Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 5, 1922)
8 THK SUNDAY I5EE: OMAHA, NOVEMBER .5, 1922. tb I f" and laughter of Gnllagh. t'h ttf ill ihi W ii visitors. Itlii'k T. in knew of nnnlhtr (rail which Min null fivni tho lumber camp A f' c a f (iupl i'f Hilt"' l turnr I, mil skirting 1 ir I'M: of Hi' mountain wandered i I iii. 'inn and fcirK11'"'" " aine I" I'""1! There wti" lull f'-w Hi''" liii could follow him Ii n t ri il , inn i'Mil ;itnl nvci jrrnwu ns II was. I '.lin k Tom, who since boyhood Ini'l wiunlci. d more OlIU'N of forest HII'l mountain ltlll'1 any 1(1 nthtr men Im knrw, had no trouble In keeping to It. Mow vr, lifter following it fur two miles, when il li-Kiin to curve around inwards the noilli, li I' It It at P'lltll WlllTfl II ITl'SSOll Ilttl Iirook, and walked for half it mile through tho water. Ho Ion! never seen the Iirook no fur he low the iimiiiI spring li'Vi'l, lint there wa enough dl-pUl I" Cover lllh tracks. At In Ml Im oiifnu to M great flat rook, lie climbed out mi Hint. Krom it hi' leaped to Hilt her flnl HtllllH on the easterly Hide of th brook, which Ht tlllM liollll WHS i-u II llllllf In II HOItll to south illn -i t ln. I'Voin Hi.. Htono h nii'io"t in a fnlli'ii unit of huge jrlrth. Along tli lull" he walked III! til h" ennui to hii iilnlort pcrpcti ilii'illiir ledge over v.-lit- Il tlin oak hint i iiinli' il on. nlnlil of storm nil thunder a few year before. IlOWII till' fill' of th Iwlge hung u number of stout vines. Grasping i n B of thee, Ithuk Tom i i j 1 1 1 hlmsi If ui) li.iml our IiiuiiI for 20 foot. lit1 crawled over im edge mill foiiiiil him self on a shelf 30 yard deep, chad o.l with gnat o.ikH Mini extending buck to n n o il i r vertical clirf, this mm over a hundred feet high. A fl W I ' dS to till! SOIItll I III' nln-1 f wim cleft by ii lb "i nnil narrow nivlni", along tb! bottom of which mur mured a hihhII tii' iitury of tlio hrok lio binl Jut t li ft, Half ti down roilH to Ihi' north tin' place wim rut off by a mo ill il.'i f'.ri-rl "I fi '1 by iibti i rnncnii springs A'ooss from the pool to tils ledne wun Inured by rork w.-ili over f.o fool high. Ulai k Tnin unnlung bin rllle and leaned It against tree, lb! laid down tlio inn k, nnil taking only hi iix went out to rcooiiimltcr thf hlilliu? iiliu'e. lb- Huiviyi'J It run! Cully from norlh to rr.ulh and from eimt to wi'Kt, piiuiiiH; only now mid thiTi to murk a likely nipliiix or n bit of timber for camp uhib. Il itMtn m il, RiitiHf it'ti t lift t lie wiih alone. lie now began to build bin hIi1 tr ii ml ffreplnee. Flrat lie rut ouie winked of rod ouk four feet lonu and drove them Into the earth three feel npnrt. Then bo chopped J I Iok nf the oak eai'li four feeet Ions TlieHe be laid one on the Other iixnlimt the upiight HtHkue. o an to make a Hol t of 1"K wall. It man Indeed a log wall, but Its ob ject wn to act an a reflector, to turn the he.it of the campfire on him as ho slept. He cut two bil lets of hornbeam, two feet Ions, and laid them perpendicular to the log wall and two feet apart. TheBe were his fire done. Four foet away from these back loffs he built an th"r wall eeven feet lonR and three feet hlfe-h, held upright by takes driven in behind It. Having flnlxhed thin he went to B growth of young plncM towards the Mouth and cut a iiiiniiier of polo about 10 feet long, lie laid the row of poles over the jteronil log wall Mo that the heavy ends reet'd on tho ground, while the light ends projected Ihree .11 four feel towards the fireplace. When &11 tlic Hiles were in place, he had Und'T their projecting edge a shel ter fur his bed. witli a hull'i eak of le;;s