Show I BLACK BLACKROCK ROCK A Talc Tale of the ll III Kaluh Connor I TEn I. I is ri o K C I In III ii n a Lumber iii Camp Cal It Il was due duo due duelo Ii lo lu a Il m mysterious ls u of and a Juo good deal of Ll Leslie lIl Graeme that I found Coun my In- self In III the heart of uC for Cor my Christmas eve dc as the year cal 1882 was wa dying I It had been my plan Ian to spend illY far Car n away away- In Toronto with such and boon com cons companions ns os could be hl found In that cos cos- I 1 mid 1 kindly ell city But nut Leslie I I changed nil all that for discover discovering Jug ing me rue In the tho village e of or Black Dlack Rock with my Ihy tl traps teats nil atil packed waiting forthe for fOI forthe the Jo u start for rOl the tue Landing thirty mlles miles away way he bore boic down upon me Inc with resistless tlc Co force IC an and I 1 found mY myself recovering front from my ins' surprise only after we wc had gone one In his I sleigh h some six nines on out our way 1 ay to his camp up UI In the mountains I i vas surprised od and amI much delighted though I r would not allow him to tu think so O to find that his old time power over mo inc was as still there tl He lie could in iii the tho old varsity days dear dear wild days remake I me mc do what he lie liked 11 Ho lie uns w-s O Oso so I handsome ome un and so o reckless brilliant In his work and the PrInCe of oC half backs on tho Hu b field lieh ard aud with such power po of oC fascination as ns would extract the heart out of f a wheelbarrow as lIS Barney LUll Lundy y u uto used to lo say suy And ll thus titus it wall vas that I found foun just three weeks later I m myself I was to tu have hn spent pent t two or 01 three days days oil on th the afternoon or of December 24 4 standing stand stand- In lug ing In III Graeme's Lumber Camp 0 j J. J wondering ing at ol myself But DUl I j did ll not 1 regret m my chall changed ll plans for rol in those three weeks I 1 had raided a cinnamon boars boar's den doll and 1111 had wakened OIl up-a- up a grizzly grizzly grizzly- But nut I shall let the grizzly finish the talo taid he probably sees more humor bounce In It than I. I The he camp stood in a little clearing dentin and consisted of or a a. group ruI of three lung low shanties with smaller shacks Ile near r them all built o of heavy y logs with door and anti window o ii in III each The grub camp with cook shied at attached at- at ached stood In the middle of the h clearing at a little distance nc Wn was camp camJ with t the office built against ng It and about aboul a n hundred ards ard away on the other side e of the clearIng clear clear- log Ing stood the stables an and near tile the F The mountains rose iose grandly STandly on eN every side i C throwing up P. P their thell great peaks Into the sky Iky The clearing In which the camp earni stood was a hewn out nit of a dense Pine forest that tilled filled tile the valley and anti climbed half aV way wa un up the Hie mountain sides n and then cd ed out In scattered an and stunted tree It was waN one line of oC those thoe wonderful c i u ail an winter In lei days ays bright ht and aId touch 1 of sharpness Shi S In lh the air ail that hunt d did dul tl not chill but warmed 11 tho the blood m draughts of or wine The men were un up In III the antI and the he shrill clam the lashIng flashing across the the- jil opil 1 the he Impudent i chatter of oe tin tin- J S from lom th the to top I of f Hie he grUt e camp ami and the lie perl huert chirp of Jh jh whisky jack y Jacl hopping about oh on he r rubbish h heap heal with till the hit Ion lone cry o of f tho lie wolf far doun the milt valle only i made malle the silence felt th more inure jf i As S1 I 1 stood drinking In with all iny s soul the lie glorious beauty and hel the sil l. l ence cuico of ot mountain and forest Christmas feeling stealIng Into Inn 11 Oil out I hi catching it i- i sight of i me O I-O- c coiled celled Glorious Christmas ChrIstmas' i t dial chap And g 7 