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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 7, 1912)
fiJl FRtCllLFS PROLOGUE. This romance of Freckles and the Angel of the Limberlost is one of the most novel, entertain' tng, wholesome and fascinating stories that have come from the pen of an American author in many years. The characters in this sylvan tale are-: Freckles, a plucky waif who guards the Limberlost timber leases and dreams of angels. The Swamp Angel, in whom Freckles' sweetest dream ma terializes. McLean, a member of a lumber company, who befriends Freckles, Mrs. Duncan, who gives moth er love and a home to Freckles. Duncan, head teamster of Mc Lean's timber gang. The Bird Woman, who is col lecting camera studies of birds for a book. Lord and Lady O'More, who come from It eland in quest of a lost relative. The Man of Affairs, brusque cf manner, but big of heart. Wessner, a timber thief who wants rascality made easy. Black Jack, a villain to whom thought of repentance comes too late. CHAPTER I. THE LIMBERLOST OUABD. E HECKLES came down the cor duroy that crosses the lower eud of the Limberlost At a glance he might hare been mistaken for a tramp, but he was In tensely eager to belong somewhere uud to be attached to almost any sort of enterprise that would furnish him food and clothing. Long before he came In sight of the camp of the Grand Rapids Lumber compuuy he could hear the cheery rclces of the men and the neighing of the horses, and could scent the tempt ing odors of cooking food. A feeling of homeless frieudlessuess swept over him. He turned Into the newly made roud und followed It to the camp. The men were Jovially calling back and forth as they unharnessed tired horses that fell into attitudes of rest and crunched. In deep content, the train given them. As he wiped the flanks of his big bays with unndfuls of papaw leaves. Duncun, the brawny Scotch head teamster, softly whistled. 4'0h wua will be my dearie. Oh!" and a cricket under the leaves at his feet accompanied him. Wrentulug tongues of flnuie wrapped about the black ket tles, mill, when the cook lifted the lids gusts of savory odors escaped. Freckles approached him. "I want to speuk to the boss," he eald. The cook glanced him over and an swered carelessly. "He can't use you." The color flooded Freckles' face, but he said simply, "If you will bo having the goodness to point him out we will Rive him a chance to do his own talk ing." With n shrug of astonishment, the cook led the way to a broad, square shouldered man. "Mr. McLean, here' another man wanting to bo taken on the gang. 1 suppose," ho said.' "All right." came the cheery answer. "1 never needed a good man more than I do just now." "No use of your bothering with this fellow," volunteered the cook. "Ho has but one hand." The Hush on Freckles' face burned deeper. Ills lips thinned to it mere line. He lifted Ills shoulders, took n stop forward, and thrust out his right arm. from which the sleeve dangled empty nt the wrist. I "That will do. Pears." came the voice I of the boss sharply. "I will Interview my man when I have finished this re- r. Freckles stood one Instant as he had braced himself to meet the eyes of the manager, then his arm dropped nnd a wave of whiteness swept over him The boss had net even turned his hend to see the deformity pointed out to hlni. lie had used the possessive. When he said "my man" the hungry heart of Freckles went reaching out By Peirter cop'sKiarr. 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY. PACE & CO. after him. The boy drew a quivering breath. Then he whipped oft his old hat and beat the dust from it care fully. With his left hand he caught the right sleeve, wiped his sweaty face, and tried to straighten his hair with his fingers. lie broke a spray of Iron wort beside him and used the pur ple blossoms to beat the dust from his shoulders and limbs. McLean was n Scotchman. The men of his camps had never known him to be In ii hurry or to lose his temper. Discipline was, Inflexible, but the boss always was kind, lie snared camp life-with his gangs. The only visible slsrus of his great wealth consisted of a big. shimmering diamond stone of Ice and fire that glittered und burned on one of his lingers and the dainty. beautiful, thoroughbred mare he rode. No man of McLean's gangs could honestly say that he bad ever been overdriven or underpaid. They all knew that up In the great Umber city