to keep the irei off !i!m Whil" he slept. lie cut slalis off- fill.'ii white birth juul shlmiled n t: work with satUf.o lieu. t( tinttmirtl now I' lltr.) It .i t ry pi' tty I protoi-..' to keep my p'.'duc Hinl will try to lit Ip Soli e one every d ty Tin" is n.v S" d lelt'T lo oll If -elite .1 lh' Gil Hawk Would Wl '" lo III" I Wo :'d lila.'Iy iii-o r - I ae'i n I'd to. I 152 Solllb Thll I -l. , I "! f,P, . I. 1 tkttk St hoet 1' tr lltppy; Ttit i o i.i-t let!.' to yen. I Im two Iii.eh.in, ' a (win to to- t " to s, h.,.. I 1 in n lh thir l ii; i tr t..o I it pin ii Is Krnilt.1 T' ,r. I i kv ,'ti - I I -).",.- u ; oil i i- n fr th t-.i.'.-n Miit Hl..i it MeS hort. r, IU iii.ui I W-b. Hr Icllrr !' it lUi iy: Th i ihs finl b ( tm I H itun lo u I M lo V'i. ihe tliji i' 1 I ' ! ' tj I erst C m f I f tl.s tuti'-.'ii 1 , i It is ill 4 I sin In H.r ,ia ts 'e 1 .:i . I t i .i.. Ill"- lll ! ! - la. in Tr IUxi. Vi t V 4lrr. t 't(ns, I ."M i . 't i e 1 km tv I xf I I wl It1 t I .., I I t J 4 bs IM hm Ii . I Now be went nw.iy fur twtlf nil bom. Whin he retuno'l he wis ilrai'.glng a loud of balmun iiiKhs, wlih h be t" ioiio iloun and laid under the Hie Ih c f,,r a niov se Iml. He mixed Willi the i.rovs, however. II I III !t It-H of th y l-ed.ir bark, lli'bl twigs, and Mn-n nIhiv IllgS. X'l III,,! It lilHi. of II ll.'WIIpolir he would hnve plenty of dry kind ling When the I,,.,) wiih rltllxheil h worked f.r twit hmiri plllr'ir wimmI under the cavelike nheller of the niK le.li;,., a il building his own pile of fliewood li'-iir file l imp for night iiho. When I he run was In loi.lli.-a veil ho stopped. Mo had bei'ii.euuer und exeitt.,1 Hboiit Ihe camp, often he punted und changed his plans, working out Home delall In greater pel feel Ion. I if ten and nfleii, how :Ver. as he thought of the dead man the hlipliy hi ream of his life stopped like brook Into which hn.i hIi.J Home great obstruction Km 1,0 in Toin (irocaii was rich, vital, Indom itable, lie would stand for a while motionless, Ids face noriowful ilowin-iml, then the life force in him would flow around the unwelcome memory of (hat died and he would go on ai;erly working. Indeed, if the life force had a voice it might Im thought to say: "1 am sorry. I am repenlunt of the evil deed that was done through me in a mood of nmilness but I must live." An.l always ilium was a part in I'.luok Tom that loved life, loved the shaping of wood and fire to his n"cd, loved the sunny April day, there was a something above ilint linked Willi the man of flenh, Home thing Innocent and elernal. Jin built hiitiheir n little mnoke, bus fire und cooked some dinner. He had brought along nweel pota toes and Hteak. While these were cooking ho fashioned a bucket of birch hark,, and going to tho ravine l"t It down by u string und drew It up half full of water, lie made lea In a large tin cup which lie carried at his belt, and afler drink Ing it reclined for an hour on his browse bed, Hiuoking. Willi tho naive directness of tho slniplo pco pie among whom he lived he found Justification for what ho had done Mince the killing. It was an iiccl dent, ho argued. Ho might indeed go to court and g'-t Into the hands of the lawyers and there would bo talk and talk und talk. Tliny might put him behind the bars. Surely that couldn't help Gallagher, who was dead, nor himself, who would , hereby be rendered Incapable of making It up to Mrs. Gallagher and the child. Always, bo thought from the be ginning, lilack Tom Giogan had al ways been known ui a Bnuiiro man, und he wouldn't shirk that. Instinc tively )0 knew that all the forest people would approve nf tho rough and direct