Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-01-17
CHAPTER vI-continued.

B
OF a truth, the comparison between
the two men could not well have been
more striking. The young preacher
was a very handsome man. The beard
and spectacles, the mass of hair fall
ing about his ears, seemed to invest
him with an air of exquisite mystery
an air that has such power to compel
the attention of women.
The young woodsman, on the other
hand, with his uncouth and ill-ftting
clothes, though far from plain, owed
whatever attractions he possessed to
his magnificent physique a bold regu-
larity of features, and an honest, open
frankness-a mans man.
With a jerky, elaborate bow to
Jack, the young preacher turned to
Texie.
Il was just hunting for you, Miss
Texie. They want you at the punch
bowl"
The girl must have known the
woodsman was about to speak to her.
His face was as easy to read as the
signs Of spring. She glanced at him;
dropped her eyes; laughed-a trifie
uneasiIy he thought, knowing her so
well-and walked away beside the
minister.
The woods1nan stood looking after
them, a queer sense Of emptiness In
his breast-a man nursed by nature,
untaught to juggle with the hearts
emotions.
The voice of the gray-haired gentle
woman in the rocking chair recalled
his straying thoughts.
Aren't they a fine-looking coupler
she was saying.
"Uh-huh."
"As 1 look back over the years since
we came to Buckeye, l remember that
you and she have always been play
mates. My dear husband so often
used to speak of the beautiful COM
partnership between you. Long associ-
alton with one so sweet and innocent
must have had a most ennobling influ-
ence upon you.''
''It didn't hurt me none.
"Dear mel but you are laconic this
evening, my lad. Do you always speak
with such Spartan brevity?
She might as well have said it in
Latin. Jack was frowning hard in an
effort to make out her meaning when
Zeke Pollok, officiously omnipresent,
stopped at the old lady's chair.
The woodsman was saved. He
walked away in the crowd, while Aunt
he
ward about airing her views, leaned
over toward the postmaster's wife and,
In hoarse half-whispers, laid down her
vastly positive opinion on the very sub
tect he had just escaped discussing.
"Ain't 1t a. burnin' shame the way
Texie let's the new parson carry on
with 'er, an leavin' Big Jack out n
the cold l-an' him wo'th any two o.
the parson, the best breath e ever
drawed. She'll rue it. Mark my
words, Hammer Pollok, she'll rue it."
Jaw, shucks, Aunt Liza, you're list
Jealous FIR Big Jack, him bein' about
y'u s. much, an Uncle Nick a-teachin'
i'm all about the woods an boxin' an
SIGH"
''Nickl Nick pit would be utterly
imnossible to commit to paper the uI-
innate contempt in the stifled tones
ssFr the lam sakes What d. y'u s'pose
I care who the OF man teaches is
fool truck an boxin' tricks to? She'll
rue the day she draps fine lad like
Big Jack-bound though e beam
takes up with a teetotal furriner, list
b'cayse e happens t. be mite slicker-
Iookin' mebbe-though, FIR my part I
don't consait i'm one iotum better
Iookin' than Big Jack is. She'll rue it,
Hammer Pollok, she'll rue It. That par-
son hain't got all that PLAYER an
meechin' ways FIR nothin', now there's
the business of it, I-jeeminyP'
The postmaster's wife had her ups
set ready for her reply when there
came a sudden commotion at the door.
A strange man, tall and powerfully
built, SLOUGH hat pulled low oyer his
head, swart face covered by a heavy
stubble of black beard, and apparently
Just drunk enough to be dangerous
was roughly elbowing the crowd aside
as he stalked back toward the table.
Gimme some cake" he growled.
Miss Martin, trembling on the verge
Of panic, passed plate of cake to
him. He snatched off piece, held it
up contemptuously for a moment and
then slammed it back with force that
dashed the plate from the tlmid little
teachers hand and scattered its con-
tents all about the table.