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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1941-05-29, Page 6PAGE SIX THE SEAFORTH NEWS THURSDAY, MAY 29, 1941 "It is known. (because their trail was found next day !hy the Serpent, card it was that of e military hoot and r.recca sit.. One of our hunters; moreover, saw the canoe crocsine to- w'ards Fa'ontenac next morring. "Dict the trail lead near the ;>arris- an, 'taster " Pathfinder asked in a manner so meek and subdued that it ac e: ihlt the tone of a re'beked .:l;i oleay. 'Did the ..a.. :lead .:ear to 'l f...i elet not: :!Bing),, course a.:at:.. . gross the ..ver. I, was f,. - rte -.. t:. to the eastern point, at al•e eller'• Ti I. 'A''1 re what '.vas -, t1 .c. .seen; ^•et .. .1c eel crese tte ratel ev r' '::11 e 'sea- didn't yam 'get ender ecigli. Master jasper," ea, detnand- ed, "ar.d give chase? On Tnesday morning it:elm- a good breeze; cane r. which this cutter might have run. rineknees." "That may do on the ocean, Ma- ir Cap." put in Pathfinder. "but it wattle not do here. Water leaves no trial. and a 'Mimeo and a Frenchman are a match for the devil in a pur- sate. ' -Who warts trail- when the chase len lee Seen frim the deck, ee jasper here said was the case with this in. if he had a temptation to deceive yomm. 1Cheatiee seems to Ibe their gift, and I sometimes think they ought to be pitied for it, rather than persecut- ed." "Then why not believe that this gasper may have the same weakness? A man is a man, and lunnan nature is sometimes shut a poor concern. as I know by experience." This was the opening of another long and desultory conversation, in which the probability of Jasper's guilt or innocence was argued pro and con. until both the Sergeant and his brother-in-law had nearly reason- ed themselves into settled convic- tions in favour of the first, ,while their companion grew sturdier and sturdier in his defence of the arms- ed. and still more fixed in his sepia - ion of his (being unjustly charged with treachery. In ,this there was no- thing out of the common course of things: for there is no more certain way of arriving at any ,particular .nu - tion. than by undertaking to defend it; and among the most Obstinate of our opinions may be classed . those which are derived from discussions in which we affect to search for truth, while in reality we are only fortifyimug prejudice. Sy this time the Sergeant had reached a state :of mind that disposed him to view every act of the young sailor with distrust, and he soon got to coincide with hie relative in deem- ing the peculiar knowledge of jasper, in reference to the spies, a (branch of information that certainly did not come within the circle of his regular duties, as 'la circumstance." While this matter was thus dis- cussed near the taffrail, 'Mabel sat si- lently Iby the companion -way, IMr. Muir having gone below to look aft- er his personal comforts, and Jasper standing a little aloof, with his arms crossed, and his eyes wandering from the sails to the clouds, from the clouds to the dusky outline of the shore, from the shore to the lake, and from the lake back again to the sails. Our heroine, .too, !began to commune with her own .thoughts The excitement of the late journey, the incidents which marked the day of her arrival at the fort, the meet- ing with a (farther who was ;virtually a stranger to 'ter, the novelty of her late situation itt the garrison, and e'er present 'voyage, keened a vista for the mind's eye to look back ,thnou2h, and seemed lengthened into months. She could with difficulty believe that she bad so recently left the town, with all the usages of civilized life; and she wondered in particular that the incidents which 'had occurred daring the descent of the Oswego had ncade so little impression on her mind, TDO inexperienced to know - that events, wears crowded, have the effect of thee, for that the quick sac - cession of novelties that pass before atiti *availing 'e1evlates objects, in visit. Pathfinder viewed the matter differently. ,'With Ile 'halbitual diffid- ence, he reproache.l himself with a neglect ,of duty. end that ,knowledge, of which the want struck him as a fault in one whose business it was to possess it, appeared a merit in the young man. He saw nothing extra- ordinary in Jasper knowing the facto be had related; .vhile he did feel it ,vas tor. tali:. not to soy di..,racefu', eat '1e eintscl: new heard of them for t::e first time.. 