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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 15, 1912)
1 1 FRECKLES I COPYRIGHT. 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY. PACE & CO. PROLOGUE. This romance of Freckles and the Anget of the Limberlost is one of the most novel, entertain' ing, 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 faards the Limberlost timber teases 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 Mo 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 Ireland in quest of a tost relative. The Man of Affairs, brusque 0 manner, but big of heart. Wessner, a timber thief who mrants rascality made easy. Black Jack, a villain to whom thought of repentance Comes too late. CHAPTER XIII. VBKCKLES' BTJTTEH FLIES. TT1UT on the trail the Bird Woman f 1 wheeled on McLean with a III damfoundcd look. w I "Do you thing the angel knew she did that?' she asked softly. "No," said McLean. "I do not. But the poor boy knew It. Heaven help him!" The Bird Woman stared across the tentlr waring swale. "I don t aee how I am eolnsr to blamo her." she said at last. "It's so exactly what I would have done myself." ' "Say the rest." demanded McLean hoarsely. "Do hlra justice." "ne Is a born gentleman," conceded the Bird Woman, "ne took no ad vantage, ne never even offered to touch her. Whatever that kiss meant to him, he recognized It was the lov Ing Impulse of a child under stress of strong emotion. He was fine and man ly as any mnn ever could have ben." Mrlan lifted his hat. "Thank you." he said simply and parted the bushes for her to enter Freckles' room. It was her first visit, and before she left she sent for her cameras and made studies of each side of It and of the cathedral. She was entranced with the delicate beauty of the place, and her eyes kept following Freckles ns If she could not believe that It could be his conception and work. That was a happy day. The Bird Woman hud brought a lunch, and they eprend it, with Freckles' dinner, on the study flour and sat about, resting and enjoying themselves. But the angel put her banjo into Its case, silently gathered up her music, and u one mentioned the concert. The Bird Woman left McLean and the nngol to clear away the lunch and with Freckles pxnmlred the walls of bis room and told him nil she knew about his slirnlts and flowers. She an aljT.ed a ninllni'l fower awl showe.l hini what he'luid all simmer wanted to know why the bees hir.ed Inof fectually about It while the luiiiiuiln; birds found In it nu ever ready fens! Some of his spe-lniens were so rrr that she was unfamiliar with them and with the flower book between them they knelt, studying the different varieties. She wandered the length of the cathedral aisle with him. and It was at her suggestion that he lighted bis altur with a row of flaming foxfire, As Freckles came up to the cabin from his long day nt the swamp he saw Mrs. Chicken sweeping away to the south and wondered where she was polng. ne stepped Into the bright oor.y little kitchen, nisd as he reached down the wash basin he asked Mr Imncan n piestlon. "Mother Duncan, do kisses wash .rr?" "Lord, nn4 Frecklesj." she cried.. "At least the a hps ye get from people ye love dinna. They dinna stay on the outside. They strike in until they find the center of your heart and make their stopping place there, and naeth Ing can take them from ye I doubt if even death. No, lad, ye can bo rect sure kisses dinna wash off." Freckles set the basin down and mut tered, "I needn't be afraid to be wash ing, then, for that one struck In." "I wish," said Freckle nt breakfast one morning, "that I had some way to be sending a message to the Bird Wo man. I've something down at the swamp that I'm believing never hap pened before, and surely she'll be want ing It." "What now, Freckles?" asked Mrs. Duncan. "Why, the oddest thing you ever heard of." said Freckles. "The whole Insect tribe gone on a spree. I'm sup posing it's my fault, but It all hap pened by accldent-llke. Tou see, on the swale side of the line, right against me troll, there's one of these scrub wild crab trees. Where the grass grows thick about It Is the finest place you ever conceived of for snakes. Having women about has set me trying to clean out those fellows a bit, and yesterday I noticed that tree In