Bellefonte, Pa., August 23, 1912.
~~ ——
FRECKLES
By
Gene Stratton-
Porter
COPYRIGHT, 1904, BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE |
& CO.
Quran. DI
[Continued from last week.] f
SYNOPSIS. |
Freckles, a homeless boy, is hired by | her.
Boss McLean to guard the expensive tim- |
ber in the Limberlost from timber thieves. i
Freckles does his work faithfully, makes |
friends with the birds and yearns to know |
more about nature. He lives with Mr. |
and Mrs, Duncan. |
He resolves to get books and educate |
himself. He becomes interested in a huge i
pair of vultures and calls his bird friends |
his “chickens.” |
Some of the trees he is guarding
worth $1,000 each. Freckles’ books arrive.
He receives a call from Wessner.
Wessner attempts to bribe Freckles to |
betray his trust, and Freckles whips him. |
Mclean overhears them and witnesses the
fight.
Freckles’ honesty saves a precious tree. |
He finds the nest of the vultures and is
visited by a beautiful young girl.
Bho calls Freckles McLean's son. Freckles
calls her “the angel” and helps the Bird
Woman in taking photographs. McLean |
promises to adopt Freckles.
Freckles and the angel become very
friendly. Assisted by the Bird Woman,
they drive Wessner and Black Jack, tim-
ber thieves, from the Limberlost.
McLean fears more trouble, but Freckles
insists upon being the sole guard of the
timber. Freckles calls upon the angel's
father. i
CHAPTER XL
THE MAN OF AFFAIRS.
o
TAT HY don't you take it your-
self?” questioned the man of
NW affairs,
Freckles’ clear gray eyes
met those of the angel's father square-
ly, and he said, “If you were in my
place would you take it to her your-
self?”
“No, I would not,” said that gentle
man quickly.
“Then why ask why I did not?"
came Freckles’ lamblike query.
“Bless me!" said the angel's father.
He stared ut the puckage, then at the
lifted chin of the boy and then at the
package again and muttered, “Excuse
me.” i
Freckles bowed.
“It would be favoring me greatly if |
you would deliver the hat and the
message. Good morning, sir,” and he |
turned away. |
“One minute,” said the angel's fa- |
ther. “Suppose 1 give you permission |
to return this hat in person and make |
your own acknowledgments.”
Freckles stood one moment ;
intently, and then he lifted those eyes
of unswerving truth and asked: :
“Why should you, sir? You are kind |
indade to mention it, and it's thanking i
you 1 am for your good intintions, but
my wanting to go or your Leing will
ing to have me ain't proving that
your daughter would be wanting me
or care to bother with me.”
The angel's father looked keenly
into the face of this extraordinary
young man, and he found it to bis
liking.
“There's one other thing 1 meant to
say,” said Freckles. “Every day I see
something and at times a lot of things
that | think the Bird Woman would
be wanting pictures of badly if she
knew. You might be speaking of it
to ber, and if she'd want me to I can
send her word when | find things she
wouldn't likely get elsewhere.”
“If that's the case,” said the angel's
father, “and you feel under obliga-
tions for her assistance the other day |
| the beautiful trees and tear up ev-
| they bave done their worst all these
| mills about here will follow in and take
| Your room is a little piece right out of
the heart of fairyland, and the cathe-
| ent.
i earnestly, “but I'm thanking you more
Is there any trouble? Are you just
starting back to the Limberlost?”
“l came to bring your hat” said
| Freckles. “You forgot it in the rush
the other day. I bave just left it with
your father and a message trying to
express the gratitude of me for how
you and the Bird Woman were for
helping me out.”
The angel nodded gravely, and
| Freckles saw in a flash that he had
| done the proper thing in going to her
| father. Then she was saying that she
| could scarcely wait for the time to
| come for the next picture of the Little
Chickens series. “I want to hear the
rest of that song, and I hadn't even
begun seeing your room yet” she com-
plained. “I wonder if I couldn't bring
my banjo and some of the songs I like
best. [I'll play and you'll sing.”
Freckles felt that if he lifted his eyes
the adoration in them would frighten
“1 was afraid your experience the
other day would scare you so that
you'd never be coming again,” he
found bimself saying.