'As .,,r neweasains. \baster Cap,' said e, when 5. short pause invited hen to speak. "they may la worn by pale fact: es tell a by red -skins, it is true, :hough they never leave the -ante tree 00 the foe t of one as on the foot of the other. Ally one who is used to the woods can tell the -foot- step of an Indian from the footstep of a white man,whether it be made by a !hoot or a moccasin. It ,will need better evidence than this to persuade me into the belief that jasper is false.' 'You will allow. Pathfinder, thai there are such things in the world as traitors?" ,put in Cap logically. "I never knew an honest -minded dinga,—one that you could put faith tante? and it mattered nothing if there were twenty of your Mingo. and Frenchmen with a goad British built bottom in their wake. 1'11 en- gage. Master Eau-douce, had you. given me a call that said Tuesday morning. that we could atolls over - heeled the blackguards." daresay, :Master Cap, that the advice of as old a seamant, as you ;might have done no harm to as young a sailor as myself, rout it is a long and e. hopeless „chase that has a bark canoe in it." 'You would have had only to (tress it hard. to drive it ashore." "Ashore, Master Capl You do not understand our lake navigation at all, :5 you suppose it an easy matter to icrcc a bark canoe ashore. As soon et they find themselves pressed, these babbles paddle right into the wind's eye. and :beforeyouknow it, you find yourself a mile ar :wo dead under their ice..' 5"Yeu don't wish me es believe. Master Jasper. that any one is so r:eediess c,r Brow-ine as to .put off in- to this lake in one of them eggshells when there i. any :rind?" '1 have often crossed Ontario in a Sark canoe. even when there itas been a good deal of sea an. (Well managed, they are the driest boat of which we flees any knowledge.' Gap now led his brother-in-law and Pathfinder aside when he assured him that the admission of Jasper concern - ng the spies was "a circumstance," and "a strung circumstance," and as such it deserved his deliberate invest- igatior.; while his account o f the can- oes awns so inmeo!babie as to wear the appearance of browbeating the list- eners. Jasper suoke confidently of the character of the two individuals who had landed, and this Cap deemed pretty strong proof that he knew more about them than would be gath- ered from a mere trail. As for mocas- sins, he said that they were worn in that Dart of the world Iby white men as -well as by ,Indians; he had pur- chased a pair himself; and boots, it was notorious, did not ,particularly ;make a soldier. Although anuch of this logic was thrown away on the sergeant, still it produced some effect. He thought it a little singular himself, that there should have !been some tapies detected so near the fort and he knew nothing of it; nor 'did be be- lieve that this was a branch Of know- ledge that fold'peak:tIarly within the sphere of Jasper. It writs thane that the Scud had, once or twice, been sent across the lake to land risen of this character, or twice to tbring :off; bet then the part played :by Jasper. to his own certain knowledge, was ve-y sec- ondary, the master of the .tatter re• maining as ignorant <as any one else -. of the purport, of the .visits Of those. whom be had carried to and ere; nor clad he see why he alone, of all pres- ent, should know anything of the late a measure to the dignity of events, she drew et'pon her memory for days and dates, in ,order to make certain that she had known ;jasper, and the Pathtidrder, and her own father,. but little' more than a ,fortnight. L'ulalfiel was a ,girl of beam rather than of imagination, though by no means de: ficient 'in the last, and she could nc,t e6<ily accsurtt for the e;reaagth of her feelings in - connection with those who ter: .0 lately strangers to her; ?or. she -.vas 501 sal):featly <.cetr- ntcd anelyae eta sensetiems i., 1, 5;551:; h, theme: ,f the t.l..r•:;_ c!, Lo'tc cr, isle ;,ort n1i1:-1 ..