The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-12-22

Just before him be wrote lubilani letters
toMaY; but, when failure in any under
taking slammed him. he was silent. AID
his silences were more frequent than has
! jubilant letters. During 4 year and a
half there had been no communicable
between them. He was making q
mighty effort 70 get rich. h benz al
his thoughts and al his labor 30 thai
| plan, and il amounted 10 nghing-jnsi
as all his other attempts did aOf
! course, - said Ralph, with some biiier-
ness. Then be sat down with his fore
head on his fists, and resolved not 10 de-
/ fer going hack b the Old town am long
err tie had the wild land which the
I Government gave him, aud Little cahin
and a few Improvements on H. Ii WAS
not such home a. be had intended for
May; but IL was he best be had. and
he would offer il to her. he WAS tired
of living half-civilized life. He e0Hld
not wait any longer for the family life
which be knew how TO appreciate, Pc
culiarly because be never had enjoyed
it-except with has eyes, in the posses
sion Of other men.
And here he WAS In the same village
with May! he felt As If Weakened from
a long and uncomfortable dream The
fire which drew out these reeOlleetiOns
also set the impatient blood 10 tiDglin.
in his fingers He must be looking for
her-haye some supper and make haste
10 find her out
Ralph went 20 the desk and dipped 3
pen to write his name. As the clerk.
who had been staring 81 him, followed
the characters, light broke over that
well-kept young msn's face
"How DO You doP' be exclaimed,
putting his hand across the desk. Il
thought / knew your face, 1Ou re-
member Joe Russell, don't vOuP-7
Ralph remembered Joe Russell i0r-
fully. Many a time had he given Joe
Russell q bloody nose, and taken 3
black eye from Joe Russell, They had
been attached plAyiellows. Ralph
could have Rugged HIM ike s Rocky
Mountain bear On Joe's pzrf there
was like willingness 20 express good
feeling. Although Chistmas Eve filed
him with business, be found time 70 81
down 10 supper with Ralph, and 10
drive about the walters assidu0uslF %
secure Ralph's comfort.
lie had thousand things 70 tell the
returned wanderer, and be told them
with the grace Of a gossip. Al con
straint left them as TREY ate and talked.
Ralph's old familiars were marched
and cOunter-marched before him. and
married or burned, or set again in her
former places A the conversation
proceeded and be postponed inquiring
about May, nervous dread grew upon
him. He did not shrink from declaring
to Joe, or TO any man. tlst she was his
choice and ne sole Objeci 0f his
devotion His love mad never been 4
thing to conceal; but what # some
dread change hAd come leo herr Il
struck him then as never before. thsf
May ooEtd die or could marry another
man than himself.
~ suppose May Pardee il in the
placer he at last ventured, huskiiF.
81 should think she isi'- cried Joe.
- Now, there's a change for you. Y0u
remember bow she was knocked about
when she was little grip
- Yes, 1 DO" said Ralph.
% NOBODY had any idea that there Eas !
a rich relative belonging - her he the .
world. But some old uncle or other 4
died, and left her a pretty plum q little 4
more than year ago. She was teach
ing school then; but DOw you'll ind
her IN pretty brCwn-sfOne house on .
First Street. IN good style. And ] Tel 4
you, Ralph, never saw money bring .
Dut any one as il has her. used % .
think she was s pinebed little thing-a
ellow would feel sorry for her; bsi
hes grown SO pretty and $50 taking
charming, You Know. that she's dan
5erous-esp ecialy 20 poor fellows on 8 N
alary, like me. Go up with NE and
zee her to-nlorr0sT. 4" urged Joe. - She
Away keeps open house on Christmas
Day, and there len / a house better kepi
n the p.ace-n0t excepting even the cid
Judges
"I don't know about that SAID
Ralph, in a changed voice Il think
u take the early morning train joe
e added, with bitter frankness, 1--WE
lways loved that girl. Ind ! suppose
he's losito ne n0w. II yvu know bOE
fellow feels when he's been baked "
early every thing he ever undertook,
on knOwmv case now.
Joe puckered his eyebrows and bent
alphabetically toward nisy0ung from
.ers nan.
~ haw, " exclaimed Joe, with ssr-
rise. but then, Ralph. what's the
se Of feeling cui up? MAY be shell !
ave You all the same, and that would
q lucky stroke for YOU But these
iris, p" said Joe, pulling his side-whisk-
rs with the air Of besu who knows !
hem well and TO his own saddeninv. !
YOU can't count on tbemi They'll be
n to-day and Of tomorrow; and I've !