HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Signal, 1906-12-13, Page 13"Pogo!"
OM Pi Oo, Pump:
Putopey:'" The
cull went through
the quarters,
through the Mold-
owy live oaks
!moonset. U rifler
whose mono drap-
ed branches the
ground was dim
"len at midday.
rued of Into the,
cypress swamp
to a black pool
over which a
black boy was
crouching. A s
the call came to
b 1 m, mellowed
by distance, he raised his head n Mlle
sud chuckled, then resumed 111, work,
which was the driving of a large plug
Into the end of an 11111114.111414 log solo
merged 111 the water.
"0o -o, Pomp: alussa gwine scorch
you It you ain't hurry qu1'k•" came
the voice more sharply. "11>r Nay you
getUn' trllin' an' no 'count."
The stuue was poised bur an u+taut,
then descended with two or tb w de••
liberate taps which •rumpled~ , the
work. Pomp examined the end a the
log critically. The plug wan driven los
level with the rest of the wool.
(bat to an average observer there w1(
no sign that it bad been tampered
with. Even Pomp seemed satisfied.
for he chuckled again and strrtell
back lu 'a leisurely way toward the
quarters.
As he pasInl among the cable's' on
lib way to the biz bowie he met a !
•
- - as-rookie•3/
ruu;re a thirty euuugh fellow In other
ways, you're a past waster at shirking
w4teu 1t comes to work. AIM through
all these nix week, you have wade that
backlog bear the burdeu of your mis-
deeds. }:vena lazy boy ought to cut a
log In half n day."
"It's- It's In de cypress swamp now,
IIIltNIlj."
"]]'ell, 1 Kent Tum straight to the
swamp atter you," looking at biro keen.
'y. "Bow did you 1111,4 him?"
"Beckett we both male Collier way
'bout. slinNsn, an' didn't see neither of
1(N." Pinup answered frankly. "But I
low I better harry right back an' flud
alai T•sn. !Ikea eit'h n ,ear* bldg IIs
1110111 110114.1. rules' Ica de swnHip all night
an' git let an' mebbe break his voice..
1 go right slow."
"No. I think you'd better May here,
Poop," col •I Belknap said blandly.
"Now that I've 'ought yon 1 shall
keep you. Pail going to lock you Into
the barites, room 811111 keep you there
until the last buckle Is deme' anal
polished. 11411.4 you 11t nut 01 my sigh)
1 e11n't expect to see you again until
every string uu your banjo be broke,'
sad the hist 1104.11M In the woods
caught."
Pomp showed els teeth; then his
face ankberel. "DOW you b•llebe flat
mason," he said euruestly-. "%Icbbe 1's
Tight 11P:Ide1 au' gnlik• heeled, but
hili no runabout flat dote car' for lt.l
nw•u 11411"8.) 4. bee' In 110 "'mar. .les'
wall's ,lab backlog burins out l's amino
re'tlfi' for work, an' you ain't need
11 me."
' \\'ell, t dol„ you will. I'onip:' more
knee ly. "Last 4%11,11uao the backlog
burn 1.a week. misty juin:: out on the
TWI1'L: I'U)11' 4'A1II- BACK WITH 1118 AiBOIS FILL.
dozen or more stalwart young fel,
lows. They grinned 1(t sight of Potnp.
"142 Tout done fuua' you:" one of thew
jeered. "You lwtter run 'long faster 'n
.eat for manna been 'quire for you a
plumb hour."
"Dalt show- my 'portanee," said Pomp
composedly. "But you mistake 'brut
Toni Madill' me. He down there yet
an' ehontlu' blase( ho'ae. I come roue'
'toot way, so he sin' zee we. Exerelne
good for Tom, an' lie ala' liar' mine
lack till lie Mud me., An', oh, say,
Mosel De backlog's ready. Pc tap
hoe touch out de water. 1)at show 1l
soak plumb smack all de way- t'roo'.
Dat log burn two whole weeks shore."
"Huh! IIuh!" scoffed several of the
handn. "Who ever heir baeklog burn
over one week?"
"Plenty people gwine hear It ells
year," declared Pomp. "Yon know- we
huh holiday jes' long 'a ole backlog
burn."
Colonel Belknap wan on his vernndn
smoking when Pomp approached 111,11,
enp In hand.
"Hello, you black rascal:" he said ex-
plosively. "So you're here at loot. Why
didn't you come when Tom first called
you"
"Call me?" Innocently. "i decker' I
sin' 114.4.41 Tom dis day. ]t'he're Ile cull
me at?"
"Everywhere, i imagine," dryly.