Justice of his plan. If only the sheriff would let him. (Initially he fell Into a doze, and fin ally slept while all the warm eager life of the woods, drenched In April sunshine, went on about him. When he woke the sun was low, and immediately he set about his preparations for the night, lie blew up the little fire, carefully building It so (h it it would burn slowly and steadily, using chuncks of white oak and hickory. He let down bis birch hark pall and got a supply of water. Then with the blankets spread he was ready fur the ni",ht. After sun set he prepared and cook 1 his sup per, which he ate in the red glow of the binning lots. II" smoked a long and im dilative pipe b, fore turning In, and at the end can folly arranged a pi'e of slow burning Ions on the fire so that it would keep all night. As h" lay stretched In his blankets he felt the comforting -.low of the fire reflected upon him by the buck Letters From Happyland Readers I have 'i sister who is C years old. She is r.oini; to In- 7. I pronu.-to lo help some one ew-ry day. I will lr lo protect ihe 1 n.K and all dumb animals.-- o n t Hub, ll'-!si V. .. a . .i. as.- II W. -a. r N b :llt,4 tit 'Inill I '- ,11 I tappN : I ,S ,.--)! ' " ... I ; t If lb. I, tK I I die. I plolM to be k.-.-t to nil .1 in b t.'r-U ih.t ,u i .il,. I em S t,r jl aid I on ,n he f f ' h tirade p-t h,,e n. ."lic. i si sod f" I'-" i. i. I nta I .' :. i . .... ( , . . . 1,1 ';ltl p "ll,t- dl l " t ,1 'O II IK ,,. I I ! t .(l-- II. U f S t, U.ti!l I tttti v l ' I II " II I Mi . I i i. , t, ii, ii h im i ' I I tin la t'o f.ftfi !, I s I " f -,.r . f ti , l .a! . r H- li,i"i , 1. -'i He no t lo - t t'.-il t 1 " f -1 . f J a .'l l1! I . I I I '. I . t I . a M , I ol tll f II I , I 1 ' , .! t ll-r it i s it N i, - ' ,. ..!.( ! I -ii I I t . ! - U r t ,. r I ' , t I ' . . J .1 . l . I . I I t,; it t fa ei r ,4' I i-'i . f - I , I .. B I I I - - ( . t I l I a ' I : .1 I ' logs. The only sound was the lent! crackle of oak mid hickory mill th Hliiilllug of 11 colony of peepers In the pond iieiuby. Listening lo thi-Me lie fell ash ep und d d not wake until siinris". While he was lating breakfast he blind faint sounds from Hi" till - i on if the lumber camp. He could in .ii (he in' n calling lo their horses us liny drove away. He knew the camp was being closed up, Charlie Wood had told hail they Would all be leaving on Wednesday, This gave him n cm to the diy It was, which be had forgotten. Yen, It was Kaste'r weik, and he, Tom (I ru ga n, had killed a man. He mit'ht have know n. . , , Yes, things like that ha pi" lied when there was bad whisky about. He wished he was a teetoatler like his father. , , . Well, It was too late wli hlng that now. The thing was done, , , , He heard the last mall drive away. It was a lomly thought, but per haps he would be nil Ihe safer. It gave him Ihe Idea of going on M trip himself. Yes, it would he pleas ant to climb the mountain and wan lb r 111 th' w ilderness beyond It to the east, which he hadn't explored for several years. After the meal he quenched his f:re, placed his blankets and grub, took the rifle, and went. For two days he was almost com pletely happy. His senses, far more highly ib'Vi loped than those of the average man, were us so many more windows through which the light of nature shone on his soul, lie saw adventures, happenings, ilrnmailc eplsod" ), w here lo mint her there would b but dark and silent woods Ho visited Heaver l'ond, and creep ing up wlih inflnte care ho saw tin dear and desirable beasts at their secret work. He surprised a lynx which wus trailing him, and, turn Ing, stiired Into Its