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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1905)
4G THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN. PORTLAND, OCTOBER 8, 1905. A Sweet Story of the Harvest Moon LONG time ago, -when the Earth was young, she used to have thintrs pretty much her own way. Every month sho had a new Moon to play with. "When she got tired of it she threw it away and a little new one grew for her. The old Moon always took care of the little one till It -was big enough to whirl alone. The first few nights of its life it was rocked carefully to sleep, ar-d everything went happily until one fateful October. The littlo new October Moon had just been born, and the old September Moon was hovering over it, when she noticed that It was large for its age, and moreover was a very handsome little crescent. This was unusual, for up to this time all the moons had been 'just alike. "I think I'll keep an eye on this youngster," said September, with just a tiny pang of Jealousy at her center. "She's better looking than I was at her age, and she'll be feeling it." The littlo October Moon certainly was a fine child, and every night she grew bigger and rounder and rounder. The September Moon, who had turned all dark so nobody could see her, let the Green-Cheese-Eyed Monster eat at her heart, and she fell Into a very bad state indeed. When the October Moon was about two weeks old she was a raving beau ty, and the people on the Earth began to write poems about her and sing her praises. She shone so brightly that they could see at night to gather their harvests, and they called her their beautiful Harvest Moon. All over the country the young men and maidens gathered together to dance and make merry by hor wonder ful radiance. She shorte happy and serene on them all, and paid no atten tion to tho old September Moon, who grew madder and madder till she was black In the face with rage. "The outrageous upstart!" growled she. "She's no better-looking than CHAPTER I. SN the pioneer days of Wisconsin a fam ily named. Wilkins removed from Ohio to that state and settled within a mile of V e village of Mldvale. The family consisted of father, mother and two hoys. The latter were aged 14 and 12, respectively, and their names were Joseph and Daniel. These names were shortened to Joe and Dan. Mr. iWilkins took up land right in the unbroken forest, as plenty of other men were doing at the time, and after build ing a log house he began pioneer life. It would be hard for the boys and girls of today to understand the life of the pio neers of 70 or 80 years ago. There was little money, and that little was hard to get. Carpenters and brick layers, when they could find work at all. got-Tio better wages than a dollar a day. The people wore the coarsest clothing and lived on the plainest fare, and it was ali hard work with them. While Joe and Dan were only young boys, they were of much aid to their father in helping to clear up tho land. They cut down the smaller trees, piled up tho limbs and brush for burning, and when an acre or so had been cleared they helped to plant it to corn and turnips. That was the food of most pioneer fami liescorn meal and turnips, with such tvlld meat as could be killed in the forest around. After the first crop had been harvested and Winter was coming on, an old hunter stopped at the Wilkins cabin one day. He was going to a town 50 miles away to spend tho Winter. When he had partaken of a meal with the family and smoked a pipe, he said to Mr. Wilkins: "Your boys will bo of some help to you this Winter in clearing up your land, but I think they can do better than that. I have 30 steel traps which I wish to leave with you for two or three months. I may not come back before Spring. "If you can feed and lodge me for two or three days I will tell the boys all about trapping. You have a river here at your door, and they should be able to catch many mink and muskrats. There are also coons, possums, wolves and foxes to be trapped in the forest. The furs will always find a buyer, and in this way you will profit far more than If you kept the boys at work with their axes." It was plain to Mr. Wilkins that this was so, and the old trapper remained for a week. During this time he was out with the boys every day. Ho taught them how to sot and bait a trap for every kind of animal taken in traps. When through with the river lie showed them how to construct deadfalls for the capture of wolves and foxes, and they bad secured quite a number of skins be fore he took his departure. That was a good Winter for the family and an exciting one for the boys. . They kept their traps out along the 'river, and their deadfalls In the woods, and not a day passed that they did not catch some thing. Among the game were three wolves, a bear and