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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1938-06-16, Page 6PAGE SIX. THE SEAFORTH NEWS Black Cat, Ohief of the ,Mandane village, in a noisy harangue, adopted! me as his son and his .brother and his father and his mother and I know not what; but apart .from trede with his people, I responded ,coldly to these warm overtures. From Father Hol- land's leave-taking to Hamilton's coming, was a desolately lonesome interval. Daily I went to the north hill and strained my eyes 'for ,figures against the horizon. Sometimes horse- men would gradually loom into 'view, head 'first, then arms and horse, like the peak of a ship preceding appear- ance of full canvas and hull over sea. Thereupon I would hurriedly saddle my awn horse and ride furiously for- ward, feeling confident that Hamil- ton had at last come, only to find the horsemen some company of Indian riders. Whet .could be keeping him? I conjectured a thousand possibilities; but in truth there was no need for any conjectures. 'Twas I, who felt the days drag like years. Hamilton was not behind tis appointed tixne, He came at last, 'walking in on me one 'night when I least expected hint and was sitting moodily before my untouched supper. He !had nothing to tell except that he had wasted many weeks following false clues, till our buffalo hunters returned with news of the Sioux attack, Diable's escape and our bootless pursuit. At once he had left Fort Douglas for the Mis- souri, pausing often to send scouts scouring the country for itews of Diable's band; but not a trace of the eascals had been found; and his search seemed on the whole more barren of results than mine. Laplante, he re- ported, had never been seen the night after •he left the council tall to find the young Nor' -Wester. In my own mind, I had no doubt the villain had been M the company we pursued through the prairie fire. Altogether, I think Hamilton's coming made mat- ters worse rather than better. That I had failed after so nearly effecting a rescue seemed to embitter him un- speakably. Out of deference to the rival com- panies employing us, we occupied dif- ferent lodges. Indeed, I fear poor Eric did but a sorry business for the Hudson's Bay that winter. I verily believe he would have forgotten to eat, let alone barter for furs, had I not been there to lug him forcibly across to my lodge, where meals were pre- pared for us both. Often when I saw the Indian trappers gathering before their piles of peltries, I would go , across end help him to value the furs. At firet the Indian rogues were in- clined to take advantage of his ab- straction and palm off one miserable beaver skin, where they should have given five for a new hatchet; and I be- gan to understand why they crowded to his lodge, though he did nothing to attract them, while they avoided mine. Then I took a hand in Hud- son's Bay trade and equalized valises. First, I would pick over the whole pile, which the Indians had thrown on the .floor, putting spoiled kins to one side, and 'peltries of the same kind in classified heaps. ''Lynx, 'buffalo, musk-ox, marten, beaver, silver fox, black hear, rac- coon! Want then, all, Eric?" I would ask, while. the Indians eyed me with suspicious resentment. r Certainly, certainly, take every- thing," Enic would answer, -without knowing a word of what I had said, and at once throwing away his oppor- tunity to drive a good bargain. ,Picking over the goods of Hamil- ton's packet, the IVIandanes would choose what 'they wanted. Then be- gan a strange, silent haggling over prices. Utilike 'Oriental races, the In- dian maintains stolid silence, compel- ling the white man to do the talking. "Eric, Running Deer wants a gun," I would, begin. 