The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-08-22

foot first fell upon the soil of the strange
new world.
Where was she going? Would she
ever find Matt3 Sailing on and on
penetrating natures secret places,
where the foot of man had never trod-
den. So it seemed to her. Could human
kind live in these vast, wild wilder.
nessese
Itwas like q new birth when, after
many days, the steamer entered the
beautiful bay Of Marquette, and the
fair young city rose before her astonish-
ed eyes, its white cliffs cleaning in the
sun, its green shores sweeping down.
ward to the waters edge. She was near
her goal at last.
For Ishpeming was about fifteen miles
away up the railroad, and thither she
went by the first train. How rough
and wild it all was! And how the
charred and blackened pine trees tower
ed aloft like grim giants, and pointed
their ghastly fingers at her as she swept
through their solitude!
"Can You tell me where to find man
called Matthew Ericksonp" she asked
of the depotmaster, trembling from
head to foot.
Ericksonp Erickson? Blown up
in the mines . year or so ago, wasn't
he? He stays at Sam Ayres's, the En-
glishman's, l believe. just yer 60 round
that corner, ma'am, then turn to the
right and 60 up the hill-or stay! Let
me lock up and I'll 60 with you. Ever
been in Ishpeming before? Mop 1
thought you looked like a stranger in
these parts"
He left her at Sam Ayres's gate, hav-
ing opened it calamity wnen he saw that
her cold fingers were unfit to do her
bidding. A kindly faced woman came
to the door and babe her welcome.
Meg's story was soon told.
And you have come all this long
way to take Erickson home again?''
her eyes filing. "God bless you, dear,
for I'm sure He sent you. We've done
the best we could for him, but you are
his sister?''
ssNo, I'm afriend-a neighbor. There
was no one else," she said, simply.
"What's your name? Ill tell him"
"No matter about my name; say q
friend from the old country"
The woman came back presently.
"Be careful" she said, she's weak
yet. But want to tell you something,
just to keep your heart up, for he looks
like q ghost. There was great doctor
from New York up here last week to
look at his poor eyes, and he told Sam
there was q chance for him yet-just
one chance in q hundred"
"Does he know it?" asked Meg,
TREMENDOUSLY, her color coming and 60
ing. She was but q woman after all.
Only blindness would have brought her
there.
No, and you must not tell him. The
doctor said so most particularly. Will
you 90 up now?"
He had been sitting in the sun by the
window all day brooding. They had
been very kind to him, these people,
but kindness wears itself out after
awhile. What was to become of him?
The wages he had laid up were wasting
away. The early Northern winter would
soon set in. He shivered as he thought
of the fierce winds, the pitiless, drifting
SHOWS. There was nothing blind man
could do here! If he were only at home
in Rysdyk! Would Meg be sorry for
him, he wondered, if she knew how
desolate he was, how lonely in this
strange land? If he were at home he
could learn to weave baskets like old
Timothy. Here he was just dead
weight.
"Some one to see him from the old
country"
He turned his sightless eyes toward
the door where Meg was entering noise
less as spirit, and his face kindled
eagerly. Noiselessly she closed the
door behind her. He was so changed,
so white and worn, that her own heart
stopped its pulsations for q moment.
She feared any sudden shock might
overcome him. She dared not speak
lest he should know her voice. Strange
that she had not thought of this before.
He put out his hand vaguely, feeling
the presence he could not see.
"YOu are very welcome" he said.
"But I do not know who it is. Who
are your"
He thought it was some kindly En-.
glishman, who having heard of his mis-
fortunes had come to speak word of
cheer and comfort.
She gave him her hand, still silently.
A wOman's hand! A swift thrill shot
through his frame and his face flushed.
Holding herself still with a mighty eff.
fort Meg knelt lby mis- side, laying her
head upon his knee.
His hand touched her hair, her fore
head his lips. She gave low cry,
trembling like leaf.
"Speak to me, quick" he whispered
hoarsely.
"Matt!"
80, Neg, my Meg!"-Sunday Atter-
The San Francisco Alta California
says there is a prospect of an excite
ment in olive raising in that State. In
q small way olives have for long time
been produced there, but within few
years past . Mr.. Cooper has gone into
the business of raising olive trees on q
considerable scale and with marked sue
cess. He has now 5000 trees, produc-
ing yearly an average of 20 gallons of
berries, which produce an average of
nearly three gallons of oil. Trees 10
years old in good soil will average so
gallons of berries, and the oil yield of a
u