four foxes, to say nothing of more than a hundred muskrats and five or six minks. These furs sold for ten times more than the boys could have earned any other A BIS BEAR taOffED T07HE fftfl SLOWLY THE OLD SEPTEMBER MOON' MOVED ACKOSS. one of those old pumpkin heads that folks on Earth are using to make pies and lanterns, ril bet she's hollow In side, too. "Now," she went ou. "if I should get between her and the Earth, those peo way, and with the money Mr. Wilkins was able to hire men to help him III his chopping. It was late In the Winter before the old trapper came bade When he had heard what the boys had done he said: "That Is very good, and it shows that you are smart boys. Tho trapping season Is now about over, and during the Sum mer you will work on the land again. I am going to tell you, however, how you TKe Story of N THE shores of the Yukon River a little boy lived alone with his aunt. There were no other houses near, so he got lonesome. One day he paddled his canoe away down the stream to look for a village that he might see how other peo ple lived. . At last he came to a village, but tho wicked people who lived there yanked him out of ten" canoe and broke It all to pieces. Then they beat the boy, and kept him till the end of the Summer, malting- him work hard and giving him frequent beat Ings. In the Fall one of the men took pity on the little fellow and told him where he could find a canoe hidden on the river bank. The boy stole out one night, found the canoe, and paddled swiftly up the river. When he came, to his aunt's house he was surprised to see that a village had grown up around it during his ab sence. The old lady was scared almost to death when the boy entered, for .he had been starved and beaten so that he looked like a walking skeleton. "It Is only I, come back again, aunt," cried the boy; "and I am sorry I ever ran away." Then he told her the story of his ad ventures and how the people of the dis tant village had beaten him. The aunt was a woman who knew much magic, and she determined to punish the wicked villagers.' So she whittled out of wood a small image of an animal with long teeth and long, sharp claws, and painted the image red. Then she threw It into the water and said. "Go and punish the wicked villagers." But the image did not' move, and so she took It out of the water again and said some magic words over it. and threw It in again. This time hor magic worked, and the little wooden image began to grow, and grow, until It was as big as a bear. Then It swam down the stream and was lost to sight. When the magic animal came to the village where the 003 had been beaten he was hungry and fierce, and pretty soon he had eaten up all the wicked villagers who did not run away and hide. Then he started back for the aunt's village. When the people In the aunt's village saw tho fierce red animal coming they all cried out, "Here comes the old woman's dog. We shall all bo eaten up alive." And sure enough, the magic animal did make a dive for the first man he saw and tried to catch him. ple would soon see that I was quite as good-looking as that October thing." So she edged around till she got In the right direction, and pretty soon the young folks began to exclaim: can make enough money next Fall to buy your own traps for the Winter. v "Beginning In June, whenever yotir father can spare you for half a day, you want to become bee hunters. Here and there In the woods are wild swarms of bees. They take possession of dead trees, and I have known them to store up sev eral hundred pounds of honey. Haven't you ever noticed bees flying about when you have been at .work?" Both boys answered that they had, and the old man continued: "You must get your eye on one particu lar bee, and when he rises from a flower you must watch his flight. He will go straight to the tree where the swarm Is. If you lose him, then watch another. You may have to watch half a dozen, but you will surely come to the tree in time." "But how are we to get the honey?" asked Joe. "You must locate and mark your tree. Then some night your fathor will cut it dowh for you. Bees cannot see In the night, but you will have some dry grass and limbs ready to make torches, and thus kill them off with the smoke. Any the Red Beast "HERE COMES THE But the aunt came to tho rescue and. taking the animal by the scruff of the neck, she led him info the house and gave him a lecture. "Do not hurt these people," sho said, "for they have been I kind to me, and given me food when I needed it" "Can't I kill anybody?" asked the rod animal. "No," replied the aunt, "not unless they first try to kill you." "Well," replied the animal, "I don't think I shall enjoy living in this village; I guess I will go to the tundra .land." The animal was bright red. just as the aunt had painted him when sho