several millions stood to his credit. He was the ouly son of that Mc Lean who had sent out the finest ships ever built In Scotland. That his son should carry on this business after his death bad beeu the father's ambition. He sent the boy through Edinburgh university and Oxford and allowed him several years' travel. Then he was ordered througn south era Canada and Michigan to purchase a consignment of tall, straight timber for masts and down into Indiana for oak beams. The young man entered these mighty forests, parts of which Btlll lay untouched since the dawn ot the morning of time. The Intense si lence, like that of u great empty cathe dral, fascinated him. lie gradually learned that to the shy wood crea tures that darted ucross his. path or peeped Inquiringly from leafy ambush he was brother. He found himself approaching, with a feeling of rever ence. those majestic trees that had stood through ages of sun, wind and snow. Soon It became a dlfllcult thing to fell them. When he had fill ed lils order and returned home he wasnmnzed to find that in the swamps und forests he had lost his heart, and Ir was calling, forever calling him When he Inherited his father's prop erty he promptly disposed of it and with his mother, founded a home In i. splendid residence lu the outskirts of Grand Rapids. With three partners he organized a lumber company. Ills work was to purchase, fell and ship the timber to the mills. Marshall managed the milling process and pass ed Hie lumber on to the factory. From the lumber Harthol made beautiful nnd useful furniture, which L'ptegrove sputtered nil over the world from a big wholesale house. McLean faced n young man. still un der twenty, tall, spare, heavily framed thickly freckled nnd red haired, with a honiely Irish face, but In the steady irrnv eves, stralchtly meeting his searching ones of blue, there were uu swerving candor and a look of long lug not to be Ignored. "You are looking for work' que tioued McLean, "lis." answered Freckles. "1 urn verv sorry." said tho boss, "but there is only one man I want at present-n good, big fellow with it stout heart nnd a strong body. I hoped that you would do. but 1 am afraid you are too youngtund hardly strong enough." "And what was it you thought I might be doing'" asked Freckles. The boss could scarcely repress a start. Somewhere back of accident and poverty had been an uncestor who used cultivated English, even with un accent. The boy spoke in n mellow Irish voice, sweet and pure. It wa scarcely definite enough to be called brogue, yet there was a trick lu the turning of the sentence, the wrong sound of n letter here and there, that was almost Irresistible to McLean. He was of foreign birth, and. despite years of alienation, in times of strong feeling he fell Into Inherited sins of accent nnd construction. "It's no child's Job." answered Mc Lean. "I am the Held manager of i lumber company. We have Just leased 2.000 acres of the Limberlost. Many of these trees are of great value. We can't leave our camp, six miles south, for almost a year yet. so we have blazed n trail and strung barbed wires securely about the extent of this lease. i Refore we return to our work I must i put this Limberlost lease In the hands of a reliable, brave, strong man who will guard it every hour of the day nnd sleep with one eye open nt nicht. I should require tho entire length of tho trail to be walked at least twice every day. to make sure that our lines were up and no one had beeu tres : passing." I "Hut why wouldn't thnt be the finest j jmj in i lie iiuiu l"i iinw Mrmn-,i I'tKUo. "I lira never sick. I could lk ,,1P tri'11 twice, three times every ml 1 (1 ,,p watclilnic sharp all the n). I.. .1.1 .....V r.l.in.l.i.l while." "It's because you are little more than a boy. nnd this will be a trying Job for n work hardened mnn," answered McLean. "You would be afraid, la stretching our lines we killed six rat- tlesnakcs almost as long as your body and ns thick as your arm. You would always be alone, and the Limberlost Is alive with sounds and voices. I don't pretend to say what all of them come from, but from a few slinking forms I've seeu and hair raising yells I've heard I'd rather not confront their owners myself, and 1 am neither weak nor fearful. "Worst of all, any man who will enter the 6wamp to mark and steal timber is a desperate fellow. One of my employees at the south camp, John Carter, compelled me to discharge