passing. It struck me that it would be a good Idea to be taking it out. First I thouirht Id take me hatchet and cut it down, for it ain't thicker than me upper arm. Then I remembered how it was blooming in the spring and tilling all the air with sweetness. The coloring of the bios soms is beautiful, and I hated to be killing It. I Just cut the grass short all about it. Then I started at the ground, trimmed up the trunk near the height of mo shoulder and left the top spreading.. That made It look so truly ornamental that, Idle like, l chips off the rough places neat, and this morning, on me soul, It's a sight. You see, cutting off the limbs and trimming up the trunks sets the sap running. In this hot sun It ferments to a few hours. There isnt much room for more things to crowa on that tree than there are, and to get drunker Isn't noways possible." "Weel, I be drawed on!" exclaimed Mrs. Duncan. "What kind of things do ye mean, Freckles?" "Why, Just an army of black ants. Some of them are sucking away like old topers. Some of them are ettln' up on their tails and hind legs, fid dling nway with their fore feet ami wiping their eyes. Some are rolling around on the ground, contented. There are quantities of big bluebottle files over the bark and hanging on the grasses about, too drunk to steer a course flying, so they Just buz, nway like flying and nil the time sitting still. The snake feeders are too full to feed anything, even more sap to them selves. There's a lot of hard backed bugs beetles, I guess colored like the brown, blue and black of a peacock's tall. They hang on until the legs of them are so wake they can't sth k a minute longer, and then they break sway and fall to the ground. They Just lay there on their backs, fably claw ing air. When it wears off a bit, up he with the spirit of the pi see that h knew. ne was most sure about the case. Nothing was disturbed, yet it seemed to Freckle. thnt he could see where prying fingers had tried the lock. He stepped back of the case, carefully examining the ground all about lt..and close bv the tree to which it was nailed he found a deep, fresh footprint In the spongy soil a lon'j. narrow print, that was never iiade by the foot of Wess ner. The feeling rose that he was being watched. Growing restive nt last under the strain, be ldunired boldly Into the swamp and searched minutely nu about bis room, but he could not d's cover the least thing to give him fur ther cause for alarm. F.very rod lie traveled he used the eautlcn that .. sprang from knowledge or danger anu the direction from which It wonld probably come. Several times he thought of sending for Melxnui, but for his life he could not make up his mind to do it with nothing more tangible than one footprint to justify him. ne waited until he was sure Duncan would be at home, if he were coming for the night, before he went up to -SI felt 5 fete- ?;Pps What's the Most You Ever Paid For a Suit of Clothes? If you've got a great-grandfather in your family, ask him what it cost in years gone by to have a tailor make him a suit? His answer will stagger you. He'll make you realize that you, your father and your grand father could each purchase today a "Miller Made" suit and the whole bunch would cost no more than one tailor-made suit cost in great-grandfather's days. If you actually care for advance style if clever features and excellent tailoring appeal to you, you'll purchase "Miller Made." Age will cut no figure, if you'll come to us to look. "Miller-Made" clothes are made for Men of All Ages, regardless of whether their purse is fat or slim. $15 to 30 WM. HOLLY ssr Silver Shirts they get and go crawling buck for more, and they so full they bump luto each other and roll over. . Sometimes they can't climb tho tree until they wait to sober up a little. There's a lot of big black and gold bumblebees, done for entire, stumbling over the bark and rolling on the ground. They just lay there on their backs, rocking from side to aide, singing to themselves like fat, happy babies. The wild bees keep up a steady buzzing with the beating of their wings. "The butterflies are the worst old topers of them all. They're Just a clr cus! You never saw the beat of the beauties! They come every color you could be namlug and every shape you could be thinking up. They drink