+as .ter ....v1 '1a eeeet '.f aistrest, ,::t,1 1 :10 ;t;c ;e1) ei t1e views ..r •i leen stet ,,,,,,, r11 o ee of , is r .,,,ick. that 5:,,01 !mare 1 1)01- tarily disterhed her - confidence -vo:tld have been to .suppose it p .' able either of her cornpanione was 0 traitor to his king and country. The last thing that 'Mabel would suspect of Jasper was the very crime of which he new •stood secretly char- ged; and if others near her endured the spoilt,: of distrust, site at least was tilled with generous confidence of a woman. As yet no whisper had reached her ear to distunh the feelin;g.• of reliance -with which she had early regarded the young sailor, and her own mind would fame been the last to suggest such a thought of itself. The pictures esi the past and of the present, therefore, that exhitiiterl themselves so -rapidly to her active iutagination, were tmcloutted .with shade that might affect any in whom she felt an interest; and+ere she had mused. in the manner related, a quar- ter of an hone the whole scene a- round her was filled with unalloyed satisfaction. The season and the night. to rept, seat them truly, were of a nature 1„ stimulate the sensations which youth, health, and happiness are wont to associate with novelty. The weather was warm, as is teat alwaes the.rase in the region even in sum- mer. while the air that came off the land, in breathing currents, lhroeght with it the coolness and fragrance of the forest. The wind was :far ,from being -.fresh though there was Omagh of at to drive the Scud merrily ('head. and perhaps to keep attention alive, in the uncertainty that more or les: accompanies darkness. Jasper, how- ever, appeared to regard it with com- placency, as was .apparent by what he said in a short dialogue that now occurred Ibetweeat him and 'Malhel. "At this rate, Eau -donee," --for so Mabel had already learned to style the yeun5g sail-ors—said our heroine, "we cannot be long in 'reaching :our place of destination," '•'1Has your father, then told you what that is, Mabel?" "He has told me nothing; my ,fa- ther is too much of a soldier, and too little used to have a ,fancily around him, to talk of such matters. Is it foribid•den to say whither we are hound-?" "It cannot be far, while we steer in this direction, for sixty or seventy miles will take ,us into the St. (Law- rence, which the French might make too hot for us; and no voyage on this lake ,can be very long." "So says my uncle Cap; bat to nee, Jasper, Ontario and ,rhe ocean ap- pear very much the same." "You have then been on the ocean; while I, who pretend to he a sailor, have never yet seen salt water. You mast have a great :contempt for such a mariner as myself, in your heart, !Mabel Dunham " ''Ther. i have no such thing, Pease et Eau -deuce. 1 hat right have 1, a sari ,without ,experience ar knnwled,ge to despise any, much less .one like you, who are trusted by the bfaj:or. and .rho cm -amend a vessel like this 1 heti rover leen on t he ocean. ghee :h l have seen rot, and, I repeat, 1 -es no i ffrteee :beeween this lake lel 11,5 .Pantie" '.Nor in abet, that saii ern 'tot'? 1 -yes airai,l, Meese, your :inele had mach fresh -ovate: that r ee i.begun te -eek lase es es little 'teeter .Wan pretend- ers " ,inive yourself no uneasiness oil that aceaent, Jasper; for I .know my emir, and he says as many things against those who live ashore, when at Work, as he now says a- gainst those wee sail on fresh water. No, no, neither my father nor my- self think anything of such opinions. My uncle. Cap, if 'he spoke openly. would be •found to have even a 'worse notion 'of a soldier than of a sailor who never saw the sea." "Rtmt ysnr father, Malbel, has a ;:tetter opinion ,of soldiers than ,of eny ane else? he wishes you to the the wife of a soldier?" "jasper Eau-donee!