Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-16

going 10 run out on us, OF aren't your Oo
as you please. But just figure on how you'll
feel If q bunch of raw men don't pull through
the Winter"
An hour later Cheerful Brossert stumbled
about his cabin, alone. Puttering here and
there he put away the desiccated food, the
clothing the jangling traps. But at last he
Strengthened with new light of pride In his
eyes-one that almost overcame their fear. In
the slow dawn of the next morning, Joe Bros
sert waited, with his dogs beside him ana ms
ak on his shoulder, for the crew to come
from the mess house. And when night came
there was more of companionship in the mess
house than there had been for weeks. Cheer
full BroSsert was there, and Davis was kidding
him about whether he'd rather have dock
or a park named in his honor when this
stretch of wilderness a metropolis OF the
North.
THAT was only part of it. 1t was Cheerful's
] team of huskies and his toboggan which
carried Jimmy Davis about; it was CheerfulS
scheme of cutting heavy aprons out OF Jrepieo
layers of canvas which saved men from frozen
legs and frosted knees as they faced the bit
terness of 40-mile gales or houndered IN snow
drifts. Beyond this, it was Cheerfuls I'M
faltering belief which made other men believe
without that fanatic faith, these men saw
only the desolation, the cheerleSsneSs OF the
days when the sun shone no brighter IMAM
Shiny coin of long, lonely nights when the
eerie CLEANS of the northern lights splotched
the sky like harassed ghosts. But Cheerlu
loved the northern lights. They made shadows
and pictures of a city that was 70 De; tney
lifted his timorous soul to parapets OF strength
reminding him of his worth, his necessity, MS
Importance But they could not make him
forget.
In the daylight as he worked, he watched
eea selesSly the gray line Of the southern horizon
And at night he sat for hours, incoming. once
he jerked himself out Of his chair and, stTld-
A<nN viC30lYgllV
the smoking stove He did not know why,
except that he hated it.
Joe Brossert's work was endless. Great
CHEEKY fires blazed along the lines OF endeavor
during the day for men to huddle about when
they could leave their Tansits or their levels
and all because Ct Joe. Steaming containers
of coffee were brought from the mess hail.
and he was the man who poured 1t, the drip
pings freezing upon the fur Of his parka. Every
possible errand was his, because he wanted It.
quality of his optimism shamed lesser bright
ness in others. And they only laughed about
the queer hunted way in which he constantly
watched the southern horizon.
Poor sap thinks they'll get the railroad
through ahead of time" workman chuckled.
New billiards blew; the squat cabins seemed
10 sink deep in the ground as the drifts piled
higher about them. Each day Joe Brossert
found new tasks and accepted them. But there
were times when even his giant strength falter-
ca, WOcn ne SJdBBEIeu pt1nuly boNdAQ L41C A1coo
house at the end Of the day. One night he
stirred In his chair beside the fire in the big
room and opened his eyes with the startled
knowledge that he had fallen asleep between
sentences. He grinned in an abAshed manner
and rubbed his wind-reddened eyes.
What did you Say?" he asked.
"Just told Moxie the wood box was empty"
answered Davis, looking up from pile of blue
prints.
"wood?" Joe Brossert clattered to his feet.
"Sure, III get some wood"
Go back to Slept" jeered a transit man
from the other side OF the stove, You're all
In
Another jibed him, and a third The big
trapper grinned and raised his huge fists
"All right" he shouted I'm show you I'll
m the wood box with one tripl'
Shouting his virility, he thumped unsteadily
10 the door, slammed it behind him and crunch
ed to his own cabin. There he cut a piece Of
heavy rope and went to the long rick Of four
foot quarter-logs and spread the rope upon
the ground. Stick after stick he piled upon 1t
until the load was half as high as himself
Then, Juggling and straining, he pulled the
rope tight about the burden and tied it. Then,
huge muscles bullying, he raised the burden to
his shoulders and urched for the mess hall
open the door!" he shouted with a kick
against the SILL. Steps sounded; the door
swung wide. Joe Brossert plunged through
Look outl" shouted Davis you're run
ming into the lamp!"
Joe BroSsert swerved in an effort to obey the
command. But the load swung on his shoulders;
there was crash from above as the big nickel
ed kerosene hanging lamp shot from its fast
ening on the ceiling, spun through the air and
cracked open against the hest-reddened stove
The flare of fire hurst through the room dulled
by the rolling black of kerosene smoke. Shout
ing men miled toward the door while behind
them fire ate at dozen points of attack Davis
shouted command to get to the cache door
and save the food stores. 1t was a short-lived
effort
HE inner door, leading from the mess hall
Z had been open. Flaming OIL already had