The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-06-03


ger in the next seat behind.
This is the train, replied the man.
'Therel didn't l say so?' chuckled
the old gent
1T may bet may be- she replied.
dubiously; but if we are carried wrong 1t
wont be my fault. I say that we are
wrong, and when we've been led into
some pirates cave and butchered for our
money yen wish you had needed my
wordsl"
= He looked out of the window again,
opened his mouth as if to make some in
quiry of a boy sitting on the fence, and
then leaned back in his seat and sighed
heavily. She shut her teeth together as
if saying that she could stand it if he
could, and the train sped along for sew
eral miles. He finally said
Looks like rain over thar in the
West. 1 hope the boys hev got them
oats in"
"That makes me think of that umbrel-
leri" she exclaimed, diving her hands
among the parcels at their feet.
She hunted around for two or three
minutes, growing red in the face, and
then straightened up, and boarsely whis-
pered,
"Ifs gonef'
"W-what2" he gasped.
THAT umbrellerY'
Nor
"Gone, hide and hairl' she went on;
that sky-blue umbreller which I've had
ever since Martha died!'
He searched around, but it was not to
be found
"Waal that's queer" he mused, as he
Strengthened up.
"Queerl Not bit. I've talked to ye
and talked ye, but it does no good:
Ye come from a needless family, and
ye'd forget to put on yer boots + l didn't
tell ye to-
"None O the Harrisons was ever in the
poorhousel'' he replied in cutting
tone.
'Philetus-Philetus II. Harrisonl" she
continued, laying her hand on his arm,
don't ye dare to twit me of that againl
I've lived with ye nigh on to forty years,
and waited on ye when ye had biles and
the toothache and the collie and when ye
fell and broke yer leg, but don't push
me to the WALL"
He looked out of the window, feeling
that she had the advantage of him, and
she wiped her eyes, settled her glasses
on her nose, and used up the next fifteen
minutes in thinking of the past. Feel
ing thirsty, she reached down among
the bundles, searched around, and her
IdCe was as palS as USdIu dS sue SIFdlSHt-
ened back and whispered:
''And that's gone, too!'
What now?" he asked.
THAT bottle with the cold tea in itl''
"It's been stole!' he exclaimed, look
ing around the car as if expecting to see
some one with the bottle to their lips.
"Fust the umbreller-then the bottlel'
she gasped
II couldn't have left it, could I?''
Don't ask mel That bottle had been
in our family twenty years-ever since
mother died, and now it's gonel Land
only knows what I'll do for a camfire
bottle when we git home-if we ever
do"
"Tll buy one"
Eyes. know ye are always ready to
| buy, and if it wasn't for me to restrain
ye the money'd fly like feathers in the
wind"
"Waal, 1 didn't have to mortgage my
farm, he replied, giving her knowing
look
"Twitting aginl 1t isn't enough that
ye've lost good umbreller and camfire
bottle, but ye must twit me o this and
that"
Her nose grew red, and tears came to
her eyes, but as he was looking out of
the window she said nothing further
Ten or fifteen minutes passed and. grow
ing restless, he called out to man across
the aisle:
whats the sile around her?'
"Phiietus-Philetus H. Harrison! stop
yer noisel'' she whispered poking him
with her elbow.
~ just asked question: he replied
resuming his old position.
What d your bro other Joab tell ye the
last thing afore we left hum?" she asked
Didn't he say somebody'd swindle ye
on the string game. the confidence game,
or some other game?" Didn't he warn
ye agin rascalsY'
81 hain't seen no rascals.
"Of course ye hewitt, cause yer blind !
know that that man is villun, and if
they don't arrest him for murder afore
we leave this train I'll miss my guess. I
can read human natur like book"
There was another period of silence
broken by her saying:
II wish l knew that this was the train
for Chicago"
Course it is
"How do you know?'
"Cause it is"
"Wall, I know it hain't but if you are
contented to rush along to destruction /
shan't say a word. Only, when yer
throat is being cut don't call out that l
ulun warn y0!
The peanut-boy came along, and the
old man reached down for his wallet.
"Philetus, ye shant squander that
money after peanuts!'' she exclaimed,
using one hand to catch his arm and the
other to wave the boy on.
Didn't l earn it?
Yaas, you sold two COWS to git money
to go on this visit, but it's half gone now,
and the land only knows how we'll get
homel"
The boy passed on, and the flag of
truce was hung out for another brief
time. She recommended hostilities by
remarking:
81 wish l hadn't cum"
He looked up and then ont of the win
dow.
81 know what ye want to sayI' she
hissed, "but it's a blessed good thing for
ye that l did comel If ye'd come alone
ye'd have been robbed and murdered
and gashed and scalped and sunk in
the river afore now!'
"Poohp'
Yes, pooh, f. ye want to, but I knowl'
He leaned back, she settled herself
anew, and by and by
He nodded.
She nodded
And in sleep their gray heads touched,
and his arm found its way along the
back of the seat, and his hand rested on
her sh oulder.
1t as only their way.