Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-26

idle. He came into the kitchen one even
ing, choosing the old quiet corner, and
following her with his eyes silently.
Is there anything lackin', Brice2''
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 Fam, thank yc. I've been
thinkin'," he went on speaking more
rapidly than was his wont, IAN l dunno.
You've heard of people gettin' wrong in
their minds.l s'pose. They wuz mostly
smart known chaps, wuzn't they?' the
low monotonous voice growing almost
sharp with eagerness. Il reckon you
never knowed o s.ny one not over bright
gittln' out of his head, ma'am2"
Il wouldn't think O them things, Brice.
Just go on and do your best, and if there's
any good, or any right, OF any justice,
you'll come out ahead; that's about all we
know, but it's enough if we stick to it,"
Il reckon you're I: ght, ma'am. Pears
sometimes tho as if anything I'D be bet
ter than the thinkin'.'
Happily, it all came to an end one af-
ternoon. Brice was at work on the ditch
again, preferring the cheerful companions
ship 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 woman to her door
instantly.
"Good-day to you, ma'am. Is there a
man name Brice Twin nigh here any
| where?"
1t was womans voice, woman with
some bits of tawdry ornament about her,
and reund-eyed boy clinging bashfully
to her skirts.
Mrs. Brandt brought them into the
house, urging the stranger to rest bit
and get her breath.
"Ihank you, ma'am; d like to be
movin' on. Do you know eff he's we'll
the man Brice? We're his wife an boy. >
The woman told her story presently,
when Mrs. Brandt had induced her to
wait until the men came home-told it
with no unnecessary words, as her listen
er made no comment.
My brother came week afore we
was leavln' an he helped us off an
came as far as Omaha. He'd done we'll
out in Nebrasky, an he gave me right
smart of money when he left. I was
took sick on the road disremember
just Wherc-and they left me at town
with woman named Dixon. She took
care of me- was out of my head long
time, an when I come to I told 'em to
write to Brice, an they writ, an
reckon they took the name of the place
from the ticket. was weak like fur a
long spell, an they KEEP writin' an no
word come, and then l recollected about
the town it was Los Angeles on the
ticket, and then | couldn't think of the
place, Id sent the letters to before, an
thinkin' worried me, and the doctor said
| mustn't try. So Lust waited, an when
l got to Los Angeles I kept askin' for
man named Brandt, till one day some
body said Brandt, Brandt, pears to me
there's Brandt way over beyond the
Mission An I went there an they
showed me your house. Then a man
give us lift on his team part o. the
way, an we walked the rest. It didn't
look very fur, but they say mountains is
deceivin.' There's somethin' kind of
grand about 'em, I reckon, it makes
everything pear sort o. small"
Mrs. Brandt told Joel about it that
evening.
~ just took the two of them up to the
shanty, and opened the door, and you'd a
cried to see how pleased she was. with
everything. And told her to kindle a
fire and I'D fetch up a bit O. supper.
And when I carried it up ana left it,
just come back and stood on the step till
| saw Brice comm home. He was walk
in slow as if his feet were weight, and
when he took hold of the door he stop
ped minute, looking over the valley
kind of wlsttul and hopeless. / CUES she
heard him come for she opened the door,
andII turnd around and come in. Barbara
Brandt says I, you've seen yeur see. II
God wants to look at that I suppose he
has right to; nobody else has that's
certain"