'Far goodness' sake, give it to him, and don't bother me," Eric would urge, and the ,faintest gleam of amus- ed triumph would shoot from the beady eyes of Running Deer. Rim- ming ;Deer's peltries would be spread our regular fare for mid -winter. The frequent .absence of my two Iedians, eeouring the region for the Sioux, left me to do my own ,fishing; and. ,fishing ,with bare hands in froety weather is not pleasant employment for a youth of &oft up -bringing. .Protracted 'bach- elordorn was also losing its charms; hitt that may have resulted from a new influence, :which came into my life and seemed ever present, At 'Christmas, 'Hamilton was threat- ened with violent insanity. iAs the Mandanes' provisions dwinelled; the 'Indians grew Sitirlier toward use ,and I was as deep. in .despondency as a man ,could ,sink. Frequently, I won- dered whether Pother Holland would find us alive in the spring, and I some- times feared .ours would be the fate of Athabasca traders whose bodies sat- isfied the hunger oS 'famishing Crees. How often in those darkest 'hours did a presence, which ,defied tirne and space, 'come Silently to me, breathing inspiration that may not be 'spoken, healing the madness of despair and leaving to me in ahe midst of anxiety a peace 'which was 'wholly unaccount- able! In the, lambent 'flame of the rough stone .fireplace, in the darkness between Hamilton's hut and mine, through which I often stole, dreading what I might findeverywhere, I felt and saw, Or seemed to see, those gray eyes with the look of a startled soul opening its virgin beauty and re- vealing its inmost secrets, A bleak, howling wind, with great piles of storm-soud overhead, raved all ,the day before Christmas. It was one of those Afternoons when the sombre atmosphere seems weighted with gloom and weariness. 100 'Christ- mas eve Hamilton's brooding brought on acute delirium. He had been more 'depressed than usual, and at night When we sat down to a cheerless sup- per of hareskin soup and pemmican, he began to talk ver' feet and quite irrationally. "See here, old boy," said I, "you'd better bunk here to -night. You're not well." "Bunk!" said he icily, in the grand manner he sometimes assumed at the Quebec Club for the benefit of a too famfliar member. "And pray, Sir, what might 'bunk' mean?" out, and after a half hem of. silent consideration on his part and trader's talk on mine, furs to the value of so many beaver skins would be passed across for the coveted gum I remem- ber it was a wretcheel old squaw with a toothless, leathery, =oh - 'beverink- led face and a reputation for knowl- edge of Indian medicines, who first opened my eyes to the sort of trade the Indians had been driving with Hamilton, The old creature was bent elmost .double over her stout oak staff and came hobbling in with a bag of roots, which she flung on the floor. After thawing out her frozen mocca- sins before the lodge fire and taking off bandages of kins about her ank- les, she turned to us for trade. We were ready to make concessions that might induce the old body to 'hurry away; but she demanded red flannel, tea and tobacco enough to supply a whole family of .grandchildren, and sat .down on the bags of roots prepar- ed to out -siege .us. 'What's this, Eric?" I asked, know- ing no more of roots than the old wo- man did of valins. "Seneca for drugs. For goodness' sake, buy it quick and don't haggle." "But she wants your whole kit, man," I objected. "She'll have the whole kit andthe shanty, too, if you don't get her out," said Hamilton, opening the lodge door; and the old squaw presently limped off with an armful of flannel, one tea packet and a parcel of tobac- co, already torn open. Such was the character of Hamilton's bartering .up to the time I elected myself his 'first lieutenant; but as his abstractions be- came almost trance -like, I think the superstition of the 'Indians was touched. To them, a maniac is a mes- senger of the Great Spirit; and Ham- ilton's strange ways must have im- pressed them, for they no longer put exorbitant values on their peltries. After the day's trading Eric would come to my hut. Pacing the cramped place for hours, wild-eyed and silent, Ise world abruptly dash into the dark - nese of the night like one on the verge of madness. Thereupon, the taciturn, grave -faced La Robe Noire, tapping his head significantly, would look with meaning towards Little Fellow; and I would slip out some distance behind to see that Hamilton did him- self no harm while the paroxysm lasted. So absorbed was he in his own gloom, for days he would not utter a syllable. The storm that .had gather- ed would then discharge its strength in an outburst of incoherent ravings, which usually ended in Hamilton's ill- ness and my watching over him night and day, keeping firearms out of reach, I have never seen—and hope I never may—any