and drink until if I'm driving them away they stagger ns they fly nnd turn som ersaults In tho air. If I lave them alone they cling to the grnsses, shiver ing happy-like, and I'm blest, Mother Duncnu, If the best of them could be unlocking, the front door with a lend pencil, even." "I never heard of anything sne sur prising," said Mrs. Duncan. "It's a rare sight to watch them, nnd no one ever mnde a picture of a thing like that before, I'm for think ing," snld Freckles earnestly. "Nn," said Mrs. Duncan. "Ye chu be pretty sure there dldna. The Bird Womnn must have word In some way If ye wnlk the line and I walk to town nnd tell her." Freckles took his lunch nnd went down to the swamp. lie could find no trace of anything, yet he felt a tense nervousness, ns If trouble might bo brooding. He came around to his room and cnutlonsly scanned the en trance before be stepied In. Then he pushed the bushes npnrt with his right nrtn and entered, his left hand on the butt of his favorite revolver. Instantly he knew that some one hnd been there, ne could find no trace of a clew to Confltm Wj beljef, jftjo Intimate wns Bl FOUND A DEEP, FBEHH F00TPHINT. supper. The first thing he saw as he crossed the swale was the big bays In the yard. There hud been no one passing that day, nnd Duncan readily agreed to watch until Freckles rode to town. He told Duncan of the footprint and urged blm to watch closely. Duncan said he might rest easy and, filling his pipe and tnking a good revolver, went down to the Limlerlst. Freckles made himself .clean and neat and raced for town, but it was night nnd the stars were shining be fore he reached the home of the Bird Woman. As he neared the steps be saw thnt the place was swarming with young pAiple. nnd the angel, with an excuse to a group that surrounded her. came scurrying up to him. "Oh. Freckles!" she cried. "So you could get off? We. were so afraid you could not. I'm ns glad ns I can be." "I don't understand." said Freckles. "Were you expecting me?" "Why. of course," exclaimed the angel. "Haven't you come to my pnrty? Didn't you get my Invitation? I sent you oue." "By mall?" asked Freckles. "Yen," said the nngel. "I had to help with the preparations, nnd I couldn't find time to drive out. But I wrote you a letter and told you that the Bird Woman wns giving a party for me .nd we wanted you to come aure. I old them nt the office to put It with Ir. Duncan's mall.' "Then that's likely where It is at present," said Freckles. "Duncan only comes to town once a week and at times not thut.' He's home tonight for the first in a week. He's watch lug an hour for me until 1 wns com ing to the Bird Woman with a bit of work I thought she'd be caring to hear about. Is she wbero I can Bee her?" The angel's face clouded. "What a disappointment!" Bhe cried. "I did so want all my friends to know you. Can't you stay anyway?" Freckles glanced from his wading boots to the patent leathers of some of the angel's friends near by and bid Med whimsically, but there wns no danger of his ever misjudging her again. "You know I cannot, angel," be said. "I am nfrnld I do," Bhe Bald ruefully. "It's too bad. But there Is a thing I want for you more thau to come to my party, and that is to bang on nnd win with your work. I think of you ev ery day, and I Just pray that those thieves are not getting abend of you. Oh. Freckles, do watch closely!" She was so lovely a picture as she stood before him, ardent in his cause, that Freckles could not take bis eyes from her to notice what her friends were thinking. If she did not mind, why should he? Anyway, if they real ly were the nngel's friends probably they were better accustomed to her ways' than he. "Must I go for the Bird Woman?" she pleaded. "Indade, you must " answered Frec kles firmly. The angel returned to say that the Bird Woman was telling a story to those Inside and she could not come for a short time. - "You won't come In?" she pleaded. "I must not," said Freckles. "I am not dressed to Ik among your friends." Then," said the angel, "we mustn't go through the house, because It would disturb the story, but I waut you to come around the outside way to the conservatory and have some of my birthday lunch and get some cake to take to Mrs. Duncan nnd the babies." The night wns warm and the nngel most beautiful nnd