The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-11-12


ness she would"
The southern winter blossomed roy
ally. Bees held high carnival in the
nodding spikes of the white sage. and
now and then breath of perfume from
the orange groves In the valley came up
to mingle with the wild mountain odors.
Brice worked every moment with fever
ish earnestness, and the pile of gnarled
roots on the clearing grew steadily
larger. With all her lovellness, nature
failed to WOO him. What was the ex-
quisite languor of those days to him but
so many hours of patient waitingp The
dull, hungry eyes saw nothing of the
lavish beauty around them, looking
through it all with restless yearning to
where an emigrant train, with its dust
and dirt and noisome breath crawled
over miles of alkali, or hung from dz-
zy heights.
To-morrow's the 3rd neighbor. 1
reckon she'll be long now direkly."
"Thats fact. What rattler time
is" The days had not been long to
Joel. Wen go in tomorrow, and if
they don't come, you can stay and
watch the trains awhile. She won't
know you, Brice; you picked up amaz-
ingly."
Il think likely Loisy II know me if
she comes"
But she did not come. Joel returned
tl,o fclln nxt,i,, ,,irbt oil hox Ioc
Brice at cheap lodgings near the station.
Numberess passers-by must have notic-
ed the patient watcher at the incoming
trains the homely pathos of his face
deepening day by day. The dull eyes
growing shade duller, and the awk-
ard form a trifle more stopped with each
succeeding disappointment. 1t was two
weeks before he appeared on the mesa,
walking wearily like man under a
load.
" L reckon there's something wrong,
ma'am. come out to see if your man
'ud write me letter. L hadn't been
long in Plattsville, but / worked spell
for man named Yarnell; like enough
he'd look it up little. amt much at
writin', an I'd want it all writ out care
fully like, you know" The mans
voice had the old uncomplaining mo-
notony.
Joel wrote the letter at once, making
the most minute inquiry regarding Mrs.
Brice, and giving every possible direc-
ton concerning her residence. Then
Brice fell back into his old groove, work
ing feverishly, in spite of Mrs. Brandts
kindly warning.
81 can't stop, ma'am; the setting G
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 re-
membered that stranger,a well dressed
man, had been at the house for nearly u
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 con-
cerning his former employees health,
and earnest commentator of him to
Mr.. Brandt.
Joel read the letter aloud, something
some sturdy uprightness of his own no
binding him to its significance.
"Will you read it again, neighbor, for
I'm moi over quick ?"
The mans voice was revelation full
/
of an unutterable hurt, like the cry of
some dumb, wounded thing.
Joel read it again, choking with indig-
nation 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 into
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 the
bees in the sage went on drowsily. Life,
infinitely shrunken, was still life. A
or cried out. This man knew 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
humbly' and go on. II he had been
wiser would he have known more
No one spoke of the blow that had
fallen upon him. The sympathy that