o
The Honoris of the
PROLOGUE.
Up in the "Big Snows," near
the dome of the earth, lies the
scene of this story of real men
and real women, who have all of
the virtues of their hardening en
vironment and few of the failings
of their more civilized relatives.
This is a tale for reading when
one is tired of the artificialities
of civilization or at any other
time when a good story is appre
ciated. You will find in it ro
mance and adventure and mystery
mixed in such skillful manner and
in such proportion that no ingre
dient interferes with another. Yet
all go to make fine reading for
women who like to hear of brave
deeds and sacrifice for love's
sake and. for men with even a
drop of the spirit of adventure
in their veins. And one thing
more the author has lived among
the people whose lives he de
scribes, and he knows how to tell
a story.
CHAPTER VII. .
' Almost a Woman. '
THE next morning Jan struck out
over bla old trail to the Basa
bala. The Crees were gone.
; lie spent a day swinging east
and west and found old trails leading
into toe north.
"They have gone up among the Eski
mos," be said to himself. "Ah, Kazan,
what in the name of the saints is
that?"
The leading dog dropped upon bis
hauDches with a menacing growl as a
lone figure staggered across the snow
toward them. It was Crolsset. With
groan, he dropped upon the sledge.
"I am sick and starving," he walled.
"The fiend himself has got into ray
cabin, and for three days I've had
nothing but snow and a raw whisky
jack."
"Sickr cried Jan. drawing a step
away from him.
"Yes, sick from an empty belly, and
this, and this!" lie showed a fore
arm done up in a bloody rag and point
ed to bis neck, from wbicb the skin
was peeling. "1 was gone ten days
with that red cloth you gave me. and
when I came back, if there wasn't the
horror Itself grinning at me from the
top of my own shanty! 1 tried to get
In, but my wife barred tbe door and
said that she would shoot me if 1
didn't get back into the woods. I
tried to steal in at night through a
window, and she drenched me in hot
water. I built n wigwam at the edge
of the forest, and stayed there for five
days. Hongree! Blessed saints, I had
no matches, so grub: and when I got
clov enough to yell these things to
,her she kept her word and plunked
fn through n crack In the door, so
that I lost a pint of blood from this
arm."
"I'll give you 'something to eat,"
langbed Jan, undoing his pack. "Dow
Jong has the red flag been up?"
"I've lost all count of time, but it's
twelve days, If an hour, and I swear
ifs going to take all winter to get It
down!"
"It's not the plague. Go back and
tell your wife so." Out Crolsset said
he would go to Lac Bain.
Jan left him beside a good fire and
turned Into the southwest to burn
Lunglois and bis cabin. Then be con
tinued westward. At the bead of the
Torcuplne he found the remains of
three burned wigwams, and from one
of them be dug out charred bones.
Crolsset reached the post forty-eight
hours after he had encountered Jan.
'The red flag is everywhere!" he
erlcd. catching sight of the signal over
Jan Burned Langlois and His Cabin.
Mnkcu's cabin. "It is to the east and
o
Ion
0DurlflhL 1Q11. bu the Bobbs
Merrlll Co.
. . . v. . . j, . . .o
west of tbe Uasabala as thick as jays
In springtime!"
A Cree from the Gray Otter drova
In on his way north. "Six wigwams
with dead in them," be reported In his
own langunge to Williams. "A com
pany man. with a one eyed leader and
four trailers, left the Gray Otter to
burn them." Williams took down his
birch bark moose born and bellowed a
weird signal to Cummins, who opened
a crack of bis door to listen, with Me
Ilsse close beside him.
"Thoreau is In the thick of It to the
south," he called. "There's too much
of It for him, and I'm going down
with the dogs. Crolsset will stay in
the store for n few days."
Tbe days brought quick changes
now. One morning the moose born
called Cummius to the door. It was
the fifth day after Williams bad gone
south.
"There was no smoke this morning,
and I looked through the window."
shouted Crolsset. "Mukee and the old
man are both dead. I'm going to burn
the cabin."
A stifled groan of anguish fell from
Cummins' lips as be went like a dazed
man to bis cot and flung himself face
downward upon it. Melisse could see
j his strong framo shaking as If he were
crying like a child, and, twining her
arms tightly about bis neck, she sob
bed out tier passionate grief against
his rough cheek.