him for a number of serious reasons. He entered the swamp nlone and marked a number of valuable trees that he was endeavoring to sell to our rival company wtieu we secured me tease. He has sworn to have these trees if he has to die or to kill others to get them." But If he came to steal trees wouldn't he bring teums and men enough, that all auy mau could do would he to watch und be after you? queried the boy. Yes." replied McLean. Then why couldn't 1 be watching Just as closely and coming as fast as an older, stronger man?" Why. by (Jeorge. you could!" ex claimed McLean. "1 dou't kuow that the size of a man would be half so Important as his grit and faithfulness. What is your name';" Freckles grew a shade whiter, hut his eyes never faltered. "Freckles." he said. "(Jod enough for every day," laugh ed McLeau. "but 1 can scarcely put Freckles on the company's books." 1 haven't any name," replied the boy. "I dou't understand." said McLean. "1 was thinking from the voice and the face of you that you wouldn't, said Freckles slowly. Does It seem to you that any one would take u newborn baby and row over it until It was bruised black, cut off its hand and leave It out in a bit ter night on the steps of a charity home to the care of strangers? That's what somebody did to ine. "The home people took me lu, and 1 was there the full legal nge and several years over. They could always find homes for the rest of the children but nobody would ever be wanting me on account of me arm." "Were they kind to you?" asked Mc Lean. "I don't know," answered Freckles The reply sounded so hopeless even to bis own ears that he hastened to qua! ify it by adding: "You see, It's like this, sir. Kindnesses that people are paid to lay off In Job lots nnd that belong equally to several hundred oth ers ain't going to be soaking Into any one fellow much." Go on." said McLean. "There's nothing worth the taking of your I line hi leu, repiivti r icvuii-o. .1 A ...II M II. ..1 I,. I 'The home was In Chicago, and I was there all me life up to three months ngo. wiipii l was too old tor me train ing they gr've to the little children they Kent me out to the nearest ward school ns long as Hie law would let them, but I Wi;s never like any of the other chil dren, and they all knew it. I'd to go uud coine like a rWoiier ami be working abet:! the home early nnd late for me board and clothes. 1 always wanted to le.;rn rnlfhty bad. but 1 was glad when tl!:it whs over. "Tlien n new superintendent sent ine (Vr.vn In the state to u man lie said In- knew that needed a boy. He wasn't for rei'ietuberlnt' to ted that man that I was a hand short, and he knocked me down. Itctween noon nud that evening he und his son. iihout my age. had uie In pretty much the same shape In which I was found In the beginning. so 1 lay awake that night ami ran n way. I'd like to have squared me ac count with that boy before I left, but I didn't dare for fenr of waking the old man. and I knew I couldn't handle the two of them, but I'm hoping to meet him alone some dny before I die." McLean, liked the boy all the better for this confession. "I didn't even have to steal clothes to tret rid of starting In me home ones." Freckles went on. "for they had alivudy taken ull me clean, neat things for the boy nud put me luto his rags. and tbut went almost as sore as the beatings, for where I was we were al ways kept tidy aud sweet smelling anyway. I hustled clear into this state before I learned that man couldn't have kept mc If he'd wanted to. 1 commenced hunting work, hut It is wit Ii everybody else Just as It Is with you, sir. I'.lg. strong, whole men are the only ones for being wanted." "I have been studying over this mat ter," answered McLean. "1 am not so sure but that a man no older than you and like you in every wuy could do this work very well if he were not a coward." "If you will give me a Job where I can earn me food, clothes and a place to sleep," said Freckles, "if I can have s boss to work for like other men, and a place I feel I've a right to I will do what you tell me or die trying." He said It so quietly nnd convinc ingly that McLean found himself nn iwerlng: "I will enter you on my pay rolls. We'll have supper, and then 1 will provide you with clean clothing, wading boots, wire mending apparatus and a revolver. The first thing In the morning I will tnke you over the trail myself. All I ask of you Is to come to me at once nt the south camp ami toll me like n mnn if you find this Job too hard for you. It Is work thnt few men would perform- faithfully., What name shall I put down?" Freckles' eyes never left McLean's face, nnd the boss snw the swift spasm of pnln that swept his lonely, sensitive face. "I haven't any name." he said stub Iwrnly. "no more than ouo somebody clapped on to me when they put me on the home books, with cot the thought or care they'd named a house cat What they called me Is no more my name than It is yours. 