The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-01-18

interest, aud so 1 left them and stoou III 'u0
doorway. claar m siru
GET you amt got MUCH i"'n
'na US o. easily be 'coppered my sentence.
..Vnun@ teller, | kinder thought you said |
mat for want of suthin' to say. Look at that
min O. clouds don't they look wet?,
i was obliged to confess that they did.
''Well, said so because l wanted it to div
up. TO let us go on
"Thats more like it p'raps.r
You must have very lonely life here"
wen, 1t amt eXcitn but iolks can be as
lonely in great city as anywhere here on the
plalr. Art r man has been through with
Them things he gots to be contcnted any
where. put it down that living in cities is
unnatural and bad. A mans going to have
-..Soeli ior COMPANY three-quarters Of The
lme, and he has to take good care of it,
and when he dies he's got to play lone hand
anyway, and don't git no chums in his sx-by-
two"
otill think the pleasure of living is in
having cool friends"
80 1 thought when l WIS young and fool
.sh. Experience is everything, young fellar.
Which don't mean book learning but facts
which is knocked-inter y + by hard bumps
1t makes me laugh to read them books which
IS printed at the colleges, which says as nov
we ate advanced in ucation. why uo" II ~
Australia there's tribes of indians that can
loly-stone EN- all. They've got wep-
ling they calls Il boomerang, Which IS oniy
beut stick, but them nI9Sers VIII Jsfh IL INTO
Inc air Til Won can't see it and whiz! it comes
,,acS and hits anything they want, before or
,ah;nJ ,en,. Them learned beggars can't do
mr. explain tn 1t. Them niggels have trained
heir eyes to look into muddy water, and can
zee fish to spear em-and train porpoises to
catch fish as well. So much for eddication.',
You have been in Aust ALA, then?'
"Of course, or l couldn't tell yer of this.
But it's time TO turn in. Come, Bruce" and
lere adog that l had notseen before answered
ais masters call an followed him into the
loom. Asst they came to lie light l thought 1
'ecognlzed the dog Ia grandson of the one 1
afterwards learned, and on scanning the man
loosely found he was Five, my old mining
friend.
why, old man from Tuo,omne, don't you
remember me?'
Can say Ida"
Don't you remember our camp in early
laws, and Sim, and Brannan, and Bunyan
and me?'
A cloud of recollection seemed to pass be-
lore his eyes, and at last he exclaimed, sis it
possible that you're the little 'un"
Eyes, l ann
IWell, this is surprsin', to say the least.
am glad tel see yer; how's all the folks.'
'Pll talk to you tomorrow, old man, it's
too late to spin yarns now;' and we all rolled
up in our blankets, and soon everything was
Iuiet.
Still, dark and rainy was the morning,
when at an early hour we We're aroused by the
sound of voices, and conquering disposition
for one more nap we arose and made ready
for the fragrant coffee and biscuits, prepared
| Nv he busy hands of "Wacks," who sang to
his toll.
My love she ia handsome,
She's not very tall,
And d. II in her behaviour
1t does exceed all.
| MY love she Is handsome
| Her hair it grow down.
- And she is The bright morning star
| That lopes around this town.
Five silently swallowed his breakfast, slip
| ped quietly from the house, opened his cor
raj, AMI followed his sheep out to pasture.
| The air was filled with the bleatings of hun
| cry animals and the baby lambs frisked gaily
along after their dams, lending their feeble
| notes to the chorus. / went out, too, and
soon came up with Five.
''Old man l hardly expected to see you
again, and here"
eyer may say that : I, is funny to me some
t.me.'
"Where have you been all these years?"
''Shiitiug."
Sin this country all the time?"
mo. Seem you made me kinder trenl-
bling like about the gills, and brought back
| old times; I'll tell YOU where pve been.
| After you left the diggins, struck it rich for
a while, and had a good lot OF dust in the
| locker, and thought Id steer on home to sceif
that mother-in-law hadn't died, land how many
hah thoro nd 7 IT.,
CO, and went home by steamer to Providence
but didn't find much Providence in l., you
| bet. Nobody knew me there, which onst I
knew everyone. l suppose l had changed in
them years was agone. I wouldn't break il.
upon my wife, so went to hotel and cast
anchor. Very curious man they thought me,
asking questions bout everybody"
Odd you find your family ~
81 found she was married to another fell
lar
"Dd they think you dead?'
Il suppose so, as / didn't send any dis
patch while was gone. She was rich and
happy, they said, and had a good husband
but the mother-in-law hadn': yet pegged out.
couldn't help feeling mean till l heard the
last; but when / found she was livin' with
'en, didn't make no more sigas.'
''But your children-you surely made your
self known to them?"
''Not as the roads are. There was orly
one l cared for, my little Maggie, my blue
eyed darlin' aud found where she played in
the park, and spoke 10 her one day. Iknowd
her by her sunny hair, and she had a little
dog on the end OF spun yarn. She had The
same pretty ways. though she was alone and
says to her. Good morning, little lady,
Good morning, SIR said she, a little tmid
like, for l suppose Gid look mighty rough.
What is your name, little lady? Mag
ge,' said she; 'and this is my dog, Pug
Bless her heart! did want to clutch her to
my heart and ask her to kiss me Just once.
ard ask her if she knew me.'
''Why didn'tyou?'
"Well, l thought I'd better not. asked
he where she lived. Over in the big house,
says she. is your father and mother there p
My father is dead in California Mother and
Emily have got new father, but have
ot.''
"Pve been in California, Says /, swallowing
something like a loaf of bread in my throat.
YOU says my Daisy, 'and did you see my
father?' I have been in many tight box,
young fellar, but that was the hardest deal
ever had. No, my little lady, says l, but
are you happy here?' yes, SIR says she,
IS can be TIL get to Heaven and see my
father. Do you think he's waiting for me
there?' 4 hope SO, darling: any rate he Il
be. Won't you kiss me just once?'
The little thing looked at me straight
with Der shiney eyes. Your little
girl may kiss somebody from California
some day, 'Are gong back there?' Yes,
little lady, I shall go Tomorrow Wait here
then a minute And she darted away over
to her house and disappeared in the garden.
In second she was back, and in her chubby
hands we e beautiful flowers, pinks
and morning glories viii you lake these
with you and put them on my fathers grave,
ifyou can find it? He may be lonely there
Yes, lassie,' says almost broken. I'll take
them with me as you wish.' And / couldn't
help catchn' her in my arms and kissin' her
hard and faster. And then without another
word left her standing the e with world o
wonder in her eyes, and got my dunnage
from the hotel, and back I came again. Ex-
cuse me, must turn them sheep. Here
Brucer'
The poor old man could hardly speak, and
waited till he came up to me again.
'Do you see this p
He took from bis rough shirt little pack
ct fastened round his neck by cord. He
unwrapped this and there lay bunch of
faded flowers.
81 told the little lazy I'd pnt them on her