other being age so swiftly and perceptibly. I ,had attribu- ted his worn appearance in Fort Douglas to the cannon accident and trusted the natural robustness of his constitution would throw off the ap- parent languor; but as autumn wore into winter, there were gray hairs on his temple, deeper lines furrowed his face and the erect shoulders be- gan to bow. When days slipped into weeks and weeks into months without the slight- est inkling of •Mirianes whereabouts to set at rest the Sear that my rash ,pursuit had cansed :her death, I my- self grew utterly despondent. Like all who .enthark on daring ventures, I had not counted on continuous frus- tration. The idea that I might waste a lifetime in the wilderness without accomplishing anything had never en- tered my mind. Week after week, the scouts dispatched in every direction came back without one word of the fugitives and I began to imagine my association with Hamilton had been unfortunate for us both. This adcle,d to 'despair the bitterness of regret. The winter was unusually mild, and lees game came ta the Missouri .frorn the mountains and bad leads than in severe seasons. By February, we were on short rations. Two meals a clay, with cat -fish for meat and deject skins in soup by way of Variety, made no wall with legends of .death 'keeping guard over the dying. The shadow by his pillow gradually •assumed vague, awesome shape, a fiat up and ritisbed my 'eyes. Was this an Allusion, or was I, too, going mad? The .filiny thing distinctly wavered and receded a little into the dark. (An unspeakable fear chilled my veins. Then I could have laughed de- fiance and challenged death. Des -Ohl Curse ,death! What hadwe to fear front dying? Ilad we not more to 'fear from living? At that came thought of my love and the tumult against life was quieted. I, too, like other mortals, had reason, the best of reason, to fear death. What matter if a lonely one like myself went ,out ,alone to the great dark? .But what thought of my love came, a desolating sense of sep- aration not to be bridged by love or reason—avereshelmed me, •anel I, too, shrank back. Again I Peered forward. The sha- dow !fluttered, moved, and came out of the gloom, a tender presence with massy, ;golden hair, white -veined brow, and gray eyes, speaking unut- terable things. "My 'beloved!" 1 eried. 'iOh, my be- loved!" and I sprang towards her; but she had .glided back among the spectral ibranehes. The candle tumbled to, the floor, exe tinguishing all lighb, and I was alone with the sick man breathing heavily in the darkness. A log broke over the fire. The flames 'horst up again; 'but I was still alone. Had I too, lost grip of reality; or was she in distress calling for me? Neither suggestion satisfied; for the mean lodge was suddenly fill- ed with calm, and my whole being was flooded and thrilled with the trancing ecstasy of an ethereal pres- "Go to bed, Eric," I coaxed, getting tight hold of his hands. -"You're not well, old man; come to bedl" "Bedl" he exclaimed 'with indigna- tion. "Bed! You're a madman, Sirl I'm to meet Miriam on the St. Foye road." (It was here that Miriam lived in 'Quebec, 'before they were married.) "On the St. 1Foye roadl See the lights glitter, dearest, in Lower Town," and he laughed aloud. Then followed such an outpouring of wild ravings I wept front pity and 'helplessness. "Rufus! Rufus, lad!" he cried, star- ing at me and clutching at his fore- head As lucid intervals broke the our - rent of his madness. "Gillespie, man, what's wrong I don't seen, able to think. Who—are—you Who—in the world—are you? ,Gillespiel C 'Gilles- pie! I'm going mad! Ant I goind mad? Help me, Rufus! Why can't you help tee? It's coming after me! See it! The hideous thine Tears started from his burning eyes and his brow was knotted hard as whipcord. "Look! It"e there!" he screamed, pointing to the ,fire, and he darted to the door, where I caught him. He fought off my 'grasp with maniacal strength, and succeeded in flinging open the door. Then. I forgot this man was more than brother to me, and threw myself upon him as against an enemy, determined to have the mastery. The bleak wind roared through the open 'blackness of the doorway, and on the 'ground outside were shadows of two struggling, furi- ous men. I saw the terrified faces of