1 don't know what mln Is. and 1 never will. But I am going to be your mau and do your work, and I'll be glad to an swer ro any name you choose to call me. Won't you please be giving me a name. Mr. McLean?" The boss wheeled abruptly aud be gan stacking bis books. In a voice harsh with husklness he spoke. "I will tell you what we will do, my lad. be said. "My father was my Ideal man, and I loved him better than "won't yott PLEASK BE NAME?" GIVING III i any other I have ever known, lie went out five years ago. If 1 give to you the name of my nearest kin and the man I loved best-will that do? Freckles' rigid attitude relaxed. Ills bead dropped, and tears splashed down on the soiled calico shirt. "All rlcht" said McLean. "I will write it on the roll-James Rosa Mc Lean." "Thank you mightily," said Frec kles. "That makes mo feel almost as If I belonged already." Freckles' heart und soul were sing ing for Joy. (To Be Continued.) E Loss of Appetite or Distress After ml cus FO ALARM Eeatlng a Symptom That Should Not Be Disregarded. n Appetite is just a natural di sire for food. Loss of appetite or stomach distress after eating in dicate indigestion or dyspepsia. wi:r-eiiiiiiK is u iiuuii very dangerous to a person's good general health. It is not what you eat, but what you digest and assimilate I hat does you good. Some of the strongest, heaviest and healthiest persons are moderate eaters. There is nothing that will cause more trouble than a disordered stomach, and many people daily contract serious maladies simply through disregard or abuse of the slomach. We urge all in lMallsmouth who suffer from any stomach de rangement, indigestion, or dys pepsia, whether acute or chronic, to try Ilexall Dyspepsia Tablets, with the distinct understanding that we will refund I heir money without question or formality, if after reasonable use of this medi cine, I hey are not perfectly satis fled with Hie results. We recom mend them loo ur customers every day, nnd have yet to hear of nny one who has not been benellled by them. We honestly believe them to be without equal. They give very prompt relief, aiding to neutralize the gastric juices, strengthen the digestive organs, .to regulate the bowels, and thus j I i . f i .1 in proinuie peneci uuiriiimi ami eradicate all unhealthy symptoms. We urge you to try a 25c box of Rexall Dyspepsia Tablets, which gives 15 days' treatment. At uie end of that time, your money will be returned to you if you are not satisfied. Of course, in chronic cases length of treat ment varies. For such cases, we have two large si.es, which sell for 50c and $1.00. Remember, you can obtain Rexall Remedies in this community only at our store The Rexall Slore. F. (i. Fricke Co., Union Work. Cacd of Thanks. We wish to express our thanks to the neighbors and friends who so kindly assisted us during the illness and death of our loving husband and son. Also for the floral tributes. Mr. and Mrs. A. J. McKinney. Mrs. Fred McKinney. A. M. Searl, William Volk and Miss Kaufman departed for Monticello, Arkansas, on No. 2 last night to look over some real I""""" estate propositions. .?. .T..T-T..T..T. .T-'-T'..T..'. .'?f , LEGAL ADVERTISING!. V The followintr section of a taw regarding trie uisposi J tion or placing of legal ad- 4 vertising in newspapers was passed by tho Nebraska 4 legislature of 1909, and we J desire the friends of the $ Journal to make a note of ! its provisions and govern themselves accordingly: J "That from and after the $ passage and approval of this I act' it shall be the lawful ! right of any plaintiff or petitioner in any suit, ac tion or proceeding, pending or prosecuted in any of the district courts of this slate, J in which it is necessary to i puoiisn in a newspaper any notice or copy of an order, growing out of, or connected $ with such action or proceed- J ing either by himself or his J attorney of record, to desig- nate in what newspaper J such notice or copy of order j shall be, published. And it shall be the right of the 4 widow, widower, or a ma- J I jority of tho heirs-at-law of ! 