Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1879-03-05

a NJ hesath ana olo.hss fairly sickened
HSbh. Who was particularly dainty In
HI own habits.
but ths siEht 81 the white hair and
palsied hand checked every sign OF i'm
patiencA. He listsned patiently, and
answered kindly.
Il rfcw bitter cold. The wind blew
Into the wagon until John shivered In
his warn oyercoat. A. for Pogef, bis
teeth ratified and his limbs shook. He
grew silent and shut his eyes, drawing
The thin rag Of . coat across his breast.
John, Klancing ct him, saw to his horror
beneath the coat the bare skin.
You must be freezing man. he said.
ell an very cold, sir" he muttered.
I'm . very poor man. l haven't .
penny IN the world"
His lips were ashen, his pale eyes
fixed on John with . strange glare. The
young man began to pull OF his coat,
and then he hesitated. II can never
wear 1t again." he thought, with ashud-
der Of disgust, and ! cannot buy an
other"
But the next moment he dragged it Of
and wrapped il about the old man, who
soon fell asleep, and grunted and snored
all tho rest OF the way.
II was late at night when SymeA
stopped near . wretched hut.
:Herv's you dug.out. Poger," he said.
I" Clear yourself now!"
"How can you speak to old man 10
rudely?" said John, sternly.
Symes laughed, and Poger, rousing
himself, eyed John keenly. "Here's
your coat. Much oblesged."
mo, said John, h~esitating. " do
not want 1t again." A nausea which he
could not conquer overcame him.
"I5pose you're rich, ehf"
"No; nearly o. poor q yourself"
You've likely hearn tell OF Matthew
Poger before9"
SNever. Drive on, symes."
Goodnight! goodnight" called
Poger, standing in the door of the cabin,
Wheeling and looking after them.
II reckon old Poger hasn't been
treated like q human bein' before for
twenty years." grumbled Symes, as he
whipped the mules.
"Why notf"
"Because he amt human, that's
whyi" doggedly answered the driver.
John had too much TO think of to
argue the point. In q few moments
they reached the low house which served
- . hotel for aportsmen 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
he went about shivering through the
No~t nj thu ~sntnp &pnpAxoo hn did M
get the aituationf He had but I'M dol
lar left.
~ did what l 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 daylight he . Weakened
By the landlord.
"There's q miserable old scamp that
lives in the pines has sent for you, sir
He says he's dying, and that nobody
ever WAS ~ kind to him as you were TO-
day. -.
cd John, pulling on his clothes,
"No; he's got neither kith nor kin.
It's the 6rst time in thirty years he's
aaked 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 hat con.
tanned only aAlthy pallet ON the floor, on
which he lay, q table with three leg,
propped AGAINST the wall and q broken
chair. Wood was to be had for the
gathering, 70 that John soon had q
blazing fire.
He waited on Poger that night and
the next day, hiding his rePugnance.
Sometimes the filth seemed more than he
could bear, but he tended and nursed
the old creature faithfully.
At noon Poger rallied.
Now 90 away, young man, and send
Nugent here-Ben Nugent, the black.
smith. Don't you know Bent Tell him
Poger wants him right away"
John found the blacksmith, q 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 postofice
They heard his statement, looked at hi
recommendation, and handed then
back.
Every sorry, Mr.. Webb. Think YOU
would have suited rs exactly, but w
closed with 4 young man named johnson
this morning. You are just a hour to<
late"
This was his reward for his kindness
to . beggarl John Webb walked dowI
the street with his head bent and teeth
set, feeling he had paid too dearly fo1
what he had done. When he thought o.
going back to Mary empty-handed, tn,
tear stood IN his eyes.
: "But ! did what was right, anyhow
be said, trying TO find comfort in this
and setting his cap straight on his head
u will 60 anyhow, and zee how the ok
man ID, and then for home. I shall hav,
! TO foot it."
Nugsnt met him at the next turn o
the sandy road. "Poger's dead" b,
aid, bluntly. "You were kind to tn
old man. You must be an honest Chris
tian, and that sorts scarce enough, MI
Webb. I'd be glad if you'd come to m,
house and take supper, sir"
81, "Thank you heartily, but I must q
J home at once. ! applied for the situa
ton of teacher here, but did not sue
!. ceed."
"Oh, you did, did your scanning hin
sharply: "Well, now, there might b
other chances here. Suppose you stay
, over until ts-morrowf Come and tax,
supper with me. Something may tur1
up for you In Seaport"
John consented. He was ready Il
catch at any straw. There was nothing
to look forward to at homo but uttei
want.
He stayed with the friendly black
I smith that night and the next day. NJ
chance turned up. In the meantime
P0ger wa buried.
"The old man took such = fancy K
you" said Nuxent. "that it seems "A Il