"I've been Bearing his voiee yelling
Voir name for the last hour, and Iona
enough to be heard two miles off.
Where have you been?"
"Workln' at the backlog, mason. You
know you foe "-
"Y4.+ told you Mx weeks ago that yon
tried hitt the backlog because, though
•
seventh day. Even the greenest, most
comet grained log of black oak wouldn't
I le apt to barn that long behind a good
I gee. 1t struck uo' 111e log might have
Ileen soaking In water for some Hale.
Ior you think pane log w111 burl a
week, Pomp?"
"]]'by-er-yes, Mason, 1 sprees It
will," I'omnp confessed, "an' -an' moble
a little more. But you said Ins' year
Jut you liked It nu' 'J'yed It much as
we all."
"So I did, romp, and I hope the log
will burn Its full week, and I shall not
ask 1111y of you to do n hand turn of
work except the necessary chores until
It burns out. But 1 Hope on the Mon-
day after the holi-
days you wIll'11e
ready to strike
that railroad
work henrtily.
]]shat do the lays
illink of it?,.
"'Bout you hir-
In' un nut to (lig
on de new rail-
road bed, mason?
Well, I reckon
(ley tabors it n
heap. Massa Ben
rudder, on de rib-
ber plantation,
gwine 111re out
han'a to de
rnilrnnel loa11."
"So i benr. But
that will take ev-
ery man, w-nmon
and ellllel on *1111
pinntftlnn who In
cnl.n4Fr, 14EI.KNAr. strong eno'gh to
lift a'shnt•el. I don't quite like thnt. 1
shall onlv bin out the ablebodled then
SCHOOL -ROOM ,CHARACTERS
(in looking at these. partly close•the
eyes, at hold the page at arm's'Q11gth )
• ws,e n
s... 1041 ev41.a"
a
1'
0-7
1(?*CN
:_\ O % "/K„0. 1
c'a�A
'D
to,
-61;3-
153r
1
a ,,,.wn.•DW
.+ es,Y.a._.
24
. eco
PHli' 1r10NAL: 1:' ONTARIO
for whole 1 'baro uo work on the plat. -
teflon -Just now, and uoue of them
aired go against 111■ will. 1 think we
"1111 moister about 3(111, Pomp. nud 1
want you all to feel It will be partly for
your own interest. Half the money 1
receive Ifru4t.the railroad will be Ilse'l
Itt rebulldiug the "allium at the quar-
ters. I hope you will be able to make
your log burn out Its full week and
that you will be ready for 1114 coutruct
work the iollowlug Monday. This coo -
tract Hirano a";- 11e stopped abruptly
and turuel away, apparently forgetful
of his threat to lock !comp in the bar-
room.
But I'unlp had leu intention of belie
nein„•yy the ulnisolon. As he went
4.1111(411lug toward the none his thoughts
were on the absurdity of the log burn
lag oat In one vveek. "1f he'd done
said 'tort two \loadays ahead he'd
come closer," he muttered gleefully.
"Jos' a week Hill' make no dlt'runce
'",ant de railroad work, au' ob mise dem
cabin4 Is plenty good for we all to
1114Pp In."
Five evenlugs later most -of the ne-
groe•, were gathered at the big house,
picking t11e1r
banjos, singing,
laughing and
gorging t h e w-
s4.lven uu the
good th111gis that
were spread out
lavishly for
them, \lauy
were In the
living room, in
which was the
huge fireplce,
with Its back
Ing. not yet a
quarter burned.
From time to
time the 444.groes
looked at It
wonderingly and
made emollients
and spoke the
name of Pomp
with added re-
spect. Colonel Belknap, too, glaneel
frequently at the log, but In his glances
were trouble and apprehension.
It wean an open Christmas, and the
great blaze In the firepinee made It
neeesenry to throw wide the doors and
Inflow,. Among the negroes who line
ge'red about the open doorway wax,
n
,Iia; furtive Pyel fellow, a ,Xiaitnr
from the ('udder plantation.
"You shandy did fin''n backlog
whom you huutel dat unk," 11e said
to Pomp. "1 re'ko gwine las' 'bout
two more weeks'
"I reckon." pi acquiesced la"un-
leally. 11 Id not like the fellow,
"Ali a all sin' gwine work on de
rail 1111 it Mins holt?"
' Ilet's right," Pomp sold, and Ile
,veld not forbear adding, "Yon Cud -
,ler hope ;ovine start In des Hex' Mon-
day, 1 hen•."