The next morning when Cumniliif
went to awaken her his face went as
white as death Melisse was not
asleep. Iler eyes were wide opeu and
staring at blm, and her sort cheeks
burned with the hot glow of tire.
"You are sick. Melisse." be whisper
ed hoarsely. ''Yon are sick!"
lie fell upon his knees beside her
and lifted ber face In Jils bands. The
touch of It sent a chill to bis heart
such as be had not felt since yenre
ago. in thai other room a few step?
away.
"I want .Inn." she plended. "I want
Jan to come back to me!"
"I will send for blm. dear. He will
come back soon. I will go out and
send Crolsset"
He hid his face from her as be drag
ged himself away. Crolsset saw him
coming and came out of the store to
meet hlni. A hundred yards away
Cummins stopped.
"Crolsset. for the love of God, take
a team and go after Jan Thoreau." he
called. "Tell him tlint Melisse Is dying
of the plague. Hurry, hurry!"
"Night und day!" shouted Crolsset
Twenty minutes later from the cab
In window Cummins saw him start
"Jan will be here very soon, Me
lisse." be ssld. running his lingers
gently through her balr. Toward
evening there came a change. ' The
fever left the child's cheeks. Iler
eyes closed and she fell asleep.
Through the night Cummins sat near
the door, but In the gray dawn, over
come by his long vigil, his head drop
ped upon his breast nnd he slum
bored. When he awoke the cabin was filled
with light. He heard a sound and.
Aartled, sprang to his feet. Melisse
was at the stove building a fire!
"I'm better this morning, father.
Why didn't you sleep until breakfast
was ready?"
Cummins stared. Then he gave a
shout, made a rush for her nnd. catch
ing her up in his arms, danced about
tbe cabin lll;e n great bear, overturn
ing the chairs and allowing the room
to till with smoke In his wild Joy.
"It's whnt yon saw through the win
dow that made you sick. Melisse!" he
cried, putting her down at last. "I
thought" lie panned and added, his
voice trembling, "I thought you were
going to be sick for more than one
day, my sweet little woman!"
He opened one of the windows to let
In the fresh air of t tie morning.
When Crolsset returned he did not
find u red flag over Cummins' cnbiij,
nor did he bring word of Jan. 1'or
three days he had followed the trails
to the south without I'miling the boy.
But he brought back ottier news. Wil-
Big Snows
99
Hams was sick with the plague In a
Cree wigwam on the lower Porcupine.
It was the last they ever heard of the
factor, except that he died some time
in March and was burned by the
frees.
t'roisset went back ever the Church
Ill trail and found his wife ready to
greet him with open arms. After that
he joined I'er-ee. who came in from
the north, in another search for Jan.
They found neither trace nor word of
tiini after passing the Gray Otter, aud
Cummins nave up hope.
It was not for long that their fears
could lie .(.pt from Melisse. This first
bitter trier that hiul come Into her
life fell upon her with a force which
alarmed Cummins and cast him into
deep doom. With growing despair
Cummins saw his own efforts fail.
As the days passed Melisse mingled
more and more with the Indian and
half breed children and spent much of
her lime at the company's store, listen
ing to the talk of the men. silent, at
tentive, unresponsive to any efforts
they might make to engage her smiles
From her own heart she looked out
upon a world that had become a void
for her. Jan had been mother, brother
and everything that was tender and
sweet to ber, and he was gone. Mukee,
whom she had loved, was gone. Wil
liams was gone. The world was
changed, terribly and suddenly, and it
added years to her perspective of
things.
Each day, as the weeks went on and
the spring sun began to soften the
snow, stie became a little more like
the wild children at Lac Bain and in
the forest. They were eating dinner
one day In the early spring, with the
sunshine flooding in upon them, when
a quick, low footfall caused Melisse
to lift her eyes In the direction of the
open door. A strange figure stood
there, with bloodless face, staring eyes
and garments banging in tatters, but
its arms were stretched out, as those
same arms had been held out to her a
thousand times before, nnd, with the
old glad cry. Melisse darted with the
swiftness of a sun shadow beyond
Cummins, crying:
"Jan. Jan: my Jan!"
Words choked In Cummins' thro.t
when he saw the white faced figure
clutching Melisse to Its breast.
At last be gasped "Jan!" and threw
out his arms, so that both were caught
In their embrace.
For an instant Jan turned bis face
up to the light. The other stared nnd
understood.