The angel laughed gayly.
“Did I look scared?’ she questioned.
“No,” said Freckles; “you did not.”
“Oh, 1 just enjoyed that.” she cried. |
“Those hateful, stealing old things! |
| had a big notion to pink one of them.
| but I thought maybe some way it
would be best for you that I shouldn't.
They needed it. That didn't scare me,
and, as for the Bird Woman, she's ac- |
customed to finding snakes, tramps, |
cross dogs, sheep, cattle and goodness
knows what. You can’t frighten her
when she's after a picture. Did they
come back?”
“No,” said Freckles. “The gang got
there a little after noon and took out
the tree, but I must tell you and you
must tell the Bird Woman that there's
no doubt but they will be coming back,
and they wil! have to make it before
long now, for it's soon the gang will
be there to work on the swamp.”
“Oh, what a shame!" cried the an-
gel. “They'll clear out roads, cut down
erything. They'll drive away the
birds and spoil the cathedral. When
out the cheap timber. Then the land-
owners will dig a few ditches, build
some fires, and in two summers more
the Limberlost will be in corn and po-
tatoes.”
“You like it, too,” said Freckles.
“Yes,” sald the angel: “I love it.
dral is God's work, not yours. You
only found it and opened the door
after he had it completed. Come get
a cool drink before you start back. It
won't take but a minute, and you can
ride fast enough to make up for it.”
Freckles looked into the beautiful
face of the angel in sheer wonder-
Did she truly mean it? Would
she walk down that street with him,
crippled, homely, int mean clothing?
“I railly must be off,” said Freckles
than you'll ever know for your kind-
ness. I'll just be drinking bowls of
icy things all me way home in the
thoughts of it.”
Down came the angel's foot. Her
eyes flashed. “There's no sense in
that.” she sald. “How do you think
' you would have felt when you knew
| I was warm and thirsty and you went
. and brought me a drink and 1 wouldn't
| take it because — because goodness
knows why!”
She deliberately slipped her hand
| under his arm--the right arm that
ended in an empty sleeve.
“You are coming,” she said firmly.
Freckles’ head swam.
“Please don’t, angel.’ be said softly.
“You don't understand. If your fa-
ther came on to me on the street in
my station and dress with you on me
arm he'd have every right to be can-
| ing me before the people, and not a
| finger would I lift to stay him.”
The angel's eyes snapped.
think my father cares about my do-
you can discharge them in that way. | D8 anything that is right and kind
She is spending all her time in the and that makes me happy to do, why,
flelds and woods searching for sub- | then you completely failed in reading
jects. By all means let her know if | WY father, and I'll ask him and just
”
you find subjects you think she could i you. ;
use, and we will do anything we can | She dropped Freckles’ arm and turn-
for you if you will give her what help
you can and see that she is as safe as
possible.”
“It's hungry for human beings 1
get.” sald Freckles, “and it's like
heaven to me to have them come.
When it comes to protecting them I'd
risk me life. to be sure, but even that
mightn't do any good in some cases.
There's a good many dangers to be
reckoned with in the swamp, sir.”
There was no way in which Freckles
could know it, but by following his
best instincts and being what he con-
ceived a gentleman should be he sur-
prised the man of affairs into
of him and seeing his face over his
books many times that morning. He
stepped to the curb to mount his whee!
and heard a voice that thrilled through
and through him, calling: “Freckles!
Oh, Freckles!”
The angel separated herself from a
group of girls and came hurrying up
to him. She was in snowy white—a
quaint. little frock with a marvel of
#0ft tance about her throat and wrists,
Through.the sheer sleeves of it her
beautiful, rounded arms slLowed dis-
tinctly, and it was cut just to the base
of her perfect neck. On her head was
a pure white creation of fancy braid
with folds on folds of tulle, soft and
silken as cobwebs, lining the brim, and
& great mass of white roses clustered
against the gold of her hair crept
ed toward the entrance to the build-
Ine. “Why, look there!” she exclaim-
you see that?’ she demand:
“Now are you satisfied? Will you
come?’ Freckles went.
On every hand she was kept busy
giving and receiving the cheerlest
greetings. She walked into the parlors
Freckles had felt they would. He
glanced at the angel. Now would she
see?
