The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-09-06
Only q Cup Of Coffee.

Fields sparlled like snow in the sun.
! Away in the distance rose the noun
tains, bare and brown. Close by the
railroad track stood the rough station
buildings, and two or three adobe huts
where refreshments were offered TO
| travellers. The express had thundered
| by an hour before, and now the third
class came leisurely up and stopped.
Out stepped the passengers, intent upon
breakfast. One family had brought
their provisions with them, making tea
and coffee, as they wanted it, on the
stove in the ear. But most Of the
company were men who did not know
much about helping themselves. One
slender lad, Harry Minturn, sat in 4
seat at the other endef the car until all
around him had gone out; then taking
out his purse, he carefully counted its
scanty contents. It had taken weeks of
saving to get enough to buy the ticket
for the East, and his margin was small
when that was done.
"Bread and butter this morning. he
said, as he Joined the crowd outside. \
| few steps of he saw q modest little
shanty, which seemed to have nobody
near it.
"Thats the place for my money" :"
thought Harry. Entering, a delightful
OdOr of coffee greeted him. Just the
smell seemed to warm him, and his
hand in his pocket felt the bits longingly.
Alasl he knew just how far they would
go, and just how many meals they
would buy; and Harry had learned that
| it is safe never to spend your last penny,
and honorable to scrimp and save, and
even appear mean, so that you do not go
| in debt. The jolly young fellows who
sang songs and told stories in the cars
would have lent him money, careless
whether it was ever paid. But Harry
would as soon have begged as borrowed.
An old woman sat knitting in chair
/ by the stove. She gave the lad Il chair
and asked him what he would have.
'TTwO slices of bread and butter, if you
/ please.n
"Nothing else ,"
'sThats ALL" said Harry. The great
round of cOrned beef and cold mutton
We're not for him.
Looks hungry, poor bOyw said the
woman to herself something nea
the size of my jim"
She cut two generous slices from he
large loaf and put plenty of butter OF
them. Over her glasses, now ana then
she watched the appetite with whicl
he ate
Rather dry, now, isn't ito"
"Oh, no. said Harry, 81 never taste
+ anything better"
won't you take a cup of coffee wit
, it? Do"
MADAM" said Harry, Owe thre
; thousand miles to 90, and just enOug
, money to take me there. Home is
| the other end I've enough for brea
, this morning, but not enough for cOfie
. + o.. g.
''Boy,r said the widow, II have DO
, off at sea somewhere near your age, an
, some day, on his way TO me, he ma
, have to 20 on short ratiOns. Now yO
, be my Jim this morning, and have you
! breakfast"
, wish you could have seen the bi
blue and white cup into which sh
poured the yellow cream, and stirred th
, sugar, and filled up with foaming coffee
wish you could have seen Harry drin
. it, and then, when she wouldn't take
, bit from his store, just put his arm
around her neck and said:
"Well, mother, if you won't tax any
thing else, you must let me kiss you 70
, Jim"
It rampled the cap-borler little, bu
it did the old lady good, and the hand
= from the road coming moment after
found hermore clipper and CHEEKY thai
usual.
The fields are there yet, glittering will
alkali; the brown adobe huts, the un
painted shanty, and the bare rugge
, cliffs in the distance. Old Mother Nal
: 10y still makes her bread and coffee 70
| the railway folks, and waits for Jim t
= come in some day. Harry, westwar
, bound again, with business before hin
and funds in his pocket, is intending I
: stop at that station to take love toke
/ to that good old heart that gave him j
! his need what seemed like nectar
; though it was only cup Of coffee.