kind. A sort of triple delirium of spirit, mind nnd body seized upon Freckles nnd developed a boldness ull uunatural. Ho slightly parted the heavy curtains that separat ed the conservatory from the company and looked In. He almost stopped breathing. He had read of things like that, but be had never seen them. "Do you suppose heavi n la any finer than that?" asked Freckles. The angel burst Into a laugh. "Do you want to be laughing harder thau that?" queried Freckles. "A laugh Is always good," snid the angel. "A little more avoirdupois won't hurt me. fio abend." "Well, then." said Freckles, "It's only that 1 feel all over as If I belonged In there. I could wear fine clothes and move over those floors and hold me own against the best of them." "But where does my laugh come In?" demanded the nngel ns If she had been defrauded. "And you nsk me where the laugh comes in, looking mo in the face after that." marveled Freckles. "I wouldn't be so foolish as to laush at such n manifest truth as that," said the nngel. "Any one that knows you even half as well as I do knows thaj you are never guilty of a discourtesy nnd you move with twice the grace of any man here. Why shouldn't you feel as If you belonged where people are graceful nnd courteous?" "On me soul." said Freckles, "you are kind to be thinking It. You are doubly kind to be saying It." The curtains parted, and a woman came toward them. Her silks nnd lofes irnUed iilong the polished .floors. The lights gleamed on her neck and arms and flashed from rare jewels. She wns smiling brightly and until she spoke Freckles had not fully re alized that It was his loved Bird Wom an. Noticing his bewilderment, she cried, "Why, Freckles, don't you know me In my war clothes?" "I do in the uniform in which you fight the Limberlost," snld Freckles. The Bird Woman broke luto a laugh. Then be told her why be had come. (To Be Continued.) Returns From Hospital. From Saturday's Dally. Miss Emilia Albert, who has been at Immanuel hospital in Omaha since Inst November, re turned home today. She was ac companied by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Albert, who went to Omaha this morning to bring their daughter home. H-H-H -I-H-H- -H-H-fr -H- NEW BARBER SHOP IN CEDAR CREEK. I wish to announce that I have just opened a new barber shop in Cedar Creek, and hereby solicit the trade of the rominunity in that line. Also notary public, work done. 8. J. Reames. T..T..t..Tt,lb JUJLJlmJtmJL .T..t-T..t..t. ---- i n it n i rr i J i w ttt Seed Potatoes. One car of our pure lied River Karly Ohio seed potatoes is now due. They are smooth, selected, genuine seed, free from frost. Price $2.00 per bushel, sacked, and will be higher, so order now. We pay the freight. Alfalfa seed, purity 99 per cent; growth nearly 100 per cent, $10.45 per bushel. Ask for samples. Johnson Hros., Nebraska City, Neb. 4-U-ltwkly. Mr. and Mrs. J.. II. Hecker, Miss Carrie Hecker and Oeorgo Hecker, who have been spending the past two or three months in California, will arrive home tomorrow. Auto fop Sale. Regal 30 h. p., four-passenger car, like new. Prestolite tank, wind shield, clock,' spcedmometer, tire chains and extra inner tube. Original cost $1,450.00. Price, $900.00. I have taken the agency for the Berg "6," and have no use for this one and wish to dis pose of it at, once. J. V. Holmes, Murray. Finds Books In Good Shape. from Friday's Dally. K. K. Finlayson and H. Chest nut, expert accountants of Oma ha, who have, been checking Miss Teresa Ilempel's hooks, finished their work today. They spoke of the work of Miss Henipel in very complimentary terms. They were a week checking the offlce. Will Rummel, the IMatlsmouth precinct assessor, was in the city yesterday. Ho has been over the precinct considerable and has seen many fields of wheal which are not in good condition, there being portion where the wheat is dead. i I K y OVERLAND MODEL 59T ZGby $900 for this elegant 30-horse power car. $1,200 for the same, only larger and 35 horse power. $1,500 for the 45-horsc power, still larger. The above models arc made in two-passenger, four-passenger and five-passenger carsjust to suit size of family. kgrPhone or write us if interested. Cars in stock here for immediate delivery! Ij Union Overland Company h I 1 Agents Eastern Cass County, Union, Nebraska i