“On my soul!” he muttered under his
breath. “They don’t aven touch her!"
She turned the full battery of her
eyes on the attendant.
“I want to mix a drink for my
friend,” she said. “He has a long, hot
ride before him, and I don’t want him
started off with one of those
teasing sweetnesses that you
on purpose to drive a man
minutes.
mellow tones of his voice, “I'll be
drinking it to the Swamp Angel.” .
And as he had said to her that first
day the angel now cautioned him, “Be |
drinking slowly.” i
As the screen door swung behind |
them one of the men at the counter |
asked of the attendant, “Now, what |
did that mean?”
“Exactly what you saw,” replied he
rather curtly. “We're accustomed to
it in here. Hardly a day passes this
hot weather but she’s picking up some
poor, god forsaken mortal and bring-
ing him in. Then she comes behind
the counter herself and fixes up a
drink to suit the occasion.”
“Mighty queer specimen she had this
time,” volunteered another. ‘‘Wonder
who he is?"
“l think,” said a third, “that he's
McLean's Limberlost guard, and 1 sus-
pect she's gone to the swamp with the
Bird Woman for pictures and knows
him that way.”
Out on the street the angel walked
beside Freckles to the first crossing,
and there she stopped.
“Did you Insist on fixing that drink
because you knew how intoxicating
‘twould be?’ asked Freckles.
There was subtlety in the compli-|
ment, and the angel laughed gleefully.
“Next time maybe you won't take so
much coaxing,” she said.
“I wouldn't this if I had known your
father and been understanding you |
better. Do you really think the Bird |
Woman will be coming again?’ {
The angel jeered. “Wild horses
couldn't drag her away,” she cried. | BELLEFONTE PEOPLE
“She will have hard work to wait the |
week out. | shouldn't be in the least
surprised to see her start any hour.”
Freckles couldn't bear the suspense; |
it bad to come. i
“And you?’ he questioned, but he:
dared not lift his eyes.
“Wild horses me, too,” she laughed,
“couldn't keep me away either! Now,
goodby.”
Freckles was half way to the Lim-
berlost when he dismounted. He could
ride no farther, because he could not
see the road. He sat down under a
tree and, leading against it, burst into
a storm of sobs that shook, twisted
and rent him. If they would remind
him of his position, speak condescend-
ingly or notice his hand he could
bear it, but this—it would surely kill
him! His hot, pulsing Irish blood
could not bear it. .What did they
mean? Why did they do it? Were
they like that to every one? Was it
pity?
It couid not be, for he knew that the
Bird Woman and the angel's father
must know that be was not really Mc-
Lean’s son, and it did not matter to
them in the least. In spite of acel-
dent and poverty, they evidently ex-
pected bim to do something worth
while in the world. That must be his
remedy. He must go to work on his
education. He must get away. He
must find and do the great thing of
which the angel talked. For the tirst
time his thoughts turned anxiously to-
ward the city and the beginning of bis
studies. McLean and the Duncans
spoke of him as “the boy,” but he was
a man. He must face life bravely and
act a man's part. The angel was a
mere child. He must not allow her
to torture him past bearing with ber
frank comradeship that meant to him
high heaven, earth's richness and all
that lay between and just nothing to
her.
There was an ominous growl of
thunder, and Freckles snatched up his
wheel and raced for the swamp. He
was worried to find his boots lying at
the cabin door. The children playing
on the wood pile told him that mither
said they were so heavy she couldn't
walk in them and she had come back
and taken them off. Thoroughly
frightened, he stopped only long
enough to slip them on himself and
then sped with all his strength for
the Limberlost. To the west the long,
black, bard beaten trail lay clear, but
far up the east side, straight across
the path, he could see what was cer-
tainly a limp brown figure.
Face down, Sarah Duncan lay across
the trail. When Freckles turned her
over his blood chilled at the look of
horror frozen on her face. There was
a low bumming, and something spat-
ted against him. Glancing about.
Freckles shivered in terror, for there
Was a swarm of wild bees settled on
a scrub thorn only a few yards away.
The air was thick with excited, unset-
tled bees making ready to lead fur-
ther in search of a suitable location.
