Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-02-27

of his breath and clothes fairly sickened
Webb, who was particularly dainty in
his own habits.
ndt ti nght Of ths wifte Hail sad
palsied hand checked every sign of i'm.
patience. He listened patiently, and
answered kindly.
It grew bitter cold. The wind blew
into the wagon until John shivered in
his warn overcoat.! As for PogeF, his
teeth ratified and his limbs shook. He
grew silent and shut his eyes, drawing
the thin rag of coat across his breast.
John, glancing at him, saw to his horror
beneath the coat the bare skin.
"You must be freezing mani" he said.
ell am very cold, sir" he muttered.
"Pm very poor man. haven't a
penny in the world"
His lips were ashen, his pale eyes
fixed on John with a strange glare. The
young man began to pull off his coat,
and then he hesitated. 81 can never
wear it again." he thought, with shud-
der of disgust, and l cannot buy an
other"
But the next moment he dragged it of
and wrapped it about the old man, who
soon fell asleep, and grunted and suored
all the rest Of the way. -:
1t was late at night when Symes
stopped near wretched hut.
'Here's you dug-out, Poger," he said.
"Clear yourself now!"
"How can you speak to old man 80
rudely?" said John, sternly.
Symes laughed, and Poger,; rousiug
himself, eyed John keenly. "Here's
your coat. Much ob]eeged."
"No, said John, hesitating. Il do
not want it again" A nausea which he
could not conquer overcame him.
81 s'pose you're rich, eh?"
"No; nearly as poor as yourself"
"You've likely hearn tell of Matthew
Poger before?" -,
"Never. Drive on, Symes."
Goodnight! goodnight" called
Poger, standing in the door of the cabin,
Wheeling aud looking after them. ,->.
II reckon old Poger hasn't been
treated like human bein' before for
twenty years." grumbled Symes, as he
whipped the mules. ...> =:
"WhY not pr =
because he amt human, that's
why?" dosgedly answered the driver.
John had too much to think of to
argue the point. In few moments
they reached the low house which served
! as a hotel for sportsmen in summer. He
wrote to his wife that night, but he said
nothing about the two dollars or the
overcoat. He knew how the dear,
patient little woman would look when
be went about shivering through the
rest of the winter. Suppose he did not
get the situation? He had but one dol
lar left.
81 did what I thought was right" he
said, trying to shake of the gloom that
weighed him down.
But he was not yet done with old
Poger. Before dayli ght he was wakened
by the landlord.
!S:Theres miserable old scamp that
lives in the pines has sent for you, sir.
He says he's dying, and that nobody
ever was as kind to him as you were to-
day"
els there nobody else to go?" mutter-
ed John, pulling on. his clothes.
"No; he's got neither kith nor kin.
It's the first time in thirty years he's
asked anybody into that vile den of his. :"
The old man had been taken suddenly
and dangerously i'll from long exposure
and want of proper food. The hut con-
tanned only filthy pallet on tie floor, on
which he lay, table with three legs
propped against the wall and broken
chair. Wood was to be had for the
gathering, so that John soon had q
blazing fire. ::
He waited on Pogert that night and
the next day, hiding his repugnance.
Sometimes the filth seemed more Than he
could bear, but he tended and nurseG
the old creature faithfully.
At noon Poger rallied: :: ! ]
"Now 60 away, young man, and send
Nugent here-Ben Nugent, the black
smith. Don't you know Ben? Tell him
Poger wants him ri ght away"
John found the blacksmith, a burly,
shrewd-eyed man, dispatched him and
hurried to find the school committee
Pike and Amory, two men who kept the
village store, grocery and postoficc.
They heard his statement, looked at his
recommendations, and handed them
back. -. (
Every sorry, MI. Webb. think you
would have suited us exactly, but we
closed with young man named Johnson
this morning. You are just an hour too
late" -;
This, was his reward for his kindness
to beggar! John Webb walked down
the street with his head bent and teeth
set, feeling he had paid too dearly for
what he had done. When he thought Of
going back to Mary empty-handed, the
tears stood in his eyes. ...-.,-
"But I did what was right, anyhow
he said, trying to find comfort in this,
and setting his cap straight on his head.
II will 60 anyhow, and see how the old
man is, and then for home ! shall have
to foot it," Is Il. s#a ~ ~:
j. Nugent met him at thenext turn of
the sandy road. "Poger's dead" he
said, blunt!y. You were kind to the
tan, and that sorts scarce enough, Mr..
Webb. I'd be glad if you'd come to my
house and take supper, SIR:
"Thank you heartily, but must go
home at once. Iapplied> for the situa-
V3OA ~ caCAe1 AcIo, %O~G uAu uOt sue:
ceed."
AOh, you did, did you ~ scanning him
sharply. well, now; there might be:
other chances here. II Suppose you stay
over until Tomorrow? Come and take
supper with me. Something may turn.
up for you in Seaport" z.r.s,k x..,s
John consented. He was ready to
catch at any straw. There was nothing
to look forward to at home but utter
want.
He stayed with the friendly black
smith that night and the next day. No
chance turned up. In the meantime
Poger was buried.
"The old man took such a fancy to,
you," said Nugent, "that it seems as if
you ought to go to the funeral. He'll
not have much of a foilerin'."
"They won't bury him to-day?"
Yes. whV not? Hos az 6oa1 90 no