The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-12-13
1 asked where Daisy had removed to?

--~~~~~ "~~SAN DesAoy iloo lCmONCo W.
80 no, Cap, you don't understand.
The old woman, she went back to Sacra-
mento-broken-hearted, they said; but
Daisy, she's gone; called for, taken up
among the stars where she belonged.
We miss Daisy, Cap. She got round
some O the boys, and she made them
promise to knock off their grog; 1 hahn t
touched it since. and I've saved a little.
If she'd only staid, this thing wouldn t
a happened" You see, Cap" he con-
tinued, heres how it was: One O. the
boys got badly hurt in his drift across
the creek, and one morning Daisy start
ed over to take him somethin, and it
was a-runnin bank full, and the log was
slippery, and-well, we found Daisy a
mile below, with her brown hair all
tangled among the willows, and her
blue eyes kind o pleadin' for help; and
We brought her back poor thing!
There wasn't single drink taken on the
Bar that day, Cap; it seemed to go agin
the boys. And Oregon Sis-her that we
all thought so bad--she combed out the
tangled hair. and she knelt down and
kissed Daisy, and went two miles a-foot
up the meadows and got flowers and put
them in the little blue hands, and
that's where we laid her, Cap-up there,
where you see them white pickets."
For some time, the poor fellow could
say no more, but sat with his face bur-
led in his hands.
'And Joe?" I asked.
"Hush," he said, pointing to the sa-
loon, "Joe's in there; his sands about
panned down-shot, night afore last, in
a row. Joe's a-passin' in his checks,
sure! You see Joe went to the bad.
He sat by the old foot log. melancholy
like, and wandered up and down the
creek, and no one could do anything
with him, and he took to drink again;
and the cussed temper come back. and
he got to quarrelin' with everybody.
Night afore last he got in row with
Portegee John, in poker game; they
both drawed, but John was too quick
for him, and Joe's bad hurt. The doc
tor says he amt got no livin' show.
May be you would like to see him,
Cap"
We went together into the room where
the wounded man lay. The broken win
dows were darkened with blankets, and
on rough pallet we found the poor fell
low, breathing heavily, and two of the
boys tanning him tenderly as a mother
would have done. The ashy face and
heavy drops of sweat that gathered on
the forehead, told the unspeakable ago
ny of the sufferer, and showed that,
sure enough, Joe's sand was nearly run
out, and he beyond all human leechcraft
We had not meant to disturb him, but
his ear, quickened by pain, caught our
stealthy footsteps, and, turning round,
he recognized me.
80, Cap" he said, "you have come at
last. knew she would send some one
to talk to me, as she used toto tell me
about that blessed land where Christ
ives-Him that she just made me under
stand little, when she left us. And
pray for me, Cap, and ask Daisy to for
give me for letting the devil come back,
and for forgettin' all that she taught
me. She told me, if 1 would only be-
lieve all she said. that would go to a
glorious land that was away beyond the
stars. She's gone there, Cap, and be-
heve every word of it now. o, can you
pray? She taught me, but I've most
forgot how"
- S'Ol lOlo l1hC pray ing, IL WAS
then. If ever I felt able to ask forgive
ness for poor, wayward, shattered soul,
trembling on the brink of the Unknown,
about to be weighed in the balance of
the Eternal, it was at that moment.
Soon there was silence unbroken, save
by few smothered sobs among the by
ISLANDERS; but quiet, peaceful light
rested on poor Joe face. Come close
he said. in low tone, II feel better,
now; 1 know that am goin' to where
she is, and somehow I don't feel so
much pain. Tell the boys to lay me be-
side her; there's room enough, and
then can find the way to where she is.
And, Cap" he whispered, as he reached
his hand under the pillow and drew out
two pictures, put these on my heart,
they belong there; poor old mother and
her-the only two that ever knew how to
reach it. Write to mother how it was,
and that if did forget her, 1 never will
again. When I'm gone, whisper to
Daisy that believed it all, every word
of it; that I found the road at last, and
am comm. Yes, Cap, I'm goin' to
Da -"
Poor Joe! the blest seeds of light
sown by the little Daisy, had taken root
at last, and an unruly and turbulent
spirit was at rest forever and forever
more.-Ouerland Monthly for December.