The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-07-24
SILENT BILL.

West. In the course Of my wan
came upon m cmtgrant train
was just starting ont from "thc
- and Joined It.
he novelty soon wore of l'and found
days iatiguing, the nights and sleep
being desirable. | had been conscious
days Of fever in my veins, but had
ncd to complain, and taking sort Of
age delight in seeking to do an extra
2nnt Of toll. 1t was my turn to prepare
yer for our mess, but once ready went
far as could crawl from the noise oi
~ camp and the odor ofthe cooking. The
,a,. remember Of that day was my drop
r:rg down by the side of some shrubs.
Two weeks aiterward opened my eyes
Upon different team from the one !
started with, and the driver was the largest,
most uncouth looking man | ever saw. |
vas on straw bed, made up on one side
Of the wagon, and in answer to my call,
the strange man bent over me. | asked
all the questions | had strength for, and
then waited for the answers. He told me
in the fewest possible words that | was
missed from the train, and he sent back to
look for me. That had "becn dead beat
for two weeks and had better keep still
aud 20 to sleep II could.n
obeycd, because could not helpit. |
received my food and medicine from the
hands Of my strange-lOOking friend, but it
seemed impossible to get any information
from him.
My recovery was rapid, and as soon as 1
made my appearance in the camp I was
warmly greeted by our company and treat
cd to many an extra dish by the kind
hearted people.
learned that I had not been missed
until nearly noon Of the day that | was
left, and then they had halted, and "Silent
Billn had volunteered to look INC up, had
found Inc, and had taken upon himself the
whole care during my sickness. | could
fird out very little about the man who
had thus brought me back % life. lie had
Joined the company, like myself at the
last minute, had given only the one lame,
to which the boys added another, until he
was called all over the camp "Silent BILL
Ills team was good, and he was well sup
,,i;oJ With nroyis;ons which h,. L,,,led
pa'.u ,,,n.si,,i w" - ~ anU 'oro who lad rooJ N
o", t;,l s,' ,,,: so,nn1;Or ~ & ' .troUn,h & % eI,
"" ;,,..o', ~ " anSrr,hin1 arj ,.r',,J
gladly have been companiOnable and use.
iul, but he never called on me to do any.
thing, unless some one needed help, then
w W., mvI L., S I'D, I 40 wO,I th., othor.
iS MS .i5" wv" S,S tsu sComod sC % nLnoUn o Uset 20
h;g, hS"' POrSnost sr % ssSon a DANCER % tSrSotorsJ
lll.i' iVfS .,at e.. "u va !, e. ] sir.ns II,
Ss MS u" Lioh I SrOuaSt , % IN IN" % corI;ost % n,nc M
+, came ohont tInt bc hold tl,e grotitnJc
e, S avOus oUOs,. auo si l., =. ,hO % tr,;n Inv In, ionS
,s.nIS y. uOso soomej u ~ OS o,Isnd him srs,tiS '
''In" "oysr s saw him n hesitate Int once. thcn
nOnsi INV, sM ' so ,ss,o "%I Or. VS ia h"en @
s",v ',,n.;ur S siars ,r;,h ths;r wetbss % and sLn
Iu maS H., % ts % Ia ,hou, rn % mo liz r WAGON y
SsNeu na @ ,hOn, W ' % ,iSe ,ho;y n,Sr S "sU tSSm
,, anu \, bsbind Hs wont Inn mn to- to ono of
,IS,, MS ~ lii % hia hand nron tbo nj arr, " or NJ ono
...Ii t..u. iu h..L ' % snhhod III honds % ,o"o,hor
SstSu Su1 ALI. G ssl,eJ 10 mo ' ''''
"'G ttpnt @ tIom in viii you ~ so;d be
.cIeS id t.@ 'nS% Gn up am So etrs ssT caSn KISS "
Iic was still looking at his hands.
nWSnts az SS St the 'TD mattsrT y u askoJ' % "botb
of them together wouldn't be as heavy as
II tbe ,DTn man ' Won bore on to camp that day,
onIv a few weeks past,n
V" III aid pothinr. but held his hands
omen before me, Ihcy were brown and
bsrd uAre thew dirty 7,i / asked.
nYesn said he emphatically, and shook
them ont al arms length. Then he started
nm his team and aid not sneak again for
S Sprr. ~
All hearts became lighter as we ascended
,bc Sicrras and began 10 think of finding an
wy S'O'.,' .'N % VS.