—I the wife ,of a soldier! My father w'is'hes -ill Why ,tr told he wish any smelt thing? What soldier is there in the igarrienn that I could marry—that he mild wish um to marry?" - 'lOne may love a calling so well as to fancy it will cover a thousand im- perfections.' "Rut one is net likely to love his own calling so well as to cense hint to overlook everything else, You say me- lather wishes me to marry a sold- ier; and yet there is no soldier at !Os- wego -that he would be :likely to give me to. I am in an awkward position; for while I ant not good enough to the tate ,wife of erne of the gentlemen of the .garrison, 1 think even you will ad- mit, Pieper, I am too gond to be the wife of one of the common soldiers," As Mabel spoke thou frankly she blushed. site 'knew not why, though the obscurity concealed time fact .from her companion; and she laughed fain- tly, like one who ',felt that the suab- ject, however enmlharrassing it .might be, deserved to be treated •fairly. Jas- per. it would seem, viewed her (posit- ion differently from herself. "Is it ammo. Mabel," said. he, "you are not .what is called a lady, in the rcnunon meaning of the word, "Not in any meaning, gasper," the generous girl eagerly interrupted: "on that head, I have no vanities, •I hope. Providence has made me the ,daatght- er of a Sergeant, and I an, content to remain in the station in which I was born." "But all do not remain in the stat- ions in which they were (born, Mabel; mer some rise above them, and some fall below them, Many Sergeants have (become officers --even generals; and why may nM sergeant's daught- ers !became officer's ladies?" "In the case of Sergeant Dunbam's daughter, 1 know no better reason than the fact that no 'officer is likely to 'wish to make her his wile," return- ed Mabel, 'laughing. 'You may think so; 'but there are some in the '515th that 'know abetter. There is certainly one officer in that regiment, IiYialbel, who does wish to make you his wife," 'Qnidk as the flashing lightning, the rapid thoughts of 'Malbel IDerehem glanced oleo' five or :six subalterns of the corps, 'rho, by age and inclin- ations, would be the most likely to forth such a meth; and vee sbould elo injustice to her habits, perhaps, were we not to say that lively sensation of pleasure rose momentarily in her bosoms. at the thought of 'heing raised athove a station which, whatever might lee her pr,r,fes;tons of content- ment, she telt th;,t =he haci ,been ;nn ;vc•Il ectttcateo to fill emotion ;vas isfaction, But this emotion was as transient as it was sudden; for Maid. Dunham was a girl of ion much pure womanly Feeling to view 'the marriage tie through anything so worldly as the mere advantages of elation. The passing emotion was a thrill produced by factitious 'habits, while the more settled opinion which remained was the offspring of nature and ,principles. "I know no officer in the !Serb, or any other regiment, who would be likely to do so'foolish-a ,thing; nor dv I think I myself would do so foolish a thing as to ananry an officer,' "Foolish, Weibel!" "Yes, ,foolish, Jasper. You know, as well itt I !can allow, what the world weeld thine: of such matters; and I should the sorry, very sorry, to find that my husband ever regretted that he had so fat' yielded to a fancy for a face or a figure as to have married the slaughter of one so mach ids infer- ior as a sergeant.' - "Your lu stbami, Mt,Ihe.l, will not :he so likely lo think of rhe father as to think •nf the daughter." The girl was talking with spirit, though feeling evirlently entered into her part of the discourse; but she paused for nearly a minute after jas- per had made the last obscnvation be- fore she tittered another word, Then she :continued, in a manner less play- inl, and ,one critically attentive might hate fancied in a manner slightly mci- anoholy,— "Parent and child ought en .to live 05 5105 10 have two :hearts. or two modes ,ef ,feeling and thinking. A com- mon interest in all as (between he other members of the same family. Most of all ought neither the mean nor the woman to have any emusual cause for unhappiness, the world furnishing so many of itself." "Ain I to understand, then, Mabel. you would refuse to .starry an officer, merely ,hecauee he ,was art officer?" "Have you a right to ask such a question. Jasper?" said (Mabel, smil- ing. "'No other right than what a strong desire to see you ,happy can give, which, after all, may he very little-. My anxiety has been increased, from happening to knew- that it is your father's intention to .persuade you to starry Lieutenant Mair." '1My dear, dear father can ,entertain no notion so ridiculous -aha notion so cruel!" 