Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-03-26
LIFE,
Stlett Storp.
MARK HEBER'S LUCK
AN INDIAN STORY.


fathers funeral with the problem vi his
o"n iutule pressing upon hi. thouy ht.
and demanding prompt solution.
dis hOiAe had been. irUm hi. earliest
remembrance. upon stony. wolu oul
farm OF fifty acres, situated upon the Sen
sca Lake, in Western New York. Ills
father had become SO heavily involved in
debt that two weeks before his death The
farm had been sold oy foreclosure ol
mortgage.
And now what was Marx Ia do !
He was lad OF nineteen. slight and
boyish in frame, but wiIa the streugtn ol
a man IN his sinewy arms. lie hal had
the usual advantages ol education Afford
ed TO farmers sons.
lie returned home from his fathers
grave 10 the small. uupainted. story and
= halt house, and after him came his faith.
sr's only brother wsll-to dJ farmer,
who resided in the usghborhooJ
This uncle. Air William Heber, ~ns
. man OF sixty years, pompous and self-
important His soul was OF The smallest
pattern, and he had never been known TO
do a generous deed. while he had done
many mean ones
well, Mark" said his uncle, I've
sent nv folks on home. So that can have
a good talk with you Morgan tells me
he wants the larm. lie has held of two
weeks while George WAS dying. cut he
wants To move in next week. What are
you going to DO p
Il don'r know, uncle. am trying to
think. What can do p
Il have thought the matter over said
Mr.. Heber. and have thought upon n
plan. am willing TO take you, m.rN,
and treat you as my own son. You shall
have = home at my house. and Il seat at
my table. What do you say p
You forget. uncle, that | have some
one TO provide for besides myself said
Marx. Suppose were to accept this OIL
fer of yours. what viii you DO for Gay ?
The girl is no relation ol ours. Marx. '
The boy sighed
Poor little Gay he said; 'Acls is a
hard lot. DO you remember how the
child came by her name? II is thirteen
years this spring since lady stopped at
our door and asked leave TO remain over
night. She slaid or day after day, grow.
ing weaker and weaker Ii did not take
long to discover that she WAS insane.
She called the child Gay. and sometimes
Gabrielle. which is Gay. true name.
But she did not tell her surname, nor any
thing concerning herself. Late that SUM
mer she died. No one ever came to in.
quire after her OF the child
Her mother WAS crazy tramp, and
nothing more No wonder George was
bshindhaad, when his wife adopted The
child of a tramp and brought her up a
lady. said his uncle.
Mark colored.
Il cannot hear word against my moth
or, sir, he said. Il shall protect Gay
while | live, and she shall not be sepsr-
ated from me-
Then wash my hands of YOU ex-
claimed Mr. Heber angrily. You can &c
your own way, and get your own living.
Very well, SIR said Marx quietly
that is settled them
In one week Marx had sold pair o.
| colts which be had raised himself, FOL
| FIVE hundred dollars, the household furni
ture for nearly AS much more, and wal
on his way, ilh little Gay. to the ial
West, to seek their fortune.
The young travellers arrived at Leav
enworth after long and fatiguing journ
ey.
Here Mark. while looking for wagoi
and yoke OF oxen with which to eros
the prairies, fell in with an old farme
named Whitman, who had been livinl
in Western Kansas. but did not lik
it, and was on his way TO Nebraska
Mark concluded to join him. and Mr.
Whitman assisted him in purchasing
suitable outfit. and that same night Mar
and Gay were snugly ensconced ia thei
huge travelling wagon, outside OF th
city, on the edge of the prairie, wher
Mr. Whitman, with his wife and seye
children, had encamped. Six other fam
lilies were with them the seven wagon
being parked in the form of circle
} that is, The pole OF one wagon restin
upon the rear of another-and the oxer
mules, horses COWS, dogs and pigs bein
gathered into the circle thus protected.
Outside the circle OF wagons gres
fire was burning, and as Marks wago
drove up, the conductor OF the train. MI
Landlord, came forward and welcome
the newcomers,