I Must you go 0 g f I S r I fear eal S so I J well that the lie j as i vas on him i too tou 1 A f F r 1 wish I 1 were f Uli rou I l he hehl said hl quietly ie jj- jj tN- tN I turned I to tu him but ul at the tiie look ouk of ot suffering urr in his fac ace acl the words died at al my y lips for we vc both hoth were WIC ere Lb of the thu aCul night when all his brilliant bell bril of oC horror bright bellr life nb about t him I In black ruin and shame am I uld only throw my arm ann over o hl his shoulder and anti stan stand silent bc beside o him 7 A sudden Jingle of oC bells roused him nd Riving Riv gic- i ing In himself shake ho he 1 e exclaimed ex cx- claimed There arc are tho ho boys com corn coming I in lug ing homo hom t I j i J Soon Suon the camp was wai fill men talking laughing J c lIght lIght- bo boy f The They ar f a little wild and tomorrow v they'll Ul rc red Before many minutes hail had goi guiu thelast the last teamster r was washed up u. fluId and andall all were zut standing about waiting Impatiently Im Ii patiently Jor 01 the tile cooks cook's signal tilO tho i tho supper lom tonight ht was wa to b of oC a hon the sound ot or bells I II I drew dreu their attention to lo a h I i drawn b by a buckskin broncho com curn coming III lug I down th the lie hillside c at a 3 great I The Ill I'll bet b ihs II in JIK jug sll said one nc u of the men I BoUnd Bedad and Its It's him has f roine ino j I no nose e for 01 turkey taid Blancy a n good good- gOOd I good 1 I i I natured matured Jovial Irishman T I Yes es or for pay day a more j said al Reefe u t black villainous villain villain- 1 villain ous fellow countryman S of oC i Blanc and strange e to tu say tay his gre great l friend DIg Big San Sandy y McNaughton Ic a n Cana Canadian ian cr from Crom d rose up in tv wrath rut li Bill Keefe said Ent he 1 ate ata emphasis just kc kip keep p I dirty tongue off ore the thc teran l a as I for QUI pa pay pa its it's little Hale he hc sees of or it o or I any ono one else except Mike me SlaVin when L I you's too dr dry to wait walt for or Sic on onto one to lo treat you OU or ur perhaps Father Ryan flynn when Wile the tile fear rem of or hell fire is I IThe on or you vou The file 1 he men stood too amazed at Sandy's Sandys Js I sudden anger an and length of or Speech Hon Bon Dal Dats good for Cur or y you cu m my bull bully bo boy said Baptiste a wiry Til c Canadian French Sandys Sandy's anti and sworn a all aill devoted e ever evel since tic the day a when nhen the lie big under I great creal provocation ha had knocked him bIn 1 clean 01 oft off tho the dump into the thi an and I then Jumped in for him It was as not till ah afterward I ard i j learnell I the cause of or ln Sandys Sandy's s 's which urged tinged him to such fi length of or speech It Sa waR not uw iv V u that the Presbyterian terlan Woo H h d with wIlh It S reverence for fOl the he I contempt for fOI Papists ind f an and ancl 1 bu but ut t that hu by he hall had a vivid hl r how ho only a month 0 e 0 oe f ago aCo th the mInister mInis mInis- tee ler id h-id got cot him out t br or Mike 11 S saloon and out of oC Keefe un and SlavIn an and the their clutches v hes a oC r f of or f f an a blood blood u to gang h J started lip with a J cui CU nap nap-I lisle to San Sandys Sandy's lie Ball H ide i d hum him on the buck hucl and c You Yuu I keul ed Jut Ill I'll lilt hit tnt eat him up UI InC Int It looked us as ir if there licht a harsh be U a low how savage lOIl tone s i hl lii III a Stop your our row luw low you OU It It If K WB you tu Cool foula to else torii S SI I alii and Wi old man Nelson who VitO was ZIl to CO moved to speech cry seldom There Thene was n a look IJ of hard Iron gray race face on Oil his 1115 nu tied led or of i lich Ch Uti us jet jet- here lIeva the tales ales I had C ln Inc lIe lIe- l lights ill iii U tile the n hl ld uC It iiI IlU la Before any reply could at tUIe drove l u. u an anti l the cheery voice olce called tJ Jl III a Merry 1 J C o I