The fellow smwlel. "I)at's nuliln"'
he retorted. "We all rain' seared to
work, an' 'aide, It's you Iielknnp boys
dab's gwlue to do de eryln'. I hear
your mason In t1gblt place, au' If he
n111' raise money soon nome't'Ing gwine
be, sol'. I 'low (Int 'bout fifty oh you
block boys be sail' down de rills'r, nu'
.-ale! It gwine he ele linen' ones, like
Pomp au' Mose. Ile, he"'
"Look With, you story teller." began
Pomp hotly, but the fellow wnlRel.
"It's all de trufe," be declared. "I
hear Magna Cudder nay no Mosel. If
1nr Ian' massa nen' get din rnllrond
ark, somet'Ing gwine be mil' up sure,
' cote he 11111' get de work, for de
ad boss any he take Ilob fly flat
tart In on Mibuday, an' your !Ag-
ana alit' able to start you 111 till
bu'n out. He, he' You do
Job for Massa rudder,
you Qn' dat log. Yon glb
railroad work. Yoar
"LeoK IIZAII, col;
STORY TY1.1.111."
.t
cal
aln'
oto, m
flat to
(nighty
Pomp, wh u
him all
11111111*"-
iIis senten was suddenly cut short,
for Pomp had 11m by the shoulders
and sent him api tang down the steps.
"I/at ('udder donsen' him here to
any roan'," mutter , 'amp. "i)ey'n tote
dat mean. I seed It 1 de teller's eyes."
i'omp went etrnlght to (colonel Bel-
knap, who was Mandan by n w•Iurlow,
looking gloomily out nt Ile dnrkneas.
"You like for we all to tart on de
railroad work Monday, soar he
asked In n low voice.
"(can't do 1t; Pomp," a little . marbly,
"The Toys won't eoft11e11t till ,e Ing
burns out. nuke that Is goad for , ther
week 1(t least."
"I d'k'ow 'bout flat, mason," I'o ,p
whlsperel confidentially. "Yon s
logs like Qat fuss an' funs 1111 dey'is
warm All' dry all de way trough, den
dey Jen' flare o, quick like powder. 1
specs+ flat log gw'lue bn'n out 'fore
ylondny," •
'flint night, niter the whole house
was asleep, Pomp raised n window nod
stepped Into the living morn softly. An
hourwas spent at the fireplace, where
the grent log smoldered dully. Twice
Pomp went to the window anal came
I.nek with his arms full. Then he stole
nit, closing the window nninelesaly be-
hind him. Au hour Inter there ens
suileh a resetting and ernekling In the
great firepinee es to waken several of
the house servants and bring them noel
Colonel Belknap Into the room. Tho
fireplace ens a lurld ninon of roaring
flames.
"Well, well!" Colonel Belknap eta( -
Witted at length with it long breath.
"1' p wits right about if« spurting up
like powder. Hot why ?"
Monday •ring sal stalwart ne-
;ns•o fibre ;twat. from the Ilelknap
plantation towarel the new rnilrst11
where work woo to begin. lint it was
not until the work was completed and
all the gloom gone from Colonel Bel-
knap+ ince flint one div he caught
l',nnp by himself and eollMtr'(1 him,
"Naw, you young reseal," he said.
"tell me about that backlog."
]'ell, (ien," Pomp 1111(11Ie.pwrately,
,wile (mind he andel not escape, "I Ps'
hail a holler in de log full oh water,
will fe'nty hole/inn reason' ford* enter
to seep,:th'ugh an' keel) rings dmnp,
(Oise de fin' couldn' 1111 n good."
Again Pomp tried to minim away,
hat in vain. 'sl-- 1 jes' slipped in e e
winder slat night an' took de pings
out an' jammed de Ing tight wit fat
teh %voted," he stamn,erel. "(1(i oe de
ie
had to Inert den, lhtt was all."
.01onel Belknap released him, "No,
not unite all, P )," he said thought-
fully. The burning out of f h4. log
meant deliverance from ruin, You At,
A gracelos, scamp. Pomp, bat nest
Christman if all goer wed, you shAll
make tete backlog burn for two weeks,"
"Ah, dearest," sighed voting Broke.
l*ugh, ' 1 esnnnt live aril hoot yon."
"]]'hv not:'" gnerie'd the girl with
the nes'.(• hank balance. "Did poi
aoe your job i'" .('hicago Icily Newn,
Santa Claus zak4f24940040
In Salt Lake Phone
• D. MILLAR CO.
