FOR FREEDOM'S SAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 13, 18 January 1900, Page 4

FOR FREEDOM'S SAKE.

Bx Abthcb Paibbsox,

4.tw el "A Han't HU Word," "A Sop oJ Ul« . * PWji* «.«, tic. J |"TwF;«<>n'«Mu" k form 1 1 taiii«\TtAiy Ediuwoi lß*lw «, Feituwj- ' Jm»,UNiJ j

CHAPTER ll.—Continued ran BiiOOßi RoV?rt ««oi- ;i lo. : sc j» "PJ- Be did not follow W \ b. >.>»>o.o ! s d'rectlors «ote, Mhe «<»» 1 t0 f 9 tbe town. & iione liad at this 1 ima a population of about A inhabitants. Ihe houses though tough wet® substantia "y built of logs. There were three broad in.jn streets where bid Iwtt laid down

to protect foot paaseDfei-i fiom snowdrifts In winter ud mud 5a summer; there was a fine river h"'f a mile away i the land was rich and fertile everywhere and there was abundance of 1 timber. No lack, indeed, of natural advantage* ej ; st*d round Santone. Bobert bad read of this and bid pictured the town a little El of j energy and independence—a bnsy hive wbete the free men of the North strove with the difficulties and hardships of fvontiet life after ihe manner of latterday pilgrim fatheis. Two horn* porpopftl acquaintance with the place Very much modified these ideas. Boaghress he w«s prepared for, but not for the general appearance of poverty, shabbinew and neglect which net hfs eye everywhere but in the mab streets. Weeds flourished round the bouses, alternating with patches of nglv bornt soil, used apparently as a household dust-bin. Here and there an •ffpvt had been made to plant a vegetable garden, but all such attempts ««• cle-rfy of las* year's growth, and becou'd find no signs of such enterprise thi* spring. ...... Round every w.oon, of whirh there WCt* seven:', and at the cowers of the «t t«ets boots of idle men wei« gathered —sowe Us'-Im and silent, others talk- • tag in * res-lsis mxions manner, with hazgai-d faces which impressed Robert pamfully. Even those labouring at forge or wovMio.* bfd a * ; l> »i«ied look, as if some blig'a'ing influence weighed down their spi; it« aiid haunted them day and night. Ko womw were to te Men except now and then .. - ce peeing curiously the stranger out of tie wiudow j and as for children, when, once, he came across a few boys feebly paying*tsomenwiteriou* game> with button!, they «ed from lum like rabbits. Jtoor thia little urchins th<y were, •urged and barefooted, Later in the mwnta b* otheia earning frora tha soboolhouse; but though better did and better fed, &»» had the same (rixhtened appearance m tb« rert and •ant their ways in silence. II It is Mll the placo were in 4itate atalegf," Hob^i 1 . muttered, moment tbr # m«n passed

M« «o jOTwm ia eppsaiMw torn E5» h»bad *»> hithevc ', pi- indeed irtjm * ft y mn h * *• ,?w " ki them ti'l on# m iawlble langaagtt what he wanted. Buts light began to L A,u up hU understating, l.he-.e »rn the •' tordor ruffian** he wsar^Jsa« s^Mt&ssy It tvm »uch own »• these who Ed "guarded*" poll' 1 «* J*" 1 * 1 the election, »®iw "PifH *"> h ™ decreed br the "bogu* ' legislature, tSSASL " > V I fc SLi° f *! Mita Itrecbh •«<* , f « und hlal » ,f ftt Blwppatt'i hotel- U was pa»t noo Bs He ted «« * D ° ugh o! &ntoMforo B0 Aii®—'or many «ky®» b® wott,fl v isit the White ko«w and make the Morintaoee of M r - A len Elmo^ It wW & relie* into a Country road, tt» b mvs f growing fewer orerv moment, ah®*", open pra-ie land, dotted in place 8 with farms and ploughed " claims" —bieesv and free. He crossed the river, a broad powerful streamed fringed with trees and meadow-land, where the shoot* of green nan were sturdily pushing forth among the dead brown blades of last year. spirits rose again. He saw men ploughing as he passed; brawny, bard-faced country men, utterly different from the pale, pasty-faced Otew in Santoce. The soil they tui ned onr was l-lack and rich, and filled the morning air with a pleasant scent. Once again the possibilities of the territoxy presented themselves to the young man's imagination and he strode on lustily. He ground was rising. The road fceoime mow 'onely, and Robert was benuning u) think the White House wis further than he expected, when

bis attention was caught by voices. Jnud and threatening, and he noticed t at a man he had been gradually overtaking had been stopped by two others who were coming from an opposite direction. Robert quickened ] his pace, but the group took no notice of his approach after one of them 1ih(1 I «ist a careless glance to see whether I hd wm armed. The man who had i been stopped, and who now seemed ii> "danger of tough usage, wns ia appeal* ISO) a lawyer or dcc'or, Wng dressed In spotless bl k. The ret-* were Mis-' •' jwurians. " Holt st 11 now, said one of these, drawing and cocking a revolver *• Tell no lies, me boy. Come! Ye'ie $ :c. wont ""Abolitionist of all; for •ja're so sly, Allen Elmore, oh eo canted sly. And it's my business and f tat of me friend here, to miow } e that we see through your foxy wa^; A id by thunder, if ye don't swear tn liter tiem as ye stand I ere, divil a bit Srill ye live oue more ( ■'}' to lead 'osn by the nose. Now, I tell ye !"' i The man in I !*rk emiied at I threat r lut his ii: s were cold and make a grand mistake, I*«t 1 Why such folk Late vane than you do, I believe." (To b» continued.)