"You have been sick," he said, "but
It has left no marks."
"Thank God!" breathed Jan.
i cace rui lowed in the hiiguted trails
of the Ceil Terror. Again the forest
world breathed without fear, but from
Hudson's bay to Athabasca nnd as far
south as the thousand waters of the
Ceiiuleer 'country the winds whispered
of a terrible grief that would remain
until babes were men nnd men went to
their graves.
The plague had taken a thousand
souls, and yet the laughing, dancing
"Jan, Jan; my Jan!"
millions In that other big world beyond
the edge of the wilderness caught only
a passing rumor of what had hap
pened. Lac bain suffered least of the far
northern posts, with the exception of
Churchili, where the Icy winds, down
pouring from the arctic, had sent the
Bed Terror shivering to the west
ward. In the late snows word came
that Cummins was to take Williams'
place ns factor, and Per-ee at once set
off for the Fond du Lac to bring back
Jen u de Gravels as "chief mon." Crols
set gave up his fox hunting to till Mu
kce's place.
Tho changes brought new happiness
to Melissf. Crolsset's wlfo was a good
woman who bad spent her girlhood In
Montreal, nod lowaka, now the mother
of a (Ire eatintr little Jean mid n hand
some daughter, was a soft voiced
young Vein's, who had grown sweeter
nnd prettiet with tier years, which Is
not usuallj the case with half breed
women. ,
"But it's good blood in her. beautiful
blood." vaunted jeun proudly when
ever the opportunity came. "Her moth
er was m pi liitess aud her father a
pure Frenehiuuu whose father's father
was a chef de bataillon. Vhat better
than that, eh? 1 say. what better could
there be than that?"
So. for the first time In her life, Me
lisse discovered the Joys of companion
ship with those of her own kind.
This new compauloushlp, pleasant as
it was, did not come between her and
Jan. If auythiug they were more to
each other than ever.
She no longer looked upou Jan as a
mere playmate, a being whose diver
sion was to amuse aud to love her.
lie had become u man. lu her eyes ho
was a hero who had gone forth to fight
the death of which she still heard
word and whisper all uhout her. Crois
set's wife and lowaka told her that he
had done the bravest thing that a man
might do ou earth.
Together they resumed their studies,
devoting hours to them each day. and
through nil that summer he taught
her to play upon his violin. The warm
months were a time of idleness nt Lac
Bain, and Jan made the most of them
in his teaching of Melisse. She learn
ed to read the books which he had used
at Fort Churchill, and by midsummer
she could read those which he hod
used at York factory. At night they
wrote letters to each other and deliv
ered them across tho table in the cab
in, while Cummins looked on and
smoked, laughing happily at what they
read aloud to him.
One night, late enough In the season
for a fire to be crackling merrily in the
stove, Jan was reading one of these
letters when Melisse cried:
"Stop. Jan stop there!"
Jan caught himself, and he blushed
mightily when he read the next lines:
"'I think you have beautiful eyes.
I love them.' "
"What Is It?" cried Cummins Inter
estedly. "Read on. Jan."
"Don't?" commanded Melisse, spring
ing to her feet and running around
the table. "I didn't menu you to read
that!"
She snatched the poper from Jan's1
hand nnd threw It Into the fire.
Jan's blood filled with pleasure, and
at the bottom of his next letter he
wrote back:
"I think you have beautiful hair. I
love it."
That winter Jan was appointed post
hunter, and this gave him much time
at home, for meat was plentiful along
the edge of the Barrens. The two con
tinued at their books until they came
to the end of what Jan knew in them.
After that, like searchers In strange
places, they felt their way onward,
slowly and with caution. During the
next summer they labored through all
the books which were in the little box
In the corner of the eabln.
It was Melisse who now played most
on the violin. One day she looked
curiously Into the F-hole of the In
strument, and her pretty mouth puck
ered Itself Into a round, red "O" of
astonishment when Jan quickly snatch
ed the violin from her hands.
"F.xcuso me. my pretty Melisse," he
laughed at her In French "I nm go
ing to piny yoii something new."
That same day he took the little
cloth covered roll from the violin and
gave It another hiding plaee.
Every fiber of his being sang in Joy
ful response ns he watched Melisse
pass from childhood Into young girl
hood. To him Melisse was growing
Into everything that was beautiful.