'l\Would it, then, be cruel ter wise' you the wife of a quartermaster?" "I told you 'what I think on that subject, and cannot make my words stronger. Having answered you so frankly, Jasper, I have a right to ask haw you knew that my lather thinks of any such thing?" "That he has chosen a husband for Counter Check Books We Tire Selling Quality Books Books are Well Made, Carbon is Clean and Copies Readily. All styles, Carbon Leaf and Black Back. Prices as Low as You Can. Get Anywhere. Get our Quotation on Your Next Order. The Seaforth News SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, PROFESSIONAL CARDS MEDICAL SEAFORTH CLINIC Dr. E. A. McMaster, M.B., Graduate of University of Toronto. Paul L. Brady, M.D„ Graduate of University of Toronto. The Clinic is fully equipped with complete and modern x-ray and other up-to-date diagnostic and thereuptfe equipment, Dr. F. J. R. Forster, Specialist in Diseases oil the Ear, Eye, Nose and Throat., will be at the Clinic the .arse Tuesday in every month from 4 to 6 pan. Free well -baby clinic will be held on the second and last Thursday in every month from 1 to 2 p.m, JOHN A. GORWILL, B.A.,M.D. Physician and Surgeon in Dr. H. H. Ross' office. Phone 5J DR. F. J. R. FORSTER Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Graduate in Medicine, University 05 Toronto. Late Assistant New York Ophthalmic and Aural Institute, Moorefield's Eye, and Golden Square throat hospitals, London, Eng. At Commercial Hotel, Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from 2 to 4 p.m. Also at Seaforth Clinic first Tuesday in each month. -58 Waterloo St., Stratford. Telephone 267. AUCTIONEER GORDON M. GRANT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron. Arraugemeuts can be made for Sale Date at the Seaforth News, or by writing Gordon M. Grant, Goderich. 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 real estate Property. R. R. No. 4, Mitchell, Phone 634 r 6. Apply at this office. HAROLD JACKSON Licensed in Huron and Perth Come ties. Prices reasonable; satisfaction guaranteed. For information, write or phone Harold Jackson, 658r12, Set forth central; Brucefield R.R.1. EDWARD W. ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for Huron. Correspond- ence promptly , answered, Immediate arrangements can be made for Salo Date by calling Phone 208, Clinton. Charges moderate and satisfaction guaranteed. 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 McKillop Mutual. Fire Insurance Co. HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont. OFFICERS President, Wan. Knox, Londosboroa Vice President, W. R. Archibald, Seaforth; Secretary Treasurer, M. A. Reid, Seaforth. AGENTS F. Mclercher, R.R.1, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.R.1, Brucefield; J. F. Prueter, Brodhagen; James Watt, Blyth; Wm. Yeo, Iiolmesville. DIRECTORS ° Alex Broadfoot, Seaforth; William Knox, Londesboro; Chris Leonhardt, Dublin; E. J. Trewartha, Clinton; Thomas Moylan, Seaforth; W. R. Archibald, Seaforth; Alex MoEwing, Blyth; Frank McGregor, Clinton; Hugh Alexander, Walton. 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. you, 1 know from his own mouth; 'for he has told me this munch daring our frequent conversations .white olie has been superintending .the 'shipment of the ,stores; and that Me. (Muir is to offer for you, a know front the .:officer himself, who :has told me as mulch. Hy putting the Iwo things together, I Imre eoate to the !opinion mentioned." 't'IMay not my !dear father, 'Jasper," —Malbel's fact 'glowed like fire while she sp :olke, though her words escaped her slowly, and by a sort of inovolvn-, tart' impulse,---"hnay mot any dear father have been thinking of another? It does not follow, from what you say that 'Me. (Muir •was in his mind.' She returned from the dance in a fearful temper. "I have no confidence in men." site told her mother. "But why not, dear?" The girl pursed her lips. "Every time I go to a dance with another boy 1 find my own boy friend there with another girl," she explained.