Little Fellow and La Robe Noire peering through the <lark, and felt wet beads start from ,every pore in my body. Both of us were panting like fagged racers, One of us was fight- ing blindly, raining down aimless blows, I know not which, but I think it must have been Hamilton, for he presently ,sank in my arms, limp and helpless as a sick 'child. Somehow I got him between the robes of my floor mattress. Drawing a box to the .beclside I again took his hands between mine and prepared for a night's watch. He raved in n. low, indistinct tone, muttering Miriam's name again and again, and tossing his head restlessly from side to side. Then he fell into a troubled sleep, The supper lay un- touched. Torches had 'burned black out. One tallow candle, that I had ex- travagantly put among some ever- greens our poor decorations for Christmas Eve—sputtered low and threw ghostly, branching shadows across the lodge I slipped from the sick man's side, heaped more logs on the fire and stretched out !between robes before the 'hearth In the play of the 'flame Hamilton's dace seemed suddenly and strangely calm Was it the dim light, I wonder. The furrow- ed lines of sorrow seemed to fade, leaving the peaceful, transparent pur- ity of the ,dead. T could not but asso- ciate the branched shadows on' the that it was Sunday -we eat talking before tifte fire of my lodge. A dreary rainchip .paltered through the eealty roof and the soaked 'parcthment tack- ed across the window opening 'flapped monotonously against the 'pine logs. lUnfasbening the moon-shaped med- allion, whiet my uncle had given nos, I slowly spelled out the Nor'=Westen•s' motto—"Fortitude in Distress.'" "For-ti-tude in Disetiess," I repeat- ed idly. "By love, .Hamilton, we need it, .don't we?" Eric's lips 'curled Sri scorn. 'Without answering, he impatiently .kicked .a fallen brand back to the live coals. I know 'old saws are poor comfort to people in distress, being ,chiefly appli- cable when they are not needed. "What in the world can be keeping Father Holland?" 1 asked, leading off on another track. "Here we are al- • most into the summer, and never a sight of him." "Did you really expect him ,buck alive from the Bloods?" sneered ka- miltoo. He had :unconsciously acquir- ed a habit Of expecting the worst. "Certainly," I returned. been among them before." 1 "Then all I 'have to say is, you're a fool!" THURSDAY, JUNE, 16, 1938 PROFESSIONAL CARDS • Medical DR, E. A. IvIeM'ASTER—Graduate of the Faculty of Medicine, Univers- ity of 'Toronto, and of the New Yolk Post Graduate School and Hospital. Member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Office OIL High street. ,Phone 27. °flee ,fully equipped for x-ray diagnosis and bot ultra 'short wave electric treatment, ultra vSolet sun lamp treatment and infra red electric treatment.' Nurse in attendance. ' eace. If I remember rightly—and to be perfectly frank, I clo—though I was in as desperate straits as a man could be, I lay before the hearth that Christ- mas Eve 'filled with gratitude to heav- en—God knows .such a gift must 'have come from heaven !---for the love with which 1 had been dowered. How it might have 'been ,with other men I know not. For myself, I could not have come through that dreary winter unscathed without the influ- ence of her, who would have !been the first to disclaim such power. Among the velvet cushions of the east one may criticise the lapse of white man under stormy moods. to 'barbarity; but in the wilderness At last the ram succeeded in soak - human voice is as grateful to the ear ing through the parchment across the as rain patter in a drouth. There, men window and the wind drove through deal with facts, not arguments. Na- a great split in chilling gusts that add- tives break the loneliness of an isolat- ed to the cabin's discomfort. I got up ed life by not unwelcomed visits. and jammed an old hat into the hole. Comes A time when they tarry over At the 'window I heard the shouting long in the white man's lodge. Other of Indians having a hilarious night men, who have scouted the possibil- among the lodges and was amazed at ity of sinking to savagery, have for- the sound of firearms above the hue- saken the ways of their youth. Who zas, for ammunition was scarce can say that I might not have depart. among the