ll how do you do o Mr lt ea li a l S r t I I t rale Jule Let Li-l mi- mi m my i friend MI lr fr Conner r medi- medi I now art 1st t. t huntor a and I III 1 tramp II ot at t laigo JC ge Jilt but not hot u u 11 bad Jad I sort UIl A man t to i bo c n salt laid the lie 1 am III glad It to In know a any friend of or M Mr II a- a Grannies I I liked Mr l h t Crol Craig rum from tile the first Ilist I HP 11 lo ha had good oo Ct eyes S that hint looked cd straight ht out ut at you Ou a 0 cut clean strong Cac face ell vell set on hl his shoulders lid and altogether ethel an all upstanding lug inn manly bearing I Uc lie Ic In Insisted In- In on going with wilh Sn Sandy lIlly to 10 tie the stables ita le l to tn See ec ce Dandy his broncho put up Decent D c nt fellow l said but though hough ho lie Is IN good enough to his bron cho cilO I U It Is San Sandy y that's lints In iii his mind no now a Docs Does he lie come cume out often I mean arc ara you yo Oll part of oC his parish so 80 to sneak I I I 1 1 have o no ho hu thinks so to an anI and Im I'm J If he hue doesn't oe nt make the I Presbyterians of or us liS think so too And ho he nd a n pause A dandy lot lotof of f parishioners we wc are He for 01 nil any maui man Theres There's San Sandy now no I ho would knock J head heath off or as a kind of oC religious but tomorrow Keef will wi be beber sober ber and Sandy will wi be drunk as ns n a lor lord horl and an th the drunker he hc Is the better bettee bet bet- tee ter hell he'll 11 be 11 to lo the preachers preacher's disgust l Ju t Then Thon after an- an pause o ho a added de bitterly But Dut DutIl tt it I Is not hot for fou or me 1110 to throw i rocks s at Sandy Sandy- I J am 11 not nol the tIle same ame kind of or orf fool but I urn nun a fool of f ol Ul o several se other orl Then tho lii cook ennui came out Olt and beat beal a l tat tattOo o on on Oil the tile bottom of a dish pai Baptiste answered with wih a yell yell But Hut though keenly hungry no 10 mOi would demean himself to lo do lIo other Ot C than walk valk with apparent reluctance to his place nt the table At the thee further en end of or camp was a bi big fireplace anti and from tho dour door luul to the lie extended extend ed eti the tho long lOTI tOb tables co covered with wih lafel of or if turkey not too scientifically carve carved dishes of or potatoes bowls howls o of apple g Cl sauce plates of or butter pies and smaller dishes II distributed nt n t t. re regular ular Intervals Two ro 10 lanterns hanging hanin from JI he roof and a n t row IO of candles stuck into the tho wall on flU either sl side b by means of oC silt gil stcl sticks slicks cast a dim lm weird l light ht over tile the scene There wa InS a moments moment's silence flence an and auth at a no nod 1101 from lom Gremo Mr I Craig Crib rose rosc and salt saidI said ai I I dont don't know how you OU feel about It I mOi mon but but- butto to me 1110 this looks good ool enough nouh lo to be bl thankful for fOl Flee Fire ahead sir lr called out a voice voice rc respectfully 1 am and alith lh tile the I minister bent his bin head ha and antI salt said sai For Christ the Lord who CUI came It to toI I O us for rO all al the tho love lo e an alIt and soo goodness we ave have known an and for fot- these h Thy gIfts to ii U us this Christmas night our Father lUb he us thankful Amon mon S. S Bon D Dats Dat's fuss rate ate said ald Iu Bap- Bap liste tite Seems Ink luk dats dat's mal make o me mo lilt hit hl teat 1 more mOle better for ful sure sUIe And nd then no 10 word wOId was lens spoken for fOl a quarter of or oran an hour The occasion was wa far fal too tot ald and moments too tuu precious for fr Corll ll anything so sit SI empty as words leortis wons But when the lie white Ille piles of oC br bread ud and ald tile the brown plies lilIes lles of turkey tUkey ha had fOI for a second time vanished anti U after Cl I tile the thelast last Jast pie ide had hall disappeared the there came a pause aw and a hush of or