She was his world, his life, and at
Tost Lac Bain there was nothing to
come between the two. Jan noticed
that In her thirteenth year she could
barely stand under his outstretched
arm. The next .rear she had grown so
tall that she could not stand there at
all. Very soon she would be a wo
man (To lie Continued.)
Farm for Sale.
13"). acre farm, four miles from
town, between 50 and 60 acres
under plow, 7 acres hay land, bal
ance pasture. Running water.
Seven-room house and other im
provements. Inquire at the ofllce of Rawls
& Robertson. 10-10-tf-vkly
S. Jl. Mass, Beiicliley, Texas,
says: "My baby bad a dangerous
attack of croup, and we thought
we would lose him. Hut one bot
tle of Foley's Honey and Tar
Compound pulled him through.
We would not be without it in our
bouse." For sale by Fricke & Co.
n
F0HE5TR0SE
WAHOOMILLCO
wahoo.neb.
forest rose
FLOUR
Forest Rose Floor
Guaranteed to Be the Best on
the. Market
SOLD BY LEADINU DEALERS-
TELEGRAPHERS REFUSED
INCREASE IN SALARIES
In Consequence of Which a Strike
on Five Roads May Be
Looked For.
Telegraphers on live roads west
of Chicago, being refused an in
crease in wages, have taken or
ate taking a strike vote. It is
understood Hie strike vole on the
Burlington lias been counted.
Trainmen in the east are getting
ready to move on railroad man
agements with a request for more
money and changes in working
schedules. And the legislatures
of many .-tales will soon coiimmic.
The result f the strike vote
taken by Hurlington telegraph
operators may be announced af
ter a conference with the man
agement of the Hurlington is ar
ranged. The details of the work
ing schedule were agreed upon
several weeks ago, and the one
question left open was the de
mand for 10 per cent increase in
pay. The road could not see its
way clear to grant this request.
Long conferences followed (he
tlrst. request, for a new schedule
and most of the knotty problems
relating to working hours were
easily agreed upon. More money,
however, was a more serious mat
ter. Railroad managers claim they
are being touched on every side
by present day conditions. Ship
pers go to t ho railway commis
sions for lower rates and get
them. Railroad organizations
make concerted demands for more
money and the money must come
or a strike be faced. Then the
shippers and the railroad labor
organizations go to the legis
latures and ask for new laws that
increase the cost of operation or
decrease the total revenues.
PRESBYTERIAN AID SOCIETY
MEETS AT MRS. WOHLFARTH'S
The Ladies' Aid society of the
Presbyterian church held a meet
ing at the home of Mrs. C. Wohl
farlh yesterday, at, which time
they were entertained in a most
delightful manner. An excellent
business session was held, at
which they expect to hold in the
a market and a Christmas bazaar,
whichthe y expect to hold in the
near future. The remainder of
the afternoon was devoted to a
most enjoyable social time. The
hostess served delicious refresh
ments, which were very much ap
preciated, and at the hour of 5
the ladies dispersed, having spent
a delightful afternoon.
"Tells the Whole Story."
To say that Foley's Honey and
Tar Compound is best for children
and grown persons and contains
no opiates tells only part of tho
tale. The whole story is that it is
the best medicine for coughs,
colds, croup, bronchitis and other
affections of tho throat, chest and
lungs. Stops la grippe, coughs
and has a healing and soothing
effect. Remember the name,
Foley's Honey and Tar Compound,
and accept no substitutes. For
sale by Fricke & Co.
Basket Social at Mynard.
A basket social will be given at
the Woodman hall in Mynard, by
School District No. i5. on Wed
nesday evening, November 27. A
box of bon-bons will be given to
the most popular young lady, to
be decided by a vole. All will be
welcomed.
Mrs. A. (irove, 1145 Iaylon
Ave., Wichita, Kits., states: "I
suffered wilh kidney trouble, with
a severe pain across my back and
fell, miserable and all tired out,
but after taking Foley Kidney Hills
for a few days the pain left my
back and I felt full of life and
nclivity. (iladly do I recommend
Foley Kidney Hills to all who have
kidney trouble." For sale by
Fricke & Co.
Dance November 23.
The members of the Holy
Rosary church will give a grand
ball on Saturday evening, Novem
ber 23, at the K. S. hall. Admis
sion 50 cents. First-class music.
Everybody invited to come and
have a good time. 11-13-tfd.