first whittled him out of a piece of wood, and -AruJ now To mef WKich y with rne you td IV. "What has happened to our beauti ful moon? It Is going out!" But tho astrqnotners said: "What an extraor dinary eclipse!" And everybody watched with Interest, Slowly the old September Moon moved across the broad disk of the Harvest Moon, and she was surprised to see that she was casting a shadow on he Earth, and, oh, horror! the Harvest Moon was so much larger than she. that there was a silver rim out side her. "I can't hide her." muttered Septem ber Moon. "I'll try kicking up some star-dust and see If I can't stifle her." So she began shuffling around on tho Milky Way, and pretty soon the star dust was Hying all over. But it made no difference to October Moon. She shone on, silvery and lovely, and the people on Earth cried: "Look! Our beautiful Moon Is scat tering jewels!" And every one made a wish, and ever j' wish came true. "I'll knock her to pieces!" shrieked September Moon, and borrowing a hammer from the "Thunder God she began smashing at tfie side of tho Harvest Moon Bit by bit she dropped away, and the September Moon cried gleefully: "I have her now!" Bit by bit the Harvest Moon dwin dled. She grew thinner and thinner until shjj" hung in the sky a mere thread. Then she was gone altogether, and the "Earth people sighed for her lost beauty. But the September Moon went to her place on the dark side of the sky. and chuckled for a whole year, and at last her turn came to shine again. As she grew old and faded she saw In the west the delicate rim of the young October Moon, like a silver bow, and sho was more lovely than ever. Then September Moon's heart died within her. for she savs how fruitless had been her efforts. "I shan't take caro of her, anyway." she muttered, but the Harvest moon, in Tier glorious young strength, needed no care, and went on making .tho Earth glad. All this, however, was ages ago. The September Moon has become resigned to tho Inevitable, and has even grown to love the little Harvest baby so well, that every year she cradles it tenderly, and has even learned somo of the Earth songs to sing to It. honey that you And will always sell for a good price. If you find a bee tree at any Umo in the Summer, yotr must wait until about the 10th of September to cut It. Then the bees will have gathered their full store." When Spring came and Joe and Dan re sumed their work In the forest they were constantly on the watch for the bees. As the warm weather 'drew on. the Insects buzzed about in plenty, and before July came in the boys had located three bee trees. AH of them were within a mile of the cabin. In locating the third one they discovered that some one else was also In that line of business. As they approached the treo a big black bear that had climbed up to investigate dropped to the ground with a growl and made off. They had been told by the hunter that bears were as fond of honey as human beings, and that they must look out that bruin did not get ahead-of them. In my next chapter you will and the boy beehunters having some rather start ling adventures. (To Be Continued.) of the Tundra OLD WOMAN'S DOG. tho boy thqught It would be nice to have the red beast stay and be a playfellow for him. But the magic beast said he guessed ho might forget himself and try to eat up the village In spite of the aunt's good advice. So he shook hands with the boy and said the aunt knew besL Then ho went wandering far off Into the dreary and desolate tundra land. And to this day the red animals roam over the tundra, and tho great grand father of all of them was the one which the aunt whittled out of wood and sent down the Yukon to punish the people who beat hor little nephew. Tlx Rs4r.s cruel -Sjite ovtn he'd learned - Mow Peter . tome - TP jTrne. To dre? The Cows and a Little Coward WITHIN A FEW FEET SALLY sat on the barnyard fence and watched hor father at milking time. "Come over!" he cried. "Tho cows won't hurt you." "I'm afraid." "Afraid of what? They're perfectly gentle." f "I'm afraid of their horns. Thev look so so hookey." Father laughed. "These cows wouldn't TyjARIAN. Maybclie. Marietta and Ma 1 1 tllda formed a descending scale In years and size. For this reason they were called "The Stairs." " Marian was 10 years old. She was the "Top Stair." Matilda was 4, and she formed tho "Lowest Stair." Maybelle and Marietta were the "Middle Stairs." These little girls were Just as dear and sweet as others. I doubt If their mother had ever seen dearer or sweeter. Still, they had some little ways that might be improved. JChey belonged to the Loyal Legion and other such things, and there were many demands for pennies for the various "gift" boxe3. Nickels and pennies were not too plen tiful. When there are four little girls as well as two "grown-ups" to put