fierce, round whiskered face until It lonp'd nway Into the woods snarling. On Dead Water brook he found the slide of a family of otters and watched them with delight through a long, warm afternoon. Several times his fingers crept to' tho rifle, but ho found he could not spoil his own day. As he was coming slowly homeward towards (he tyid of the aecond day something happened that unexpectedly cast a shadow on Ihe gutlng. Ho had run out of nu at and hud determined to shoot a chipmunk or squirrel. The opportunity came us he sat idly on a log a few miles from ramp. A confiding chipmunk appeared on a branch a little ahead and chattered violently at him. Ho raised his rifle slowly und shot It. Tho littlo creature leap d out and then convulsively crumpled up on the ground. He went and took it up, realizing with surprise that the shot, which was a good one, had given him ijo pleasure. It was Jusl anothor thing he'd killed. It made him think of Gallagher. Stubborn ly shaking off this thought he went towards (he camp. As he surmounted the ridge ho Btnelled lit once the pungent smell of forest fire. From a high ledge he saw a wall of smoke over tin woods down toward the lumber camp. It relieved his mind when he decided after careful inspection that thn conflagration had not spread from his fire. Some one at the camp must have been careless, und It didn't take much carelessness to start a fire In woods .wtileli were cut over. The great piles of dead branches the luuilML-rmen left invited a fire. He hastened down lo th" c mp. bi'ilt his own fire and cooked sapper. Ib couldn't stop the forest fire and it Would pass lulu by bi-loW. The fire waiib-n would see th" unoke and have il gang of men up. It meant he would ha v.! to move over the rid-.'e. An I'lthlli Grader. 1 t-.ii r I hippy: I am in Ihe eighth grade. I would like to join lie lleppv l!tl". W.ll you phase en,I me a liolttwk button, I am at i d iiu a !! ct "I ft. nop. I w.ll try lo help .ae.olle VT tl.iV und pltl- .-. t ell .1 noli nun atU an I bit, Is. I I n,- 1 1," t !! i i, . . one hi et I r. Tic a ti ii -es .,r- ;..b'e. Kl.n. :ic .o ) l I 1 1 in i "mi I ' t I l .c, , ' o , u i U e I t o i : - i I it , ,;ar dell a" I I hi t . o I 1 I .id 1 1, e i, i. !,, i.s ;,cv ,v i, w. Hcl , . - it , i , l ii. I. I, it'i. a t ,., .. i A:-, : !, '. I, I i. ,t I tilt I. I . I It ill 1 11 1 .1 J -i l l -! 'I' I' ! I ll" - II ,14k I I (..ii I l..,l; t. i ii 1 o I i,. h. ;ti .. '-;.-. a e n . v a ,t , I . ,.... . le if 1 1 .e i a- - - - . a. I II .it . r. T -I , I 1 I ,f ! I I i tat I ; V i . I!-.! 'i ,, ... 11.' A i.1,111, 1 I ,f I ! , t - I I . VI I I 1 . ' I I ' , I i . II a . , .. A , I ' " 1 till ' ' After supper hs took steps to protect bis llttU shelf from ths ad vancing flumes. II cut down th small trees that crew along th little rnvlns. Probably ths firs would burn out soon. Ths worst furs didn't coins In ths spring. Still this dry weather was more like sutiimn than spring. And If the flames got Into the ilenss belt of pines between the camp and Gallagher's it might get bud. lie was tired and turned In early. Home time in the middle of the night he woke up. Tho pungent sinell of smoke was In his nostrils, and smelling it he Jumped up, thinking the firs was on him. It was passing by but the dense smoke was being driven north and east by nn uneosy wind. A crack ling roar come from the woods be low and looking down he got glimpses of fervent ruddy flames us some great old pine went roar ing up to tho black sky. The tiro pas passing him, going norlh. I'll less the wind shifted the woods would bs burned down clear up to fist l'ond. Suddenly he