN bis life. Of actually living upon
land "Shs was afraid somebody
might not like us to move into the
cabin. But told her they couldn't do
more than make us move out"
'Afear'd of tn Wild Man. wus sheY
The younger man looked up.
SAY. tell me about that Wild Man.
She did mention him this afternoon"
The Boss took the pipe from his lips
and blew away the smoke In . slow
cloud. a. II wishing to prolonS the feel
of IT upon his tongue.
The Wild Man" he pondered, q
harmless oil cuss. an pitfful to see.
Seven year he's been 10 these Flat
woods. Hit amt often a body gits q
glimpse Nv i'm. ! did once-a tall OIL
ghost OF a man-tall ss you Almost
but a face on I'm the pitifulsst you
ever see. An like q ghost he comes |;
and like q ghost he goes-nobody
knows where to. They say he's got
daughter somewhere's up In the hills
thar, but never seed her"
The Boss went back to his pipe. The
other sat pondering what be had Just
heard.
mo, II wasn't on account of the
wild Man." he resumed, a. II in an.
swsr to the Boss nrst question "she
was afraid somebody might make Us
leave"
AN thatn be q long while a-doin',-
the Boss answered. Thsy amt no
body in this quarter q III world has
got tn right Z do that. That isG' b..
longs T. Colonel Wsrbritron. Ever hear
tell of himr'
Il never did"
He owns hundreds and hundreds Of
scres-nve or six sections. ] guess
lsyin' in q square right along the river
here. tn very heart and nswer nv tn
Flstwoods. That's his east line back
thar where the River road bends
north. It'll be many a long day b'rore
be orders anybody on. He's got 90
much b'sides ! don't s'pose hs hardly
knows he's got this doubt II he evss
seen IT."