The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1921-02-17
WHEN TIDES LIFT
BY W. BERT FOSTER.



fore, the farmer.hshermen Of Block
Island watch its moods and tancies
closely for the sea, a ficsle mistress,
holds the Island in an embrace which
is today caressing hut may tomorrow
be ms the clutch OF ravening beast.
In the spring and fall, when the heavy
tides bring in their burden OF rocs-
weed and other deep sea vegetation,
torn from Its roots by the ground
swell. the windrows cast up along the
shores must needs be secured TO feed
the sterile farms.
ashore rights" are jealousy guarded
| then, for the weed together with the
shacklefish from the traps, constitutes
the islands main supply OF fertilizer.
/ When the proprictOrs OF these tide
water privileges have stacked such
weed as they need for the year, their
less fortunate neIghhors are allowed
| to giean as they may among the rocks
and along the stretches OF beach. And
It CALLED Abram Biddle nightly to he
clasScd with the cleaners.
The Biddle place had fallen to him
heavily moriglged. however, and when
| he sold the home lot' 70 Anson
| Spwguc the shore rights went with H..
Ii is iiI Tor one man 70 consider AM
other "luciiy" when he himself hus
| been unfortunate but Abrams feeling
had been passive until the day he saw
| Arson walking about the old farm with
Belle. D.
And so AhrGm, sore and hoartsick,
| went his way and no longer NngcreG
at the church door for Belle on sun.
day evenings, or drove a roundabout
way to the harbor for the sake OF pass
ing her fathers door.
His gloomy eyes noted the tide lift
ing among the rocks, heavy with it's
burden OF brown and green weeds.
He turned his team at the foot of the
blum. and then, with the fork in his
hand, waded into the water and began
10 draw the green masses of weed
ashore.
Suddenly the rattle of another Wagon
Ismote upon his ears. He glanced swift
~ upward, tn see Anson's span Of
xrays coming over the blum.
"Hullo, Abev' yelled Arson. Gee
ahead Of me, didn't ye;" AbraIu
arunted and lifted huge ferkful 81
dripping weed Int his cart
Abram kept at his wsrk fever
ishiy. He feared to speak. He de
sired to get his lead and depart.
"Them hosses o. yourn don't draw
pnch. do they7" shouted Anson
Belle said 10 me she didn't think "
was dom rs well ns common"
Abram dropped the relns and turned
or him In a rage that smothered In hi
eyes and whitened his lips.
80 you aud she discuss me atweel
We. do ye? Amt We got nothn' bette
Ia do?"
"Oh, you'm mad this morning, Able
There was Il hot mist In Abrami
eyes. Through Ii he saw the lcerlnI
face Of the man he hated, and at thit
lie struck. Then Abrnm delivered |
mighty blow and his antagonist wen
down.
AnSon fell Nat upon his back. hl
head coming In coutuct with stone
A single gasp, and--he did not NOV
again.
Abram, unsoftened by the sight
b turned away. He picked up his rein
and chrruped to the horses.
He rode on past the Allen house witt
his head on his breast, not nOticln
the girl who watched him from th
window. He was throwing off tn
last weed In the barnyard when Uncl
\ Bozzle pulled into view.
"Jes' what | rbeeu tellln' EN- !
wheezed the old man. Another sllc
Of Il gone. Some o. you boys II hay
wreck over there ylt." Ahran locke
at him dully. More OF the blui
4 gone, les seen II myself"
'"rhe blum caved sgaInr" Easpe
4 Abram. "wherer"
II, Abrnm shricked aloud, and, leapin
from the cart seized the first inpls
: nicut to Ms hand--a shovel--and star
ed for thr shore. Uuclr BoZZl
< watched him breHthlessIy.
oval, tn dern fool lie calculate
at last.
Abram plunged down The side Of tn
bluff, his heavy boots blowing dee
burrows through the clay. Once apo
the beach he began to dig madly Int
4 the heap.
\ "Whnt In tarnnti0n we dom thert
Ai-a~-burrprin like n ground.haug?
"AnsOn--he'S under there"
"Glt aout He amt nuther."
"He Is, | tell YOU Allen See hi
team along yondcr? lie was drawn
weed this mOrnln'."
"Yn-nS. | know. An he left things q
skies an Sevens, bout Ms us'al II
fell an hit his head, he said, an s.
me ter draw weed FOR him the rest
the day. seen HIM a--rnrrln' Off Il
the hsrbUr half an huT AGO. jim
unity. man What's the matter
ye?"
"He-he amt deod?" whIspcre
AbrnuI.
"Not very But you lock some Z
H., VaH2 81 -