into the gift box It counts up. One day Mother had picked up dresses, put away shoes, rolled ribbons smoothly over her fingers and placed them neatly, and gathered up toys; and all these had been used by "The Stairs." Such untidy "Stairs!" . Mother conceived the idea of teaching neatness and also the use of money at the same time. She told "The Stairs" Seven Pennies, Strange Story of "The Stairs" Isobel Is Greatly Devoted f ( 50BEL," said Mrs. Strickland ono I morning, "you must be thinking about your Winter dresses. I see you are wearing those blue serge sailor suits all the time." "Oh, but. mamma," replied Isobel, "these are what I like and most all tho girls wear them. I don't want to be dressed up at school and Miss Damon likes plain things, too." "But. child. I can't have you shabby. You must have ancw Winter suit and plenty of shirt waists. Have Anna go with you this afternoon and order a coat and shirt and half a. dozen waists." "I've got lots of lessons," said Isobel ruefully. "Goodness, Isobel. you must take an interest In something besides books or you'll be just like your father. Don't be an Intellectual girl. I couldn't bear it." Mrs. Strickland smiled gaily and trailed out of the room, her soft, beautiful gown flowing after her. She was very young and very pretty and far more devotee! to gaieties than either her husband or her daughter. After luncheon Isobel found Anna ready to go to the stores with her. . Anna had been her nurse when she was a baby and had never been ablelo remember Isobel wasn't a baby any more. Isobel looked at the waist samples. The cheapest waists they made were J10 apiece. Sixty dollars for her Winter's shirtwaists. That set Isobel thinking. The models were not particularly pretty either. "Anna." said Isobel decisively, "I've de cided not to take any of these. I don't like them." "But your mother wanted you," began Anna, surprised. "Mother won t care, where they come from as long as they are pretty. I know a new place." They went home. Isobel sent Anna Into the house. "I'll bo back to dinner," she said. Then she went to the apartment build. Ing where Jean Stewart lived and rang the bell. The stairs were narrow and rather long and Isobel wondered what kind of an apartment they led to. Jean herself opened the door and looked surprised at seeing Isobel. 'Hello." said Isobel gaily. Do you tnink your mother would be willing to make me some waists? Jean's plcassre glowed from her eyes. "Oh. I'm sure she would," sho cried. Til go get her." Mrs. Stewart was as dainty and almost as pretty as Isobol's mother, but paler and with little fine lines about her eyes. Isobel was charmed with the samples and models Mrs, Stewart had In the back room which she used for her work shop. She ordered so many that Mrs. Stewart laughed and asked her If her mother would approve of such reckless ness. Isobel was only too sure her mother would. It was agreed that they were to be a urpris8 to Mrs. Strickland. "I Just know sho'll want some of her own." said Isobel. "She'll be Jealous of my finding lovely ones." "I'm so glad you cared to come, re- : plied Mrs. Stewart. "Jean has spoken of you so many times, xou have made school a delight to her. She dreaded at , first, going to where the girls were all so much better off and alt acquainted with each other. But you made' that smooth for her. I think I appreciate it OF HER THEY HALTED. hook a red flannel blanket. I am afraid my Sally's a bit of a coward." Now Sally knew that sho was not a coward In all things. Had she not been all over tho house when it was so dark she had to feel her way? Even the back stairs, where things might pop out at her from closets, did not daunt her. Then, too, had she not ridden Prince bareback to water many'a time? No, she was not a coward. that each day that they kept their be longings neat they would receive a penny, but If they failed on any day in the week they would forfeit not only the penny for that one day. but the others. There were four pairs of very wide, bright eyes, four pairs of willing hands, four pairs of swift feet. In a very short time the house was so tidy one would hardly know that four untidy little girls had ever lived there. The flrst few days It wag wonderful the way dresses, aprons, hats, shoes, toys, were all put neatly away. It seemed to Mother that some things were taken down Just for the fun of putting them away. Mother had thought "The Stairs" were too young to be tidy. Sho changed her mind. There would be no lack of pennies for the "gift" boxes. It was Saturday afternoon. "The Stairs" were eager to play. Marian, the Highest Stair of all. forgot and left her soiled gown on the floor. She ran away to play, but after a time ihe remembered. She went softly Into the house. She hoped mother had been too busy to notice. There lay the dress just