Mandanes. The hubbub ed 'from the path called rectitude? seemed to be coming towards our Religion may keep a holy man up- hut. I could see nothing through the right in slippery places; but for com- window slit, and lighting a pine fag - mon mortals, devotion to a being, cit, shot back the latch -bolt ansi. threw whom, in one period of their worship open the door. A multitude of tawny, men rank with angels, does much to joyous, upturned faces thronged to steady wavering feet. Hers was the the steps. The crowd was surging influence that aroused loathing for the about some newoomer, and Chief drunken debauches, the cheating, the Black Cat was ,prancing around. in an depraved living of the Indian lodges: ecstasy of delight, firing away all his hers, the influence that kept the loath- gunPoveder in joydua slernonstration. ing from slipping into indifference. I lifted my torch. The Indians fell the indifference from becoming parti- back and forth strode Father Holland, cipation. indeed, I could wish a young his Sace shining wet and abeam svith man no better talisman against the Pleasure. The Indians 'had been wel- world. the 'flesh and the devil, than hcoemidnigsni“itsIsteeicir ghoisodmwahnitdeanfeatheehri.1"d love for a pure woman. TAen How w -e dragged through the hours we drew him in and placed his soaked of that night, of Christmas and the overgarments 'before the fire, Then days that followed, I do not attempt we Proffered him all the delicacies of to set down here. Hamilton's illness bachelors' quarters, and filled and re. - lasted a month. What with trading filled his bowl with soup, ared.did not and keeping our 'scouts on the search for 'Miriam and waiting on the sick man, I had enough to busy me with- out brooding over my own woes. Hard as my life was, it was fortunate I had ,no time 'for thoughts of self anti so escaped the melancholy apathy that so often .beivenths the lonely man's activities. And when Eric be- came convalescent, I had enough to do finding diversion for his mind. Keeping record * f our .daings on birch -bark sheets, plying ,quoits with the Man:dada's' and polo with a few fearless riders, helped to pass the long weary days. So the dismal winter wore away and spring was drizzling into ,saimmer, Within a few weeks we should be turning our faces northward for the Forks of the Red and Assiniboine. The prospect of movement after Song, stagnation cheered Hemilton add fan- ned whet neither of iLIS would acknow- iedgea faint hope that 'Miriam might ,yet the alive in the north. I verily believe Eric would have started northward with'restored courage had not our plans been thwarted by the sinister • bandiwork of Le Greed Poor Eric! He had informed me I was a fool so often in his ravings I had grown quite used to the Meat. He glared savagely at the fire, and if I had not understood this 'bitterness towaeds the missionary, the next re- mark was of a nature to enlighten Inc. "I don't see why any man in his senses wants to save the soul of an Indian," he 'broke out, "Let them go erhere they ihelongl Souls! They haven't any souls, or if they have, it's the soul of a fiend—". • 'By the bye, Eric," I interrupted, for this petulant ill -humor, that saw naught hut evil in everything, was be- coming too frequent and alveays end- ed in the same way—a night of semi - delirium, "by the bye, 'did you see those fellows turning up soil for corn with a buffalo shoulder -blade as a hoe?" "I wish estery damn Red a thousand feet under the soil, deeper than that, if the temperature increases." It was impossible to talk to Hamil- ton without ,provoking a quarrel. Leaning back with hands clasped be- hind my head, I watched through half-closed eyes his sad face darkling DR. •GILBERT C. JA'R'ROTT Graduate of Faculty of Medicine, Un-. iversity of Westesn 'Ontario. Member of College of Phisicians andSiurgeons. of Ontario. Office 43 Goderich street west. Phone 317. Hours 2-4.30 p.m.,, 7.30-9 pen. Other hours by appoint- ment. Successor to Dr. Ohas. 'Mackay, DR. H. HUGH ROSS, Physician and Surgeon Late of London Hos- pital, London, England. Special at- tention to diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. Office and aesidence behind Dominion Sank. Office Phone No. 5; Residence Phone 104. • CHAPTER XV . For a week Hamilton aid 3 ,had been 'busy in our respective lodges getting peltries and personal .belong- ings into shape for return to Red Riv- er. 