Z'tltllw Av, b,cowleor 13tti 1906 '1],
Where the Good Saint Got
the Surprise of
His Life,
T 0 a thrifty Morman household came eke
patron saint of l ole;
fie was putting Idle an engine, he well
laden like a muk,
For he Lnew • row of stockings such as nowhere
else is 60011
Would be yawnu,g there before him in the home
of Elder (:icer.
So he shoved his pack ahead of lom and started
down the flue,
While he muttered, " Dna is something that I
hue like smoke to do,"
Then he hollowed with reluctance through the
Smooty, smudgy au,
Quickly landing where the hosiery was hung is
many a pair.
SEVIN PAI,,, ALI. BART SIZE,.
There were papa's s« les and Twenty pairs of
lengthy wifely hose;
There were socks for Eddie, Willie, for Eliphalet
and Mor ;
There were stockings of Matilda's, Esmeralda'*
and Susanne's ;
'there were Charley's hose and Molly's, Cors
Bell's and little Dan's.
Amaryllis, George, Alphonso, Pert, Joseph,
Maud, Eugene,
Arthur, Lzze, James, Amelia, MFrances
and Irene,
Boggs-. Reed, Link, Oonnda, Ardis Joha,
Estelle,
Mattie, Lucifer, EJfrida--from hu lips thei mite
fell.
But about the shelf there dangled other
whose owners' names
1'1. could not recall to save him as he watched
the dying flames -
Seven pairs, all baby NZ.. each in age not quite
a year.
"Geer cned Nick. "Been something doing since
the lar time I was here!
Glad I brought a.atock of rattles and a lot of
teething rings -
Utah always g,ves a market for such kindergarten
things.
From 'race suicide' she ever has discreetly held
aloof.
Aad there's 1(d a home in Zion free irons cork
tracks on the roof."
-J'.
Tie Modern AlbstIetee,
Promlueut in the Christman revels
and, with the holly, most essentially
"Christmas)." of all the plants used
was the mistletoe. ]With Its the old
nlgniftcnnce and snca'Pehi's11 have gone,
leaving but eharm' enough to give the
well known privilege to the man who
mets n girl beneath It. There cxlets
Moo In sante places the tradition that
the girl who In not kissed Under the
mistletoe will not lie married for a
year. (The present wrtt.r (nice knew
at thoughtful noel provident iamael who
wore a lint trimmeed with the sacred
plant.) But the kiss permitted In nld-
en timo was originally of the religions
variety our mistletoe celebrntlon be -
lug borrowed from Scandinavia, lore.
---Critic.
un1d L1111. Serrates.
"Monte generous person," said Ilttlo
rete. liulginbrow' of Boston; "has
Iwe, kind enough to send me a ropy
of \ *her (goose'. lyrics for Christy
mum. you know, the theory thlit A
representative of the bovine genus 1(t
one time enpel over the chief hlmi-
nnry of til night leads to some Inter-
e11ting eaten Bono no to the mn.cnler
development 1
pm'1(., the
cows ) ,
[ dint time.
1 hove ascertain 1 that they most have
been endowed til strength propor-
tionate to that of a Iden of, the pres-
ent day."-Idnitlninr'P.American.
A Hard Hera Dor, -
"Dar's Jen' din about " said Mam-
my Minerva, "I's potter h ' dnt Pick-
snlnny .11111 over to de , ty N'oil do
Prevention o' Cruelty to Ani ads•"
"What's he been aloin'?" -
"We give him n goat (oh a1lrist-
mas present, an' Jim an' de eon
to-playln' rough, -an', de fus' thin I
i
Phone
56.
+ 44 + 4,46.s1Ct 4t'lt' � a
''.1:44 44+ *44`44 4'4 464646 444,3,
We wish one and all a Me:°ry Christmas
Everything Re''.dy
FOR (-C;---
CHRISTM
WE are prepared for Christmas with a store full
of useful and sensible Holiday Gifts. A visit
to our store will solve the problem of what to give
for Christmas.
Kid Gloves
make a most suitable
;gift for a ycnungr lad]',
especially the kind we
scifi\PER RENS. Evert-
pair
verypair uarantecd. 1n all
length and sized;, in
esirable shade,
Ir. Children's
Kid Glove. '75c per pair.',
every
$1 'per 1t
Cushion ps.
What say a out a
n i c c Cushion ,p
Dozens of patterns to
select -frons for -seed am ay
the 'best selection We
have ever shown. Lith-
ographic on the Ready -
to -work kind. Goderich
Cushion Tops a specialty.
2oc, 35c and 5oc each.
Belts, Collars
and Ties.
Never have, we shown
such a large stock of
Neckwear. All the lat-
est Nc]v York stt:Ies are
in stuck. • The range is
far too Targe to describe.
