Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-02-11
ODE
Blue Moon
"a Tale of the FlatWoods

There came the guarded scrape of
a match. A suffering, tardy flame
was laid to the wick of candle on
small stand in the corner under a mir
ror. The wick caught; smoldered;
fared to full strength. The wonder
of her hair and throat and arms
sprang out of the night. She laid the
burnt match upon the candlestick and
turned. A gasp broke from her at the
sight Of him--tattered, hatless;
bruised and bloody.
Forgive me that come before you
like-this," he stammered.
An impulsive step brought her to
his side.
"Forgive me u she repeated, her
voice still a-quiver; her face pity-ten-
dered. "You must let me dress your
| hurts
He shaded the candle with his body
while she raised the curtain over the
door and slipped out to the kitchen.
She was back before he could have
believed ii, carrying a basin of cold
water and some strips of muslin, all
of which she had managed to get to-
gether in the deep dark.
Drawing a chair near the candle,
she made him sit doWn-a quite ohvi-
GUS necessity, If she was to reach his
head. But she didn't stop with wash
ing the cIots out of his hair and bind
ing up the scalp wound, The cuts and
bruises on his face and chest came in
r., eIa
tons We're over he was another man.
All unsuspecting, the girl did other
things for him that night besides
washing his wounds. Nothing can so
refine a man as the ministry of good
woman's hands. It never leaves him
quite as it found him. He can never
again be quite the same His life out
he will be grain the finer for it. So
| great is the grace of nature that no
man is denied that touch Once to
every man it cOmes-to recreate; to
make him new; to call him up to his
higher self. 1t came that night to the
PearlhHnter,
The girl seemed to lose all fear Of
him; to forget that he was in her bed
room in the secret night. She even
smiled a contented smile of satisfac-
ton as he rose and stretched himself.
He fumbled IN his tattered blouse and
! drew forth the draft.
"Haye you pen and ink p he asked,
his voice, his manner, again the voice
and manner Of the alert, keen woods
man.
Wondering, she opened the drawer
of the small stand under the mirror
and placed pen and ink before him.
He picked up the pen, awkwardly--a
| fish spear an oar, or a six-gCn fitted
his hand better-dipped it in the ink !;
i laid the draft upon the stand; squared
himself; and after no small pains sue
ceeded in writing the word "Pearlhunt-
err across the back. 1t was quite evil
/ IDENTIFY relief When the unaccustomed
task was over. He laid the pen down
as if glad to be quit of it and handed
the draft to the girl.
1T means that I have five thousand
| dollars in the bank" he said, "and any
body that takes this draft there with
my'-he hesitated-"na name across the
back can get the money. The banker
said So"
Her face showed how little she
guessed what his words were leading
up to. 1t was some time before he went
on. "Im askin' you to keep it." he
said. sand if anything should happen
Ito me, I'm askin' you to keep the mon
ey, too
| The girl caught his tattered sleeve.
mo! Nor she said. "Don't say
that!"
He looked down at the hand on his
sleeve; picked it up; held it an in
slant; suffered her to take it away.
Il know who killed Louie Solomon, 2
he said slowly. Il know who has the
Blue Moon-absolute knowledge, but