expectancy whereupon tho lie cook and cookee each bearing beaning aloft a I h huge bIge l. l blazing Iu pudding camo forth Hooray Houra yelled ell lanc up wid y c es and grabbing gi tI the tho cook b bv by- bythe the s shoulders behind he lie IC faced him bout about a 11 Mr Mi Craig l was the first r t to respond a and nd seizing lie tho cuo co In the same tamo way caned called out S Squad ual full fan In quick t march In a moment every man wa waIn was wasn i ti In n t the he lol i Strike up Lip ye e little i a angel ngel shouted Blancy the appellation appella appella- tion loi lou a concession to the lie ministers minister's presence and away went Baptisto Baptiste In a r rollicking French song H with h the lie English chorus chorus- Then blow ye win winds In tho the morn mIn lug loS Blow DD ye winds ay a oh olt Blow Bow yc ye winds in the morning IJ low Blow blow blow And at each blow every boot hoot came camo down own with wih a thump on tho the plank floor that shook the sol solid loof rOle After the second roun round Mr Ir Craig Ct-aig Jumped Jumpe upon Ullon the bench hench and called out cheers lot for Billy the cook coole In the lie silence following the cheers Baptiste wa was heard to tu 5 say Bon Boll Oats Dais mal mak me Tile feel eel hilt lak hit hilt dat cat pud ill iii all ni I hup hul me tile I Hear CUI till the thc Ilo baste basic said maley In iii disgust USI remonstrated Sandy gravely gravel yec CC more stomach than manners Fu sure suet but do tIe more stomach dats dat's more moie mOle better for COl dis Ilis pu ln re replied replied re- re plied th the little HUe FICI Frenchman cheerfully After Ael a time the tables were cleared an and pushed back lo tu the wall wul and pipes were produced In Iii all al attitudes atti- atti tudes suggestive of oC the tIle menI mon men I disposed themselves In a wl wide wido e circle about tile tho the fre Ihie o which now floW roared and crackled up the lie great wooden chimney chimney chim chim- S ney hey hanging bunging I from froni tIme the 10 roof The he lumberman's hour of bliss hud bud arrie arrived arri e ed Sd Even old man Nelson looked a ah shade h e less melancholy than usual as ashe ashe ashe he sat a t a alone lone well a aa away a from Crum the tho he tire fire smoking steadily an and silently tre When the lie second pipes S were ere well a- a 0 going one of or the be men took loul down own a violin from the wall and handed it to Lachlan Campbell Thoro ThOo were two tto t O brothers Campbell Campbel ju just t out from frum Lachlan Argyll r J typical n Highlanders dark a I silent lent melancholy with the he face of or a m mystic nn and An Angus us re red haired quick Impulsive al arid and devoted otc to his hils brother a n devotion olon e he thought proper roper roperto to 0 cover cr 1 under biting sarcastic speech after aHel much protestation Interposed with gibes from ruin his brother broth broth- er tool took the lie violin and in response from all sides struck U up to to th the call al Idel Lord Macdonald's Reel Heel In a moment 10 mo ment the hoot floor 1001 was wa filled with wih dane dane- dancer whooping and ing- ing their heir er r nn in jn the wildest manner Then rhen ha tiste did dil the lie He Red lIed JI Jig u a n most Intricate and difficult series of ot the men loOn keeping time to the thc tC S music mui with han hands s an and feet When hen wih the tile Jig was finished Sn Sand Sandy called for or Loch No More hut but ld l-ld 11 said ald not 1101 lla lay that toI to- to Xo So no I T can call i ht hi Mr MI CraIg will pa Lila play I n took the violin an and at tho the thoI I r Craig lg I firM note not I ki 1141 know nv he ho Io was vas no ordinary player I did n not hot t I recognIze the lie music mu niu- sic hut but II It I was vuis Wi soft h thrilling and got ot In iii II h by the lie heart till tl ill every every- everyone C one w as J s thinking his hil nut and 9 std std- d After he lIe had bad played pla tw or cur r exquisite bIts bit he lie |