The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1920-06-24

y
he would always take few drinks
with the men around payday. but after
mother died. he began taking his
drinks between pay-days. Then he
took to going down TO Sequoia on
Saturday nights and coming back on
the mad-train, the maddest of the lot.
suppose he was lonely, too. He
didn't get real bad. however, till
about two years ago.
''Well, we have to get logs to the
mill, and we can't get them with old
John Barleycorn for a woods-boss,
Mora. So we're going to change
woods-bosses. and the new woods-boss
will not be driven of the job, because
I'm going to stay up here couple of
weeks and break him In myself. But
how do you manage TO get money to
clothe yourself? Sinclair tells me
Mac needs every cent of his two hun
dred and fifty dollars month to enjoy
himself"
Il used TO steal from him." the girl
admitted. "Then / grew ashamed of
that, and for the past six months I've
been earning my own living. Mr.. Sin
clair was very kind. He gave me a
job waiting on table In the camp din
ing room. You see, had to have
father. He had to have somebody to
take care of him. Don't you see, Mr..
Bryce?"
"Sinclair is fuzzy old fool,H Bryce
declared with emphasis. 1.-THE idea Of
our woods-boss's daughter singing
hash to UNDERTAKES. Poor MORA -
He took one of her hands in his.
noting the callous spots on the plump
palm, the thick finger-joints that hint.
ed so of toll the nails that had never
been manicured save by, MORA herself.
do you remember when / was boy,
MORA. how | used to come up to the
logging-camps to hunt and fish? / al
ways lived with the McTavishes then
And In September, when the buckle
berries were ripe, we used to go out
and pick them together. Poor MORA
Why, we're old pals, and I'll be shot
if I'm going to see you suffer. Listen,
MORA. I'm going to fire your father,
as I've said, because he's working for
old J. B. now, not the Cardigan Red
wood Lumber company. ! really ought
to pension him after his long years In
the Cardigan service, but I'll be
hanged if we can afford pensions any
more-particularly to keep a man in
booze; so the best our old woods-boss
gets from me is this shanty. or another
like 1t when we move to new cuttings,
and a perpetual meal-ticket for our
camp dining room while the Cardi-
gans remain in business. I'd finance
him for Il trip to some state institt-
ton where they sometimes reclaim
such wreckage, If didn't think he's
too old a dog to be taught new tricks"
Perhaps" she suggested sadly,
"you had better talk the matter over
with him."
mo, I'd rather not I'm fond of your
father, Mora. He was a man when
/ saw him last-such a man as these
woods will never see again-and
don't want to see him again until he's
cold sober. I'll write him letter. AS
for you, MORA, you're fired, too. I'll
not have you waiting on table in my
iogging-camp-not by joyful You're
to come down to Sequoia and go to
work in our Office. We can use you on
the books. helping Sinclair, and re
lieve him of the task of billing, cheeK-
ing tallies, and looking after the pay
roll. I'll pay you a hundred dollars
a month, MORA. Can you get along
on tbat?"
Her hard hand closed over his
tightly. but she did not speak.
"All right, MORA. It's go, then
There, there, girl, don't cry. We
Cardigans had twenty-five years of
faithful service from Donald McTay-
ish before he commenced slipping;
after all, we owe him something, i
think"
She drew his hand suddenly to her
lips and kissed it; her hot tears of
Joy fell on It, but her heart was too
full for mere words.
"Fiddle-de-dee, MORA Buck up,"
he protested. hugely pleased, but en-
barrassed wfthal 'sThe way you take
this, one would think you had expect
ed me to go back on an old pal and
had been pleasantly surprised when
didn't. Cheer up. Moral I'll tell you
what I'll do. I'll advance you two
months salary for-well. you'll need
a lot of clothes and things In Sequoia
that you don't need here, And I'm
glad I've managed to settle the Me-
lavish hash without kicking up row
and hurting your feelings. Poor old
Mac! I'm sorry l can't bear with him.
but we simply have to have the logs,
you know"
He rose, stopped, and pinched her
ear: for had he not known her since
childhood, and had they not gathered
huckleberries together in the long
ago? She was sister TO him-just an
other one of his problems-and MOTH
ing more. Report on fhe job as soon
as possible, Moira," he called to her
from the gate.
Presently when MORA lifted her
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