Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-03-01
Copyright BY Peter B. Kyn~

q HSopyAsonS " KOSoS - AAyA~
They were married bsfore the ship
IVES loaded, and on . knoll Of the
logged-over lands back OF tina town
and commanding. . view Of the bay.
with the dark forested hills In back
and the little second-growth red
woods flourishing in the front yard.
he built her the nnest home In Sc
quota. Hhere his son Bryce was born
and here. two days later, the new
made mother made the supreme sac
rince Of maternity.
For half a day following the de-
struction of his Eden John Cardigan
sat dumbly beside his wife, his great.
hard hand caressing the auburn head
whose every thought for three years
had been his happiness and comfort.
Then the doctor came to him and
mentioned the matter VI funeral ar
rangementS
Cardigan looked up at him blankly.
Funeral arrangements?" He passed
his gnarled hand over his leonine
head. "Ah. yes, suppose 80. I shall
attend to 1t"
He rose and lett the house. walk
ing with bowed head out Of SeQuoia,
up the abandoned and decaying skid-'
road thru the second-growth red
woods to the dark green blur that
marked the old timber. up the skid-
road recently swamped from the
landing to the down timber where
the crosscut men and barkpeelers
were at work. on into the green
timber where the woods boss and
his men were chopping.
"Come, with me. McTavish." he
said to his woods-boss. They passed
thru narrow gap between two low
hills and emerged ina long narrow
thickly and where the smallest tree
was not less than fifteen feet In diam
eter and two hundred and fifty feet
tall. McTavish followed at his mast
er's heels as they penetrated this
grove, making their way with dill
Guilty thru the, underbrush until
they came at length to little amphi-
theater, a clearing perhaps a humid
red feet in diameter, oval shaped
and surrounded by q wall Of red
woods Of such dimensions that even
McTavish who was no stranger to
these natural marveIS, was struck
with wonder.
"McTavish." Cardigan said. "she
died this morning"
I'm sore distressed for you, sir. I"
the woods boss answered. WED a
whisper in the camp yesterday that
the lass was like to be in bad
way"
Cardigan scuffed, with his foot a
clear space in the brown litter.
Take two men from the section
gang, McTavish," he ordered. "and
have them dig her grave here; then
swamp a trail thru the lmderbrush
and out to the donkey-landing, SO
we can carry her in. The funeral
will be private"
McTavish nodded. ANY further
orders, sir?"
Eyes. When you come to that lit.
tie gap in the hills, cease your log
ging and bear off Yonder." He wav-
ed his hand. I'm not going to cut
the timber in this valley You see,
McTavish, what it is, The trees
hele-ah, man. I ha, emit thu heart
to destroy Gods most wonderful
handiwork. Besides, she loved this
spot. McTavish, and she called the
valley her Valley of the iGants. l.
T gave it to her for a wedding pres
ent because, she had a BIT OF q dream
that some day thu town started
would Grow up to yonder gap. and
wien that tima came and we could
afford 1t, twas in her mind to give
her Valley of the Giants to Sequoia
Ton q city park, all hidden away here
and unsupported.
"She loved it, McTavlsh, twas our
playhouse. McTavish. and I who am
no longer young-I who never play
ed until met hsr--l-I'm a bit
foolish. 7 fear, but found rest and
comfort here, AcTavish. even before
I met her, and I'm thinking I'll have
TO come here, often for the same.
She was like this sunbeam, McTav-
lsh. She--she-'
AVE." murmured McTayish husk-
lily. Il ken. Ye wouidna gle her q
common or a public spot In which to
wait for We. An yell be shuttin'
down the mill an loggin -camps an
layin' off the hands in her honor for
q bit7"
Until after the funeral, McTavish.
And tell your men they'll be paid for
the lost time, That viii be all, lad"
When McTavtsh was gone John
Cardigan sat down on = small sugar
pine owindfall, his head held slightly
to one side while hs listened to that
which In the redwoods IL not sound
but rather the absence Of It. And as
he listened. he absorbed a subtle
comfort from those huss brown trees,
a1iS!ssss:c iSs !isiI.vr t.iity J. ia the
thought he grew close to his Maker.
and presently found that peace which
no sought. Love such q theirs could
never DE ". Thu tear came at
last. ~
At shutdown he walked home bear
Ing m Armful of rhodod sndrons and
lockwood blossoms which Ne arrang-
cd in the room who're shs lay. Then
he sought the nurse VINO bad attend
cd her. S5. ~ u
It'd uke to hold my son" he aid
gently: May I7' y,
She brought him the baby and
placed It In his great arms that
trsmbIsd -; he sat down md gased
long ana earnestly It this osh Of his
flesh and. blood Of his blood. ''Yop'n
have her hair and skin M eyes. he