thought of Kllen Gallagher and little Mary. ' They would be right In the track of the flames. As he stood un easily the wind raised its voice and went mournfully northward. I' was rising. He could hear tho flames respond to It In Increased menacing crackling roar. Haially ho laced his boots and got ready to go. He let himself down over the cliff In the dark, and, guided by glimpses of flame, made his way northward, hoping to run around tho right flank of the fire und cut down to the Gal lagher rabin. After walking for 10 minutes he found he was too late. The fire was alien. 1 of him everywhere. Ifo was cut off from the house. Nevertheless, he laid ids course straight towards It and traversing the blackened forest floor ran towardij the roaring wall of flume ahead. It grew hot un der foot. His shoes began In grow warm und then a blast of tho heat from ahead struck hltn in the face. Ho went on Just the same, running obliquely to find a gap In the burn ing woods. The smoke and noise of the con flagration awakened Ellen Galla gher ns It had awakened Tom. She knew nothing of the fire, having only come home to pack up her things nfter the funeral of Galla gher. She found the house full of unioke, and going to tho door, saw wit h terror a great wall of flame advancing towards her. With n scream she awakened little Mary, and the two dressed with feverish haste. TremHing wiih anxiety she anatched up a, few precious things and wrapped them in a bundle. All the while tho little girl was sob bing In terror. The roar of the flames grew louder. The distracted mother took hold of Mary's hand and went to tho back door. "We must run, child." she shouted. "Look! Look!" screamed Mary, pointing through the front door, which faced tho south. A gigantic blackened figure was leaping across the yard. Hurnlng rags hung to it. Smoke came from its feet. It Was lilack Tom Cro giran, now black, indeed, his hnir. and heard half burned off, his flesh" tormenting him in every part. He leaped across the door sill and snatched pp Mary. "Come on. Kl len," ho shouted and darted through the north door. Kllen ran after him. Already the flames had passed the hou:-fl to east and west and these ihoy must outrace if they were to live. . Put me down!'' cried Mary; "I'll run, too!" I'.Iack Tom put her down, gine her a hand, nnd the three fled north. park and you will son learn. We hie had svt uiiniiiig races. Henilce Swansoii js 5 tears old and ctri .-at in L'". anlH, Martiatet, my si-t' r, Is 8 and cm swim & .it N. They ieie m th,- exihliOi 'it. 1 .nn n and tin In ti.e t'ehth 'rt'le at' '"iric n school, 1 have llaee l.-i-th-rs and fie Mat- is. I . in il l ut: 1 t. i.u In II tppy to a the (iolliwk ' !nti llnp'i'g to .it-, ve in v Putt n 1 w.'l c, ..a---.1 hi Ititiii I :l i.'l W tt,. I. .-! ulh ' ,t, ,, S b .till In J ..II ! . .1 il ...t I .1 I I.I. '. ' t: ' -,- i 1 1 k I : , i lit ' i ' i . i l '"! r .- t l t I nit . t i p'l I ao I ;o ti. - fi .t'H , .0 - ! ..I I i.il the ti ,,.(., 'ail riot Hm lit I i t it t - t if ' a, h -in f-i l i' i a. 1 1 i. -. . 1' .'- iWI.ii ! I t tlttr llule. i t I i 't 11., . i I.. ' 1 t ) I t -it I ! . i 'it 1 i at ' ' i ! I f ail, ,r I t , , t m 1 . e ... ' - I 7 I I,., I followed close by a wall of roaring flams. At dawn the scared animals, which n...i ii... ui...