The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-09-18
CHAPTER II-Continued

next year or so 1urtner Cna0 TO say
that my father developed habit of
putting on his good clothes in the
evening and brushing his shoes. and
walking over to see whether Mrs.
Lane might not need some help with
the affairs of the farm.
Jack found me one evening in Sep
tember cutting frewood in the I'M
cleared portion of our farm up by the
big pine. The sun was almost set
ting; il hung like blood-red globe
through an avenue of maple trees,
and its slanting light struck the
autumn foliage with wizardry of
color and beauty. Jack sat down on
a log and when I paused in my work
he said, You're too Industrious,
Frank; if you are not careful you'll
die rich. Come over here; l want to
talk TO you"
I took seat at his side and for
minute or two he punched the earth
with a stick, as though uncertain how
to open his subject.
IL guess you're as much awake as
! am. Frank" he said at length. so
you know what's on the books"
"You mean about my father" ! was
going to add. land your mother" but
i stopped; someway 1t seemed out of
place But Jack filled it in "And
my mother"
Then we both sat silent for awhile.
HAS he said anything about it TO
your" I ventured, "He hasn't men,
toned it to me-"
NO" said Jack. Then, with one
of his unexpected touches of humor,
-"rm not sure that he knows about
1t yet But mother does"
well, it's all right, isn't it?' / said,
after we had had our laugh. Your
mother has been pretty much a moth
er to Marjorie and me since our own
left US She's O. X. I'm not complain
ing"
Neither am l." Jack agreed, $50
far as they are concerned. But just
how about us? We've got to get out"
"Why?"
Jack turned his full blue eyes on
me with a sort of pity. do you think
Marjorie is going to play second fid-
die to a new mother? You don't know
your sister, Frank"
In moment / knew he was right.
He had not asked me if 1 thought
that Jack would play second fiddle
to new father, but that. too, may
have been in his mind.
"Well, what are we to do about
it?"
"Go West ~ he said, emphatically.
Go West! / am beginning to think
It's the only thing for a young fell
low to do, anyway. What is there here
for us? Drudge away in the mill,
seven to six, seven to six, seven to
six, seven to six. week in, month in.
year in; then. some day, caught on
shaft, and they stop the mill just
long enough to untangle your remains.
And that is lifel BY Cd, Frank, it's
not life-as / see it-as I'm going to
see it,"
turned to him in surprise; ii was
the first time / had heard him use
such an expression. His teeth were
set; his thin lips were pressed to-
gether; his eyes were big and lumi-
nous in the twilight; his pose was a
picture of resolution, even of defiance.
All unknown to me, Jack Lane had
become a man, and his exclamation
had had more of prayer than of pro-
family in it.
Presently he continued: 1--WE can GO
out to that new country, west of
Manitoba, and take up a homestead
EACH. In a few years We will have
land enough to make a dozen of these
Ontario farms. Others are doing it
so can we. And it won't be so hard
for us. The worst thing usually, is
the loneliness; holding it down in a
shack, three years or more, all by
ones. self But we can get claims
beside each other, and, although well
have to have separate shacks, the
girls will keep house for US, so il
won't be so bad"
He had touched on something which
had already come into my mind. "Will
the girls go?" / questioned.
Frank" he said, and again he
seemed to speak from some superior
wisdom of his own. '.those girls viii
20 WIFI us anywhere we ASK lnem-
anywhere!"
When I laid the proposal before
Marjorie, she listened with com
placency which suggested that the
idea was not entirely new to her.
Il will go and keep house for you,'
she said. frankly, IF Jack and Jear
go too"
1t was Sunday afternoon before
had an opportunity to speak to Jean
She was seventeen now, and my won
de1.lg eyes had of late beheld her trim
girlishness giving way to the first ell
trancing curves of womanhood Hel
light step, her grace of motion, hel
clear, pink skin. her sensitive lips hal
narted over rows of well-formed teeth
her eyes large and dreamfui all whis
pered in some vague way in the ear.
of my boyhood that Jean was not al
other girls: whispered of Jean tn,
artist-Jean the idealist Jean hat
not gone into the mill with the othe
girls Of her age; she bad continue,
longer ar school, and then had takel