The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-05-22

and dirt, noisome breath crawled over
miles Of alkah, or hung from dizzy
heights.
To-morrow,'s the third, neighbor. 1
reckon she'll be long now direckly'"
" That's fact; what rattler time is.
The days had not been long to Joel.
Gwen go in tomorrow; and il they
don't come you can stay and watch the
trains awaile. She won't know you,
Brice; you've picked up amazingly"
think likely Loisy'll know me if
she comes"
But she did not come. Joel returned
the following night alone, having left
Brice at cheap lodgings near the station.
| Numberless passers-by must have no.
ticed the patient watcher at the incom-
ing trains, the homely pathos of his
face deepening day by day. The dull
eyes grew shade duller, and the awk-
ward form a trihe more stopped with
each succeeding disappointment It
was two weeks before he reappeared on
ne mesa, walking YEARLY like man
under a load.
" reckon there's something wrong,
ma'am. come out to see eff yer man
'ud wiite me letter. hadn't been long
in Plattsville, bat worked spell for a
man named Yarnell; like enough he'd
look it up a little. amt much at
writin', an I'd want it all writ out care
full like, you know" The mans voice
had the old, accomplishing monotony.
Joel wrote the letter at once, making
the most minute inquiries regarding Mrs.
Brice, and giving every possible direc-
tion concerning her residence. Then
Brice fell back into the old groove, work
ing feverishly in spite of Mrs. Brandt's
kindly warnings.
:" 1 can'tstop, ma'am; the sittin' 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 neighbors
remembered that stranger, a we'll
dressed man, had been at the house for
nearly 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 inquiries concern
ing his former employees health, and
earnest commendation of him to Mr..
Brandt.
Joel read the letter aloud, something
some sturdy uprightness of his own,
no doubt-blinding him to it's signi6-
canoe.
"Will you read it again, neighbor,
for I'm not over quick"
The mans voice was O revelation full
of an unutterable hurt like the cry of
some dumb wounded thing.
And Joel read it again, choking with
indignation at every word.
"Thank ye, neighbor. I'll trouble
you to write line thankin' him; that's
ALL"
He got up heavily, staggering little
as he crossed the floor, and went out in
to the yellow sunlight. There was the
long, sun-kissed slope, the huge pile of
twisted roots, the rude shanty with its
clambering vines. The humming of
bees in the sage went on drowsily. Life,
infinitely shrunken, was life still. A
more cultured grief might have swooned
or cried out. This man kdew no such
refuge; even the relief of indignation
was denied him. None of the thousand
wild impulses that come to men smitten
like him fitted across his clouded brain.
He only knew TO take up his burden
dumbly and go on.
Day by day the hollow cough grew
more frequent, and the awkward step
slower. Nobody asked him to quit his
work now. Even Mrs. Brandt shrunk
from the patient misery of his face when
idle. He came into the kitchen one
evening, choosing the old quiet corner,
and following her with his eyes silently.
Is there anything lackin', Brice ?"
The woman came and stood beside him,
the great wave of pity in her heart we'll
ing up to her voice and eyes.
"Nothin', ma'am, thank We. I've
been thinkin'," he went on speaking
more rapidly than was his wont. "an'
dunno. You've known NV people get
tin wrong in their minds, 1 s'pose.
They wuz mostly smart KNOWN chaps,
wuzn't they ?" the low. monotonous
voice growing almost sharp with eager
ness. "I reckon you never knowed of
any one not over bright gittin' out of
his head, ma'am ?"
"I wouldn't think o. them things,
Brice. Just 60 on, and do your best,
and if there's any good, or any right, or
any justice, you'll come out ahead;
that's about all we know, but it's enough
if we stick to it,.
"I reckon you're right, ma'am.
Pears sometimes THO as if anything nd
be better than the thinkin'."
Happily, it all came to an end one af-
ternoon. Brice was at work on the
ditch again, preferring the cheerful COM
panionship of Joel and Bert Fox to his
own thoughts, and Mrs. Brandt was
alone in her kitchen. Two shadows fell
across the worn threshold, and weak,
questioning voice brought the good wo-
man to her door instantly.
"Good-day to you, ma'am. Is there
man named Brice livin' nigh here any
where ?"
If was a woman's voice, a woman with
some bits of tawdry ornament about her,
and round-eyed boy clinging basnfully