- r .,-. ti. a nil ak-'i ivj inn piii'irv m liofii j oiiu - for refuge, were frightened still mors when they saw Hires human beings stagger through waves of heat und come out on the beach. Al Without u iiiouien's hesitation I'.Iack Tom lifted the little girl In his arms und waded into the lake. The woman followed. At lust they stood with only their faces out of water, except when a blast us from a fur nace drove them under. Thcro they waited for many hours until, when the sun was high and the fires hud long pas icd by, a daring search par ty found them und helped them to wards nn automobile. "Don't touch me! Don't touch toe!" cried liluck Tom, as they came up. And then he fell like a log. HI I'll knelt by him Werplng. "He's burned alive!" she cried. "Look ut bis poor flesh!" At the company hospital two hours later the doctor administer ed a merciful opinio while they hi ripped hlni and put belling things on his burnt body. When he came to he was lying swathed in hand ages. He looked along the ward, choking down a groan as he felt tho fire on his limbs. A Hlster was rlowly traversing the room. At each bed In a glass vase she left u lily, tall and lovely, She saw u puzzled quentlon In Tom's eyes. "Master morn," she said gently, und then, "lilack Tom, you are u hero. Wo are all proud of you." "Proud of me," niumliled Illaek Tom through cracked lips. "Me! Don't you know' I killed Gallagher'." Walt.," answered (he Sister, smil ing. "Some one Is coining." He cBuldn't turn his head and so waited, staring palnfi'lly upward. He heard the Sister whispering. Sud ilenly he saw Kllen Gallagher and' Mary. They were lrc.-.s d In clean fresh garments, nnd there was no sign of fire on th"m. " You srived us, Tom!" cried Kllen. "We owe our lives to you." Illaek Tom looked lit her. Con flicting emotions struggbd in him. "If only I hadn't killed Gallagher," he criid, "how fine It would all be." Kllen laid a hand on his pillow. "You didn't kill hltn, she said. "Ho died of heart fniure. as they found when they brought him here. There was but a small hurt on his head. lilack Tom stared at her. It' gard-' b-ss of his aching body ho llftc himself up on the bed. Suddenly joy flooded In upon him. He for got his pain. "Thanks to God!" he cried. He looked out on the world with new eyes. It was all joy. It was Kicder! Suddenly he under stood what Faster meant; He under stood the solemn miracle of resur rection; he felt In the human heart what he had seen taking place in the spring woods as one of the mys teries of nature. "No, Tom," called the Sister ap proaching. "You'll kill yourself. You must He down. We're going to leave you, so you can sleep." Come soon." he called eagerly to Kllen as she turned to go. "An' don't wony. When I'm out of here I'll see that you don't want. You have no hard f'-eliiig.i, Kih-n, have you?" "1 have none, Torn; how could I?" w i-die answered, morn. Goodhy Sec. it in Faster, Tom. We'll see you soon." She turned, followed by little -Mary, and walked out of the ward. m Tht Sister arrrinL'cl his tiillows art. cave him a sleeping draft. Pluck Ti in thanked her and then turning his head so that he could see the slender solitary lily, he gazed at It , as he would as something holy, un til the hh'SSi d gift of sleep took him out of his pain. V New Meni'ler. I"iir 1 1 it : I am sending the Ji'ii! -.tamp lo imn the Go Hawks. I p:oiei.tt lo proi.-t ail buds ami bind. nnmi.iN. I am In yt iirs i.ld. I t-i to Inton iiho.il I am in the llt h i l. "I". 1 l.Ve licrie'S Ihe rtr-t-t fioci S'nii- .K" p. iik. I se ! i 1 1 1 v n-tllll : ' ' - I have two hJS i' ' Mean" and I i.ro! hv. M in, li'irn Hal I' ths l r-ii j. ' t Mil. : 1-, ! t if if I." i.-. tt I I i . .an li uh . M,,i y I ! 'i i . A. . n a ; t It...',! I'oiliu t .1 .1. l . V i- i.-t nil Itli.l i " . ,, ' I ' - . I lot I at. II if ' ! -. . .- u I! Ii -I" 'I I- -' ft f , ' . H- . , ' I . ' ' ) .:! I . oil ' ' a. I ! .1.1 . ,. a lull.'. M .1 it i , ii t i T