as she had left It. She thought Mother did not know. She thought she would not tell, and so she would get her penny. The rule was to forfeit all If there was one failure. It wa3 a bitter rule. But It helped them remember. Isobel's eyes filled with tears. "Why, I didn't know I did much," she said, "I Just sat with Jean Instead of going with Martha Chester. Jean and I really have more things we like. Martha never care3 to read or talk about books or Imagine things though she's a nice girl." she added, hastily. "Jean will find so some day. too." "I think it's the things we do for oth ers without thinking that are the thing? which come closest," said Mrs. Stewart, and there were little tears In her eyes, too. "Oh, won't you come again?" asked Jean, and Isobel promised gladly. "What a little thing to thank me for." Isobel thought, as she walked slowly Tsobel w&3 cjS&med JWtaMMaBawaWKMMwii imiw i n -gaga fcw "I don't know what It is. papo. but when the cows look at me I just got to run." "Ye?. I saw you running away ono day, when there was a ten-rail fence be tween you and one old mooly. You're a funny girl for a farmer's daughter." "But., papa, I went with you to slt tho cattle Sunday." "Yes, Sally, girl, but you gripped tight to me all the way, and when the cattle camo close I had to take you in my arms. Now, little maid. I think you ought to cure yourself of this fright. It Isn't manly, and you know you want to be a boy. No brave boy" would run from a cow." The tears welled into Sally's oyes, and her throat felt very achy. As she trotted into the house she determined to try and overcome her fear. The very next day she started out to cure herself. When no one w;is looking she took a berry "pall and stole out to the barn where the rock salt was kept. With the pall of salt upon her arm sho trudged straight out to the cattle pasture. Her little heart went chug. chug, like a steam launch, and her feet seemed tostick to the ground and pull back, and say, "Oh, Sally, anywhere but tho pasture!" But they took her there. She lot down a bar and crawled through. There was a treo In the middle of the pasture and sho headed for that, calling: "So. boss! So. boss!" The cattle at the far end of the pasture heard her call and lifted their heads. "So, boss! So, boss!" That sound sure ly meant salt. "Moo-oo-oo!" Across the field they came, galopty-galop. Sally shook like an aspen leaf, but held her ground, for the reuson that she was 'too far from the fence to run for It, and the one tree was- too high to climb. With a fearful haste she flung the salt far and wide. Within a few feet of her they stopped and nosed In the grass for the salt, mumbling and munching contentedly and never noticing little scared Sally. She waited till they were all busy and then turned and fled like the wind- Over the fence, pattering down the road sh went, never daring to look behind, and she never halted till she was safe In her mother's arms. And the worst of the story Is this: Sally was not cured. She Is Just as afraid of a cow now as sho ever was. They djd so want to earn their money for the "gift" boxes. Sho could not gft along without the pennies for that. Marian made up her mind. Mother did not know, and she had really hung up tho dress. Still Marian was not happy. She knew, though Mother didn't. Just for this om-o she would take the money. It might do some little heathen girl a lot of good. It was Saturday night. Papa was home. He was looking into tho box which held the pennies such a lot of pennies. Marian counted them. Mother had put one in for her that day. Suddenly her 'lips quivered. Bravely she picked out the seven pen nies that were for her. "I left my dress this afternoon." she said. "You didn't leave it long." said Mother "I left it," said Marian, "and I must be an example." "It Isn't half as bad for the Top Stair as for one of the middle ones." said Mar belle. "Just think what would happen if one of the Middle Stairs should be out of place!" "Somebody would tumble, sure," saTi Father. "It's better, though, to have The Stairs' complete." And he kissed Marian and gave her seven bright new pennies. to Shopping homeward. "I didn't mind Martha's bein? mad. None of the other girl's mother would have thanked me for sitting with their daughters. I wonder If troubl always makes peoplo sweet like the Stew arts and I -wonder what the trouble was." And when Isabel got back to her .studtta she, wrote at composition on "Gratitude." and Miss Van Wyck marked it. "Thought ful and excellent." The Disappointed Teacher. "Anatomy," the teacher said. "Tells us that ever- human head Has brains within It: but I rear. As I look at the pupils here, ' Anatomy cannot be right. Far all these heads seem empty quite." with tfie samples even more than she does- Mamma, you couldn't," said Jean aulckly.