Collars and ries, 25c and
upwards ; Belts, every-
one new for the Holiday.
"Trade, 25c t4.) $2.5o
each.
Umbrellas.
'An Umbrella makes
-1 most acceptable gift.
We have them i11- almost
all styles of handles, in
!tont Pearl, Gun 11etal,
Rolled Gold and Sterling
S'Ivcr-mounts, 75c to
$4. o each. They are
heat hes.
Handkerchiefs.
Ladies' .111(1 Gents'
1Iand-kerehiefs are here
in all- kinds from the
cheapest to the vers' best
and everyone is the best
]'glue for the money ask -
cd. We halos: them from
5c each to Si each. The
variety is immense.
Christmas 12:74:
Linens.
Oar range of Linen
for the Holiday trade is
all that could be desired
as regards quality anti
quantity to select from
and extreme moderation
in price.
Ribbons in endless varieties, almost every
hade wanted is in stock, Fancy Dresden and Hol-
ly Ribbon in all widths.
'k44414 014 -chic iY +44*; 1.4'***if•° 4,i,
JV1ILLAR'S POPULAR SCOTCII STORE t
--4ion4i4,7 000 ec4
Snowea .eine ho"dohs lose his !eloper `-•
an' butted dot govt :drew' to der:"
He Huey. the Dar.
Head of Firm -You had better Oro!
the office boy n couple of dollar;, Mr.l
I'enwiper, for Christmas.
Mr. I'enwlper (the I.,okkerper)-1
think w-0 bad (Netter rnnke It n New
Tear's glft, alr. 1 have Jpet 'sent lido!
ant with n telegram, :mil 1 float (blot;
Ito will get back by ChrIstmaa,-Brook;
13'11 (_ tt1Re 1
An Up -to -Gate Maral/ie,
Toronto Sitlud,ly Nig'4 bas the fol- I
In
nine{: Nuud,n• school work `14..1
times hies It -111 lllllell•n11N (1140.1.11•
This.. JlcHfllicnddy WAR nd(1t'4.Nsfng a
Sunday melees if 1411 on anniversa •y of,
ensbu recently, and Npnke afoot the
woman who hied the ten pieces (It Nil-
v-er and loot one, "Shp counted thelli
over and over again," ;odd he.
"I'heru were only nine. One was lost.
Mile t find it. 1]'h,et did ,he
A keenly interested but very- It
lqup-to.late boy emitmlly it 11•111.11111
:She put 1(r. all. in the p*IpN'I•N;
A enwaol Clever forgnv,' I it fI 'put
his nature. -- French Pr',verin,,.
Old ,tge is the evening or life, Intl
.second childhood is the next • •Hing.
New 1:01.14 Tithes.
fl)r. 3ollpbop aha fl?r. %orrpbop,
14v HELIX *rANnll/>Psam'.
"Inert ring. a. bright as 'leer,
And seven rut in half,
And such a funny man appeared
Ile really made me lough
' 1*a, ha' ha, ha! ha, ha!' said he.
' I 'm Mr. Jnllyboy, you see."'
Then flomthy bethought herself
A little change in try.
And lo! so doleful was the face
It nearly made her cry
Hoo hoer! beo hon f boo Aon " wept he.
.1 'm Mr. softy/key, you see. ' "
When Children Cough
give then) that 1.,1 1 reliable remedy that never fat s to cure 4
MOLE'S PREPARATION OF
j riar'a Cough Balsam
It stops coughs -break', tip, colds -aid heals inflami�s- ��
throat and bronchial tubes. Alsolutcly pare an11
Vic for children c a bottle: At druggista or from
1 e111.e . I.Ctl17•),1, (•r. 3,
PATI't1+.111 fn11A A 1Ne1:eat cry
%7E have placed in stock one of the
finest Tines of skates ever exhibited
in lioderich. We have the celebrated
featherweight "AUTOMOBILE" brand,
ith aluminum tops. These skates are
fully guaranteed neither to break nor
bend, and also to be of the very finest
steel, and if they are not what we say
we will he pleased to give you another
pair without extra charge. Weals() have
the "CYCLE:" brand, known the world
over for their strength and durability.
Both these brands are made by The Can-
ada Cycle and Motor Co., and can he ..
supplied inlany size,either ladies or gents.
Skates sharpened and bicycles stored
and repaired.
Electric wiring or fittings furnished
and put in at lowest prices.
YULE]
wri.
KIN(ISTON ST., Ni:AR TE1E SQUARt:.
J