Then he thought he understood, and
with a prayer of thankfulness in his
heart that she had escaped even so
narrowly he caught her up and hur-
ried down the trail until they were
well put of danger.
[Continued next week.)
“So you've named the baby at last,” |
By Mutual Concession,
remarked the caller.
“Yes,” sald the young professor. |
“My wife insisted on ‘Clarence,’ and
I was equally determined on ‘Pytka- |
goras,’ so we compromised, and his |
full name is Clarence Pythagoras Mec- '
Goozle.
Sounds rather striking, don't
you think?”
A Sad Awakening.
A dreamer of dreams woke up one
And what do you think he found?
A bundle of bills that he could not pay
And collectors snooping around.
Not an Inheritance.
“Is that your little boy?"
“Yes. That's my Tommy.” i
“I should have known him any- |
where.
nose.”
“Nothin’ of the kind, ma'am.
He has his father's family
It
1
|
|
i
i
was Jimmy Stadgers, nex’ door, that |
gave 'im that lump.’
Mr.
pretty
Had Noticed It.
Richfello—Isn’t Miss De Mure
when she blushes?
|
i
i
Miss Beauti—Yes. I noticed it the |
other day. It was the first time I ever i
saw her face color.”
“Indeed!
What was she blushing
over?
“Over a plate of hot soup.”
_— -
Medical.
i
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A Stitch in Time
SHOULD NO1
NEGLECT THEIR KIDNEYS.
No
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urinary irregularity.
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t overlook the slightest backache or
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sel
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years Bow nave ney Cundox sick kid
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onte, Pa., sa
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ys: “A member of m
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ring them from Green 's -
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and as there has Deen aa veces dney Pills
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Remember the name—Doan’s—and take
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57.27
eee —
Medical.
_—
_.
———
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You will always find it in a Dockash
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LCASOLINE
76° — CIAL —
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No “natural” gasolines used. At your dealers,
WAVERLY OIL
Also makers of Waverly
WORKS co.
Pittsburg, Pa,
Special Auto Ol,
Hood's Sarsaparilla. es | Constitutional Amendments
Jone p ark, August 10; Great akes, Septem. | vided for by general law, nor where the courts
. s | have jurisdiction to grant the same or give the
| relief asked for.
—
ROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE v- |
P STITUTION HEC
OF
OF
ing an
four of the Constitution of the Com
fo gh t of t
r mprovemen
pro o
aon tatives of the
jouse of
of ld ves t!
eighteenth article thereof
fi
“Section 4.
su y
on debt;
Siancy in Jevenue shal never Ro
e at any one time, one
Be Amended 50 an to mewone
Section 4. No
behalf of the State,
Pennsylvania R.R.
N iagara Falls
SPECIAL TRAIN of Pullman Parlor Cars,
Picturesque Susquehanna Valley Route
Tickets good going on Special Train and con.
necting trains, and
trains within FIFTEEN
within limit allowed at Buffalo returni
Illustrated Booklet and full i
Const
1Z OF
R THER APPROVAL OR RE ECTION, BY
I
|
i
| ing to ferri : .
