The Lincoln County herald., 1872-10-16
HER Two HANDS.

MS PICK was on his shoulder /; so was
bis old wool hat, for he thrust it far back
from his wrinkied front. Caspar had
bend, as it he had been half persuaded
these many years to go on hands and
knees again. SO heavily time sat on his
back, and 40 close to the earth did his
daily labor draw him.
He was good naturcd, trot,iup old
fellow, working his mouth eagerly and
straining his beared eyes, as he ap
preached the towns dragsled skirts. for
very thinking of his folks his old wo
man and his little gal.
There were rows Of dismal frame huts
all around, built by railroad companies
tor the purpose OF penning as many Of
their employees families at time rs pos
sible. They reposed, grimy and barn
like, squatted on that sandy foundation
which Scripture condemns. swarminy
with leglons OF talow. headed children.
Women, sharp at the elbows and sharper
at the face, were raising clouds of pork
smoke from their respective kitchen
sltars. ln fact, the whole ntighborhood
rseke with the smell Of grease, and the
evening was so warm q Laplander might
have resented 1t. But Gas par's nose was
not delicate. lie trottsd over the ciuder
sidewalk, noddiug this way and that, glad
there was such fine AIR, and that his old
bones were 70 near home.
"Thar's the littlo gal, as usual" he
chuckled, as he turned q corner and
found Madgie on the lookout ut the gate
She was comforting sight to see in that
nsighborhood, so tidy and fair in calico
and braids, and the pink fesh color of
youth. You wonder why she hadn't
been set farther up town, and draped 10
something costly; why her dcft fingers
have never learned there we're ten KEYS to
unlock soul which slumbers in rose
wood, and which rises at a touch, like
some blessed genii, to comfort all ills aad
Gil all thoughts you wondered wuy
some high bred father was not coming
home to her now. But then this cd
man would have found it SO hard to do
without her. Then, toe, Madge might
never in all her life have struck the royal
heart which was now in her hands, which
she held her bank against all the future,
aud the interest Of which was the only
income she wanted.
"There you are, grandpa!' cried
Madge.
"Yes, and there you are, Madsie |!
And here We both ere, Madgie T. enter
ing the open gate and casting down his
pick.
He put his hands on each side Of her
head and gave her sounding smack on
the cheek.
"Supper's ready"
"Yes, yes. Jist wait till l git little
of the smut of my hands and neck Its
ben powerful hct, dusty day"
Caspar trotted through the little barn
allotted to him, hailed his old wife, who
sat ready to pour his tea, and after blow.
ing aud punsiug through deal of water
returned to his family with shingin-
countenance and handful of onions.
IL jst pulled these up for relish.
They're cooling, ingens is. You tended
that ingen bed, didn'. you, Madgis p
Grandma and l."
SAHO W. cOLuC VI lucu iuSCuS
Tor Market said the old wife, cycling the
sacrifice severely. ave amt got no
ground to throw away raisin' luxurios
for ourselves"
"Well, we'll, mother" pleaded Caspar,
dipping his fragrant sphere in salt, Il
don't calk late to pull sm all. l jist
wanted somsth,n' rsfreshin' after hard
day. Taste 'em, Madeie," insinuating
the emerald tops toward her.
"Oh no. grandpa, keep EN- yourself" i"
shaking her head and smiling
IL feel" rambled Caspar, filing his
senses and his Jaw with psrfumed roots
until bind man would have pronounced
him Mexican, ii his nose had set judg
ment over Casper. II rally feel as if |
needed something refreshin', workin'
hard day after day for nothin', you might
say. Sort Of seein' your work 60 to
pieces under your eyes, and KNOWN the
danger to them on the road p"
"What do you mean, grandpaP" cried
Msdgs, turning white as her bread and
butter.
why, honey. you see we've picked
and picked in that cut, and the sils's as
uustiddy as water. Tho stones and earth
jist roll on the track continsrsl. The
company srto do somethin' to that cut
Stones big as yeu Jared down every
train. But then the roads new, the
roads new yet"
"Men sin't got no sense" broke out
The old wife. Don't you see you're
skeerin' tAe child to death for fear Char
ley'l git smashed up. He runs on that
road"
Two blades of keen rsmorss leaped
from Caspar's bleared eyes.
snow, don't you be skesred, honey
Take an iugeu, honey"
He reached over to pet her fingers
"Charley didn't pass to day whom the
dirt was rattlin' down so. He don't pass
till half after eight this evenin' and we
left the track as clean as this table. Yes,
sir, them rails is as free and bright as
new tin pans. So don't you be skesred,