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Show page 78 things and x»70uld live forever. All the closeness and confines of the kitchen could not hold his spirit when he heard his hero say, "We'll get that trout next summer, too." The youth saw himself in battle with the mammoth trout. The fish was the King of the River, he took three hooks and he was so ornery he had to be roped like a yearling and hauled in by a horse. The youth dx^elt in youthland. The roseate pattern of his dream spilled out into speech: "He'll weigh a hundred pounds, I bet. I'll get him, I'll get him for sure!" So said Al while the winter struggle swirled around and about them. There were dark days of overcast. There were dazzling days of whiteness. Then there would be brilliant sundogs and a warmth and a softness to the snow. All the rapture and the mystery and the beauty sealed itself forever in the heart of the youth. Flora's existence gradually broke into his consciousness. From his shyness and indifference of early winter he began to know her. This was a tribute to Flora's stature and companionship. Women can be but a shadow in the vastness of youth's dream, and the housecat daintily braving the crusted snow was of more interest to the boy as substance. It was Al's duty in the morning to unbank the night fire and to fire up the kitchen range. Then Flora would appear and finish her dressing. She sometimes sat on the floor and put on |
