The Van Buren press., 1873-11-11

hen 10. NUt tnat you a,n Oeen kint
husband to me, for you hsv. Whenever
] wanted meat yev got it somehow; an
when ysv been ugly drunk yev kept away
from the house. But I'm dyin', Sam
and it's cos yev killed me ="
GOOD God. Mary!" cried the aston
ished Sam, jumping up; you're Graz,
here, doctor.
"Doetsr cant do no good. Sam keel
still and listen, sf yer love me like YET
once said yer did; fur hevnt got muct
breath lett, gasped the wsman.
Mary. said the aggrisved Sam, al
swOw to God dunno what yer drivir
at
"lts jest this, Sam" replied the wo
man. Yer tux me, tslin' me ye'd low
me, an honor me, an protect me fo'
mean to say now yer done it' I'm ady
in. Sam; hain't gotns favers to asi
Of nobody, an I'm telling the truth. no
knowing what word'll be my last. "
Then tell q feller where the killing
came in, Mary, tor heavens sake, sale
the unhappy Sam
"lts come in all alsng, Sam, said th'
woman. There 10 women in the States
SO I've heerd, that marriss for a home
and bread and butter, bnt you promised
more'n that, Sam, an I've waited, an i
amt come; sa' there's somethin' in mt
that's all starved and cut to pieces. An
| It's your fault, Sam, Ituk ye fur better OF
fur wuss, au' I've never grumbed
~ know yer hain't, Mary" said thu
conscience stricken Pike "An' l know
what yer mean. IF God'll only let yeI
bs fur few years, I'll see II the thins
can't be helped Don't cuss me. Mary
I've never knowed how I've been goin'
/ wish there was something | could do
fore you 20, to pay yer all owe yer
I'd 60 back on everything that makes
life worth havin'."
Pay it to the children, Sam, said the
sick woman. raising herself ia her miser'
able bed. "lll forgive yer everything
fysrll do the right Thing by them Do
do, everything" said the woman,
throwing up her arms and falling back
ward. Her husbands arms caught her
his lips brought to her wan cheek smile
which the grim visitor, who in an instant
later stole her breath, plying left in full
possession Of the rightful inheritance
from which it had been SO long excluded.
Sam knelt for moment with his face
beside his wife. What he said or did the
Lord only knew. but the doctor, who
was OF q speculative mind, afterwards
said that when Sam appeared at the deer
hs showed the first Pike face ia which he
had ever seen any signs OF soul.
Sam went to the sod house, where liv
ed the oldest woman in she camp, and
briefly announced the end of his wiIc.
Then. .r,Ar e..r," ~oasul,ation with tho
old woman, Sam rode 10 town ON one OF
his horses, leading smother. He came
back with but one horse aud large bun
die; and soon tho women were making
for Mrs. Trotwine her last earthly robe,
and the first new one she nad worn for
many years. The next day wagon
brought = coffin and minister. and The
whole camp silently and respectfully fol
lowed Mrs. Trotwiue to a home with
which she could And no fault.
For three days all the male Pixies in the
camp sat on the log in front OF Sam .
door and expressed their sympathy. rs
did the three friends Of Job--that is. the,
held their peace But on the fourth their
tongues were loOsened. Asa conve'ss
,ivuallst the Pike 10 not q success but
Sam . actions were so unusual and utter
" unhsard sr, that /. seemed ne il the
very stones must have wondered and
commuaed among themselves q" nev
er heard OF such thing said Brown
Buck: he's gone an bought new clothes
for each Of the four young uns
Yes said the patriarch OF the camp
+. An this moruin' when | went down to
t,s bank to soak my head. cos last nights
liquor didn't agree with it, ! seed Sam
an all his young uns As they was awash'
in their faces an hands with soap. They
will catch their death and be on the bill
with their mother, fore long, il hs don't
look cut. Somebody ought to reason
with him.
"'Twsut do no good" sighed Limp
ing Jim. Hes lost his head an reason
just goes into one ear and out at tolhe'
ear. When hs was scrapn' around thli
front door tothcr day. an l asked him
what he wuz q layin' the ground all bare
aud dssslale fur, he said he wux dsn'
keeping pig pen Now everybody but
him knows he never had . pig. Hit
heads gene, just mark my words. f."
On the morning OF the fourth day
Sans friends had just secured . full At
tendance on the log, and were as worn
mpon their fret pipes when they were
. ar.lsd BY seeiag Sam harness his horse
Ia she wagon aud put oil his children in
tsM
"whar ye bound fur, Sam p aske,
the patriarch.
Sim blushsd ~ near 40 Pike could
but answered with only little hesita
ton:
"Gsin' to take 'sm 10 schsol 10 Max
6eld-goin' to do 1t sv'ry day."
The incumbsn,s OF the log were toe
nearly paralyzsd to remonstrate, but af
ter q few moments Of silence, the patri
arch remarked in tones OF feeling, yet de
cision:
Hes he'd . tough time Of it, but he''
no business to ruin the settlement In
an old man myself and ! need peace o
mind, % I'm going to pack up my trap'
and mossy. When the folks at Max
aelds's knows what he's doing. thcyl
make him constable or . justice. an Pu
too much OF man to live nigh any sich.'
And next DAY the patriarch wheeled
his family aud property to parts nm
known.