Clias. S. Hedge. 1 Hi F. 2nd St.,
Hastings, Neb., writes: "1 have
been troubled wiVli severe pains in
my back and kidneys, and pains
were especially severe mornings,
r have used three boxes of your
Foley Kidney pills and the pains
have entirely left. me., f now feel
well ns ever." For sale bv Fricke
Co.
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION.
Known Ail Men by These Pres
ents, that we, Jno. A. Chopieska,
Sam C. Smith, D. 0. Dwyer, H. M.
Soennichsen and John T. Lam
bert, so associated ourselves to
gether for tho purpose of form
ing and becoming a corporation
in the State of Nebraska, for the
transaction of the business here
inafter described.
1. The name of the corpora
tion shall be the Chopie Gasoline
Fngine Company (Limited). The
principal place of transacting its
business shall be in the city of
IMattstnoulh, County of Cass, and
State of Nebraska.
2. The nature of the business
to be transacted by said corpora
lion shall be the manufacture and
sale 'of gasoline engines, other
engines, and machinery and the
erection and maintenance of such
buildings and structures as may
be deemed necessary, and to pur
chase real estate for a site there
fore, and to procure any and all
necessary property, both real and
personal, incidental to or re
quired in the manufacture of
gasoline engines.
3. Tho authorized capital
stock of said corporation shall
bo Two Hundred Thousand Dol
lars, divided into shares of ten
dollars each, to bo subscribed and
paid for as required by tho Hoard
of Directors. Ono-ha!f of said
stock shall bo preferred, and
which preferred stock sha'l draw,
seven per cent, to bo paid out of
the net earnings of the company,
per annum. Tho other half shall
bo common stock, on which
dividends shall bo paid as the
Board of Directors might de
termine. Only the owners of the
common slock shall bo entitled to
participate in tho further proflt9,
election of officers and manage
ment of tho Company. All of sai&
stock shall bo non-assessable.
4. Tho cxistenco of this
corporation shall commence on
tho 5th day of October, 1912, and
continue during tho period ot
twonty-flvo years.
5. Tho business of said cor
poralion shall be conducted by a
Hoard of Directors not to exceed
five in number, to be elected by
the stockholders of the common
stock. The first election of
directors shall tako place at
IMattsmouth, Nebraska, on the
day of October, 1912, and
thereafter such election to take
place at such time and be con
ducted in such manner as shall
be prescribed by the by-laws of
said corporation.
0. Tho officers of said cor
poration shall be president, vice
president, secretary, treasurer,
and a general manager, who shall
be chosen by the Hoard of Direct
ors, and shall bold their office
for the period of one yenr and
until their successors shall be
elected and qualified.
7. The highest amount of in
debtedness to which said corpora
tion shall at any time subject it
self shall not be moro than two
thirds of its issued and paid up
capital slock.
8. The manner of holding tho
meeting of stockholders for the
election of officers, and the
method of conducting the busi
ness of the corporation, shall bo
ns provided in the by-laws
adopted by the Hoard of Directors.
In Witness Whereof, we have
hereunto set our hands this 5th
day of October, 1912.
Jno, A. Chopieska.
Sam G. Smith.
II. M. Soennichsen.
D. O. Dwyer.
John T. Lambert.
In presence of
Bessie Shea.
STATU OF NFIIHASKA,
Cass County, ss.
On this 2nd day of October,
1912, before me, Bessie Shea, a
notary public, in and for said
county, personally appeared tho
above named Jno. A. Chopieska,
Sam G. Smith, I). O. Dwyer, II. M.
Soennichsen nnd John T. Lam
bert, who are personally known to
me to be the identical persons
whose names are affixed to the
above articles as parties thereto,
ami they severally acknowledged
their instrument to be their
voluntary act and deed.
Witness my hand and notarial
seal at Piatt smouth, Nebraska,
this 5th day of October, 1912.
(Seal) Bessie, Shea,
Notary Public.
My commission expires Juno
3rd, 1913.
Slate of Nebraska,
Secretary's Olllce.
Received and filed for record
October 7, 1912, and recorded in
Hook 20, Miscellaneous Incor,
porntions, at page 528.
Addison Wait,
Secretary of State.
By Ceo, W. Marsli, Deputy.
OABBAGF, FOR SALF, by K. O.
Cole. Il-li-?wks-wkiv