4 legal age, of the estate of 4 h any deceased intestate or 4 4 the widow, widower, or a 4 J majority of the legatees or 4 devises of lawful age, of 4 the estate of deceased 4 testalen; to designate the 4 newspaper in which the ! notices pertaining to the 1 settlement of the estates of 4 such deceased persons shall be published. And It shall be the duty of the Judges of the district court, county Judges or any other officer charged with the duty of or dering, directing or super Intending the publication of any of such notices, or copies of orders, to strictly comply with such designa tions, when made in ac cordance with the pro- visions of this act." We want the friends of the Journal throughout Cass county to understand that when they have district court notices or county court notices to publish they are empowered with the right to designate tho paper in which such notices shall be published .ti.4.jt.t.jt!...jtlj. Funeral ' of Mrs. Cooper. From Wednesday's Dally. The funeral of Mrs. Louisa Cooper occurred yesterday after noon at the residence of H. J. ciro:i.i and wife, where Mrs. Cooper was visiting at the time she was attacked by her last sick ness. A large number of her former neighbors and friends as sembled to pay a last token of respect to one whom all loved and highly esteemed. The funeral was conducted by Rev. L. W. (lade, who spoke words of consolation and hope to the sorrowing daugh ter and sons. The music consist. ed of familiar hymns and were sung by a quartet composed of Misses filadys Marshall and Marie Donnelly and Messrs. fl. I. Farley and C. C. Wescott. Inter ment was made in Oak Hill cemetery by the side of her bus band. Tho pall-bearers were: V. V). Sehlatcr, Ed Schulhof, Henry (loos, Robert Sherwood, C. C Wescott and fl. D. McMaken. Card of Thanks. To our former neighbors and friends, who so kindly cared for our dear mother in her last sick ness, ami tendered aid and sym pathy in our great bereavement, we express our most heartfelt thanks; especially do we feel very grateful to Mr. and Mrs. II. J. Slreight for their kindness to our mother and ourselves. Mrs. Florenre Vanatla. L. T. Cooper. C. B. Cooper. Basket Ball Qame. The IMallsinoulh High school basket ball team returned Sunday morning from a tour of Cass and Otoe counties, having played two fast games during their absence from the city, one at F.lmwood Friday night nnd one at Nebraska City. The IMaltsinoiilh athletes were vanquished in both games, but only after closely contested games and the scores were close. The Nebraska City score was 27 to 32 against the I'laltsinoulh boys, but. Principal Larson was well pleased with I he way his lads ac quitted themselves, and he had the pleasure witnessing a good game in each instance. II. A. Schneider and wife and children returned from Cedar Ci k this morning, where they at tended the funeral of Mr. Schneider's father yesterday aft ernoon. . I mm J fe7' . f S You'll ba de- I . lighted with tho rs- . t lulls of Calumet raking . Towder. No disappoints . no flat, heavy, io--y biscuits, I I I I lJ,e' 0t y"' I J I U,t l'18 '''r.'110'1! daintiest, most j .j. uniformly tai.fd nr.J most ddi- tijiii f-xxl you uvor n;e. tmiwl Mholrwrd World's Captain Martin In Town. Captain Martin of Fort Crook was in town today, having come down to have the county surveyor. Fred Patterson, make a survey and plats of the rifle range grounds on this side of the river. Subscribe for the Dally Journal. Tolophono Courtesy In using the telephone, as in every other matter, the per sonal element must be con sidered. You are human, and all per sons with whom you talk, as well as the operators who con nect you, must be presumed to have faults. Our operators are instructed to be prompt and courteous, but they cannot answer com plaints or carry on a conversa tion. Their whole time is taken up in executing orders for con nections. In dealing with you, we de mand that all our employes be considerate and courteous; won't you afford them and the persons with whom you talk the same consideration. Courteous talk over the tele phone is like oil on machinery it prevents friction and pays big returns. The hastily spoken word and its inflection, no matter what its provocation, always con veys an undesirable impression. Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph Co. t