Utterly Wretched |q#3iiirnsiim o rompoee
NERVOUS PROSTRATION LONG ENDURED | boundaries between this and any other State:
BEFORE REMEDY WAS FOUND. | yacatiog 0 rey as, Sticets oF public
Miss Minerva Reminger. Upper Bern | grounds not of the Stare:
Pa., writes: “For several years! had Authorizing the ion, or legitimation of
nervous prostration, and was utterly | chi‘dren:
wretched. | lived on bread and beef tea Locating or changing county-seats, erecting
anyt! he. I took many remedies, but | Incorporating REM; coudty 1 Niages,
onanny no relief until I took Hood's Sar | changing thei Charters: woe: vil by
saparilla, when I began to gain at once. | For the opening and conducting of elections,
I am now cured. | or fixing or changing the place of voting:
nce ob rd ee |” grange
es, is s rsapa- Lrecting new 3 i i
rilla, which puri and enriches the | tor A es. Deanips or. bor ugha, Shanaing
wnship i
cures so many nervous diseases. : school ‘dis-
Ps effects its wonder-
because it contains
ricts:
| Creating offices, or prescribing tt
1 h 4 8 the powers and
simply | duties, of offic eth
sarsaparilla, but because it combines the
| townships, election or schoo! districts:
utmost remedial values of more than 20 1 € ing the | f d RRA =
different ingredients. [| Roun nt ie law Of descent or succession:
r e 1. ice or jurisdiction of, or
it today in usual liquid form or hanging the rules of evidence i judicial
chocolated tablets called Sarsatabs. 7 - y ut a
c courts, aldermen,
— | justices the peace, sheriffs, commissioners,
arbitrators, auditors. masters in chanc or
Excursions. ! ril or providing or changin
Ea SCTSLONS. = | for the collection of debs, or the enforcing. of
| judgments, or prescribing t ect of j i
ssid of rai exiie: judicial
egulating t ees, or extending the powers
| and Satis of aldermen, justices of fe vers
magistrates or constables:
i ,, Regulating the management of public schools,
{ the building or repairing of schoo! houses and
| the raising of money for such purposes
| Fixing the rate of interest:
| Affecting the estates of minors or persons
| under disability, except after due notice to all
| parties in interest, to be recited in the special
| Remitting fines, penalties and forfeit
i refunding moneys legally paid into the any
Personally-Conducted Excursions
August 29, September Rxempting Jroperty from taxation:
’ z ®Rulating iabor, trade, mining or m factur.
12, 26, October 10, 1912. ing; but the Legislature may r . late and fix the
wages or salaries, the hours of work or labor,
and make prov for the protection, welfare
and safety of persons employed by the State.
or by any county, city, borough, town, township,
school district, village, or other civil division of
the State or by any contractor or sub contractor
| performing work, labor or services for the State,
or for any county, city, borough, town. township,
school district, village or other civil division
| thereof:
Creating corporations, or amending, renewing
or extending the charters thereof:
. Granting to any corporation, association or
individual any special or exclusive privilege or
immunity. or to any corporation, association, or
individual the right to lay down a railroad track:
Nor shall the General Assembly indirectly
enact such special or local law by the partial re-
$7.10 ROUND-TRIP
FROM BELLEFONTE.
ing Car, and Day Coaches, running via the
returning on regular
DAYS. Stop-off
ng.
C ill information may
obtained from Ticket Agents,
Tours to Thousand Islands, July 18, August § | Peal of a general law; but laws repealing local or
15 and 29; Maritime Provinces. July 34: Mon. special pei} shay be passed: i
treal, July 31° Adirondacks, Juiy 31; Muskoka Tivileanany law be passed granting powers
Lakes, August 1; Quebec, August 7; Yellow. | | OF Privileges in any case where the granting of °
| such powers and privileges shall have bee
A true copy of Joint Resolution No. 2.
ROBERT MCAFEE,
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
———
TTTTTT. |
itutional Amendments |
a Number Three,
HE CIT. | A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION.
EALTH | Proposing an amendment to secti th
aRticle eight of the Constitution of Foot of
vania.
Section 1. Be it resolved b t
Representatives of the eS, Howse of
Elvana ut the Senate Sonar) That the fol
A os Droposed as an am ment to the Con-
of t Commonwealth of Pennsyivar in.
t provisions of the eigh-
Section 2. Amend section three of article
eight, which reads as follows: * judges
lected by the electors of the State at large ore
e
be elected at either a general or municipal
ion, as
E COM.
. AND
ED ETAR
THE COMMONWEALTH IN PU v
ARTICLE XVIII OF THE CONSTIT THON:
Nunfber One.
A JOINT RESOLUTION
amendment to article nine, Section
monwealt
ia, authorizing the State to i
amount of fity millions of dollars
highways of the
van
h.
Be it resolved by
t
Pennsylvania be, and the
in accordance with the
four of article nine, which reads as
No debt shall be created by or on
except to y casual defi
and the debt
" | their offices until the first
the next succeedin, even-numbered
A true copy
highways Common X
true copy of Joint Resolution No. 1.
ROBERT M .
Secretary of the Scare,
Number Two.
A JOINT RESOLUTION
amendment to section
stitution
F
Number Four.
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