The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-12-21


now ard then a breath of perfume
from the orange groves ia the valley
came up to mingle with the mountain
orders. Brice worked every moment
with feverish earnestness, and the pile
of gnarled roots on the clearing grew
steadily grew larger. With all bel
loveliness nature failed to WOO him
! What was the exquisite languor oi
those days to him but so many hour
of patient waiting. The dull, hungry
eyes saw nothing of the lavish beauty
around them, looking through it al
with restless yearning to where ar
emigrant train, with its dust and dirt,
and noisome breath, crawled ovel
miles of alkali, or hung from dizzy
heights.
"To-morrow's the third, neighbor.
reckon she'll be long now direckly.'
That's fact; what rattier time
is" The days had not been long tc
Joel. "We1l go in tomorrow, and il
they don't come you can stay and
watch the trains awhile. She won't
know you. Brice; you've picked ul
amazingly
81 think likely Loisy IL know me il
she comes"
But she did not come. Joel return
ed the following night alone, having
left Brice at cheap lodgings near the
station. Numberless passers- by must
have noticed the patient watcher at
the incoming trains, the homely pathos
of his face deepening day by day. The
dull eyes grew shade duller, and the
awkward form a trif1e more stopped
with each succeeding disappointment.
1t was two weeks before he reappeared
on the mesa, walking wearily like a
man under load.
81 reckon there's something wrong,
ma'am. l come out to see ef yer man
'ud write me a letter. l hadn't been
longin Plattsvllle, but worked spell
for a man named Yarnell; like enough
he'd look it up a little. l Amt much
at writin', an I'd want it all writ out
careful like, you know" The mans
voice had the old, uncomplaining mo
notony.
Joel wrote the letter at once, making
the most minute inquiries regarding
Mrs. Brice, and giving every possible
direction concerning her residence.
Then Brice fell back into the old groove
working feverishly, in spite of Mrs.
Brandt's kindly warnings.
81 can't stop ma'am, the settin
round 'ud kill me-"
The answer came at last, business.
like epistle, addressed to Joel. Mrs.
Brice had left Plattsville about the
time designated. Several of her neigh
bors remembered that a stranger, q
well-dressed man, had been at the house
for nearly a week before her departure
and the two had gone away together,
taking the western train. The writer
regretted his inability to give further
information, and closed with kindly in.
quiries concerning his former employee:
health, and earnest commendation oi
him to Mr.. Brandt
Joel read the letter aloud, something
some sturdy uprightness of his own,
no doubt-biinding him TO its signifi-
cance
"Will you read it agin. neighbor, fol
I'm not over quick"
The mans voice was a revelation full
of an unutterable hurt, like the cry ol
some dumb wounded thing.
And Joel read it again, choking witt
indignation now at every word.
Thank ye, neighbor. I'll trouble
you to write line thankin' him; that
ALL"
He got up heavily, staggering LITTLE
as he crossed the floor. and went out
into the yellow sunlight. There wal
tre long. run-kissed slope, the hug
pile of twis ed roots, the rude shanty
with irs claubering vines. The hum
ming of bees in the sage went OF
drowsily. Life, infinitely shrunken
was life still. A more cultured grie
might have swooned or cried out
This man knew no such refuge; ever
the poor relief of indignation was de-
MED him. None of the thousand wild
impulses that come to men smitter
like him fitted across his clouded brain
He only knew to take up his burdeI
dumbly. and go on. If he had beer
wiser could he have known more!
No one spoke of the blow that hat
fallen upon him. The sympathy tina
| ulet Hliu Cdiic III tiic "cihcf Wasp "
hard hands and the softening of rougl
voices, none the worse certainly for it
quietness. Alone with her husband
however. good Mrs. Brandt's wratl
bu b!ed necessarily.
sits a crying, burning, blisterin.
shame, Joel, that's what it Is! l sup
pose it's the Lords doings. but l can
see through it."
IF the Lords up to that kind G
business, Barbara, don't see no iurth
er use for the DEVIL was the dry re
sponse. Joel's religion was as fre
from any theological timidity as
child's, and quite as simple.
/ These plain, honest folk neve
dreamed of intrudiug upon their neig
boris grief with poor suggestions of re
Iquital. Away in the city across th
mountains men babbled of remadie
at law. But this mans hurt was be
yond the jurisdiction of any court
Day by day the hollow cough gre'
more frequent, and the awkward ste
slower. Nobody asked him to quit hi
work now. Even Mrs. Brandt shran
from the patient misery of his fac
when idle. He came into her kitche
one evening, choosing the old quie
corner, and following her with his eye
silently.
us there anything Iackin' Bricei
The woman came and stood besid
Thim. the great wave of pity in he
heart welliug up to her voice and eyet
"Nothin', ma'am, thank ye. "
been thinkin' he want an SoaaL;n