Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-14

learned beggars can't do nor explain that.
Them ringers have trained their eyes to look
into muddy water, ana can see fish TO spear EN-
and train porpoises TO catch hsh Is well. So
much for eddication."
You have been in Australia. them"
OF course, or couldn I tell yer of this. But
it's time 10 turn in Come. Bruce" aud here q
dog that had not seen before answered his
masters call and followed him Into the room.
As they came 10 the light thought recognized
the deg "a grandson of the one l sfterward
lesrned), and on scanning the man closely 1
found he was Five, uas old mining friend.
member ne?''
Cant say do"
Don't YOU remember our camp in early
days, and Sim, and Brsnnan, and Bunyan and
A cloud OF recollection seemed to pass before
his eyes, and at last lie exclaimed IL IL posi-
bic that you're the little 'un?''
eyes, am"
"well this is surprisn', to say tae least. lam
glad ter see yer; How's ali the folks
"I'I talk 20 you to-morro~, old man. it's too
late to spin yarns now" and we all rolled up in
our blankets, and soon everything was quiet.
Still, dark aud rainy was the morning, when
az an early hour we were aroused by the SQUAD
Of voices, and conquering disposition for one
more nap we arose and made ready for the fra
grant coffee and biscuits, prepared by the busy
hands CT" Wacks," who sang TO his toll.
Ny love She is handsome,
Aud 81 think her behavior
ISdoes exceed all
My love she is handsome,
And She is The bright morning star
That lopes al -uud this town.
Five silently swallowed his breakfast, sliPpsl
quietly from tie house, opened his corral, and
followed his sheep out 10 pasture. The air was
hlied with the bleatings OF hungry animals, aud
the baby lambs fri>ked gaily along after their
Jams, lending their feeble notes - the chDrlS.
went out, too, and soon came up with Five.
odd man. j hardly expected to see yoa
again, and here
Nar hat. II =
time
Where have you been all these ycars?'
"In this country all the timer
" No. Seem you made me kinder trembling
like about the gills, and brought back Oil times;
III tell you where I've been. AFTER you left
the diggins, struck it rich for while, and had
a good lot of dust in the locker, and thought Ia
steer on home to see if that motherin -law hsdn'T
died, aud how many babies was. And went
down to Frisco, aud went lone by steamer u
Providence-but didn't inI much Providence
in il, you bet. Nobody know me there, which
onst knew every one. lsIppose had changed
upon my wife, so went % hotel and cast an
Choir. Very curious mRn. thew thought me,
sskin' questions bout everybody"
"Did you lind your family"
found she was married to another feUar.n
+" Did they think you dead?'
:" suppose so, as L didn't send any dispatch
while was gone. She was rich and happy,
they said, and had a good husband-but the
mOther-in-law hadn't yet pegged out. / couldn't
help feeling mean till heard the last; but when
| found she was Twin with 'em, didn't m AXE
10 more signs"
:. But your children-you surely made your
SELF known to them3"
- Not as the roads are. There was only one
cared for, my little Maggie, my blue-eyed dar-
lin, and 1 found where she played ia the park,
and spoke TO her one day. 1 knowed her By her
sunny hair, and she had a little dog on the emf
OF sgurn-yatn. She had the same pretty
ways, though she was a heap grown. Once l
walked up to her when she was alone, AMI
says 10 her. Good mOTnin', little lady, Good
morning. sir says She, little timid like, Tor
suppose did look mighty rO1gh. 'What is
your name, little iady?' Hag9ie,' SAYS she;
and this IS my dog, Pug. Bless her heart, |
did want to clutch her 10 my heart and AK her
20 kiss me just once, snd ask her If she knew
me-
why didn't ypu?"
Gwen, 1 thou ht I'd better not. I asked her
where size lived. over in the big house. saws
she. is your father and mother tEerC2' NJ
father is dead in California. Mother and Emily
have got new father, but have noe"
"' been i'll California; says I, swallowing
something like a loaf OF bread in nv throat.
'iOu,' says my Daisy, and did you see INV
father" have been in many tight box Young
teller, bur that was the hardest deal ever hal
NO, little lady, SAVE /; bat are You happy
here? Yes, sir says she, 'ss can De Iiil get
20 Heaven and see my father. DO you think
he's waiting for me there?' hope 50, dsr-
Ing any rate he will be. Won't You kiss me
just once?" The little thing looked At rue
straight with her shiney eyes. Your little girl
may kiss somebody from California some day.'
Are you going back there Yes, little lady,
shall 20 Tomorrow Wait here then a minute
And she darted away over to her bOuse and dis
appeared in the garden. IL a second she was
back, and in her chubby hands were beautiful
fowers,-violets, pinks and mornin' gOrIes
VIII you take these with you and put them on
my fathers grave, il you cSn find il? He may
be lonely there Yes, laSSie,' says | almost
broken, III take them with me as you wish
And l couldn't help catchin' her in my arms
and kissin' her hard and fast. And then with
out another word left her standing there with
world o. wonder in her eyes, and got my dun
mage from the hotel, and back L came again.
Excuse me, must turn them sheep. Here,
Bruce!"
The poor old man could hardly speak, and
Do you see this?"
He took from his rough shirt little packet
fastened round his neck by cord He un-
wrapped this and there lay bunch Of faded
flowers.
- told the little lady I'd put them on her
fathers grave and I've worn them on my heart
ever SINCE
1 could not keep the tears from yelling up
into my eyes, and on pretence OF filling my pipe,
slipped away until could command my voice.
But what have you been doing since you
"Most anything. L was a fireman in the city
for years. 1t was excitin' like, aud they was
good set OF boys, was the Knickerbockers, and
we had q little lady in our company which al
ways set me thinking of my Nj agg gle, though in
looks she wasn't. But just the same ways and
actons, anu believe every man IN the COM
pany you'd have died for her. 1 got to be fore
man once, and eur life seemed to be as good as
any. Rafting to fires, pulin' up ladders,
hghtin' fire and smoke, goin' to funerals-tske
II all, we enjOyedlif and tho't Is how should
die in that business, and that the boys would
string along with the band arter my bones some
day; but il wasn't to be. There amt no par ades,
nor nothing, and the city Is too duh tor since
they disbanded US and put out fire by ms
chinery. Homeopathic nonsense, says /, putting
ont fire with fire, and L never did believe in
these new tangled notions. Dye see this 80 on
my hand? That led me TO Join that company.
1T has puzzled many fellow, but it's only what
We did at school. There was five of us that
used to 60 for apples and melons and such, and
we was all numbered. You've had my story,
young fellow. and am glad TO see you. The
sun is coming through the clouds. and If you
want to reach Bear creek tonight, you must be
starting. II you ever came up here again, see
ME. Good bye"
We shook hands, and left him following his
sheep. Our horses were soon ready, and bid
ding adieu to our kind hosts, We cantered south
ward, and my old friend Five waved his hand as
a last farewell.
DIR. DOWler's Alligator.
A writer in the New Orleans Picayuae met
somebody who was present at Or. Dowler's ex-
pertinent with the alligator, auG this converss-
finn arasn