'On Saturday night, at least I °Quilled it Saturday from the notthee on 'my doorpost, though Eric, grown morose and contradictory maintained DR. F. J. BURROWS, Seaforth. Office and :residence, ,Goderich street, east of the United Church, Coroner for the County of Huron. Telephone No. 46. DR. F. J. R. .FORSTER— Eye Ear, Nose and Throat. Graduate in Medicine, University of Tcrroitto 11897.. Labe Assistant New York Ophthal- mic and Aural Institute, Moorefield:a Eye, and 'Golden Square throat hospi- tals, London. At Commercial Hotel, . Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from 1.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. stop pouring out our lye -black tea till he had drained the dregs of it Having satisfied his inner-snan, we gave him the best stump -tree seat in the cabin "and sat back to listen. There was the .awkward pause of reunion, when friends have not had time to ga- ther up the loose threads of a parted past and weave them anew into stronger band.s of comradeship. Ham- ilton and the priest were strangers; but if the latter were as overcome by the meeting after half a year's isola- tion as I was, the silence was not sur- prising.- To me it seemed, the genial face was unusually grave, and I no- ticed a long, horizontal scar across the forehead. 'What's that, Father?" I asked, in- dicating the mark on his brow. "'rush, youngster! Nothing! Noth- ing at 'ell! ,Sampled scalping -knife on me; thought better of it, kept Inc 'out f the martyr's crown." (To be •continued) Onion Acreage Increased Ontario citizens who know and like their onions, will hail with con- siderable satisfaction the announce- ment that onion plantings in Western Ontario have increased this Spring from 2,405 acres to 2,654TA, a jump of 2490/2' acres, according to preliminary estimates compiled by departmental officials, ,Essex, Kent and Lambton .are thr three star producing onion eatintiee of the province and this year wir grow 2,09334 acres, an increase of DR. W. C. SPROAT Physician - Surgeon Phone 90-W. Office John St. Seafortb Auctioneer. GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron. Arrangements can be made for Sale Date at The Seaforth News. Charges moderate and satisfaction guaranteed. F. W. AHRENS, Licensed Auction- eer for Perth and Huron Counties. Sales Solicited. Terms on Application. Farm Stock, chattels and riga estate property. R. R. No. 4, ,Mitehell. Phone 634 r 6. Apply at this office. WATSON & REID REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in First -Class Companies, THE IlicKILLOP 40* Mutual Fire lesurance Co HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont. OFFICERS President, Thomas Moylan, Sea - forth; Vice President, William Knox, Lon,desboro; Secretary Treasurer, M. A. Reid, Seaforth. AGENTS F. MoKercher, Rasa, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.R.1, Brucefield; E. R. G. Yarmouth, Rrodbagen; James Watt, Blyth; C. F. Hewitt, Kincardine; Wm. Yee, Holmesvilie. DIRECTORS Alex. 'BraadfOot, Seaforth No. 3; James Sholdice, Walton; Wm. Knox, Londesboro; George Leonhaedt, Bornholm. No. 1; Frank IMoGre.gor, 'Clinton No. 5; James Connolly, God- erich; Alex lIcEwing, Myth N. 1; Thomas Moylan, Seaforth No. 5; Wm. R. Archibald, Seaforth No. 4. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other ,business, will be promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their respective post - offices. 5170/. acres over 19317. Ceops must have proved more than satisfactory in Pete!, York artd South Simcoe last year, as growers in these counties are doub- ling their onion acreage from .1015, to 350 mores, estimates indicate. tElgin county acreage has dropped. from 66 to 60, while Middlesex has in- creased 'from 416 to 49 acres, Niagara district has gone up from 40 to 60 acres, while 13erlington and Georgian' Bay districts have remained ,unchang- ed at 212 'and 20 acres respectively, the report on estimates states. The above acreage eepresents ap- proximately 96 per cent Yellow (in - eluding 4104 acres grown from sets) 2 per cent Red and 3 per cent Span- ish type. In addition, it is estimated there are 1114334 acres planted foe Pao.cl,nction of Dutch sets for seed pur-