Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-30

AS before, all the knocking failed to
obtain an answer, and Georgia, after q
moments hesitation, put his shoulder to
the door and with as little noise as pos
sible burst the wooden button off that
served as lock. The next instant and
Georgia was in the room. The Hermit
lay extended upon the floor, his face
flushed and hot with fever, and his long,
thin fingers nervously grasping and re-
Taxing again the torn blanket on which
he tossed.
"What's the matter, old pard ?" said
Georgia, as he raised the old mans
head.
The fevered eyes 81 owly turned to-
ward his face, the emaciated fingers
opened, and the poor, lonely old fellow
said huskily:
"Don't tell her p
"Who-tell who?'
"Alice-poor little thing-she don't
know"
"Thinking of his folks in the States"
muttered Georgia, and then tenderly and
carefully he lifted the sick man in his
arms and strobe away to his own cabin.
The news of the Hermit's sickness
spread through the camp, and blankets
and food came from all quarters for his
use. The store was ransacked for the
best that it could afford. A terrible
slaughtering of mountain grouse took
place that rich broths might be made for
| the invalid. One man travelled sixteen
miles to Silverton to secure can of
peaches, and the men almost fought i'll
4I>o,x 4%r 10 NJ ri
watchers. Georgia thanked the boys,
but kept them away, admitting only one
or two to aid him in the care of the old
man. But despite all this attention the
old fellow sank and sank, and it soon be-
came evident that the mountain fever
had one more victim.
One night Georgia sat smoking his
pipe and musing. The owner of the
letter had been found, for in his rawlings
the old man had often mentioned the
name Harmer, but the boys feared lest
he should die before reading it, and this
perplexed Georgia sadly. What was he
to do with it, and might it not contain
matters of Importance? Had the old
man any friends or relatives living, and
where were they to be found? All
things and many more came fitting
through his brain, and he did not hear
his patient slowly raise himself in bed
and stare about him. The old man
looked the room over, and then his eyes
rested on the burly form by the fire.
Georgia, he said
rein an instant Georgia sprung to his
feet and fastened to the bedside.
"Why, pardner, dern it-yer-yer
| getting better, amt you?"
The old man smiled YEARLY.
"Ten me all about it, +" he said.
Georgia briefly recounted the story OF
his illness, touching but lightly on what
he had done and laying great stress on
! the interest of the men.
"But, now, old man, you'll soon be
up and among 'em," he concluded, with
| cheerful laugh.
emo" said the old fellow, with the
same weary smile, "but-but I thank
you"
sob, nonsense-that's all right
you're only leetle shook up, you know
its material after being as fur down
| as you've been. You'll soon be all
right-cheer up, and don't let your sand
run out; besides, I've got letter for
YOU"
Letter-for me ?" and the old mans
face lighted up with aneagerness that
sent tremor through Georgia's honest
| heart, lest the missive, after all, should
not be for him. H. got it, however,
and gave it into the trembling hands.
"Yes, yes" said the old fellow, "it's
I, T Io,. al
oh, how long it has been coming
but now" and his poor weak, shak-
ing hands vainly strove to open it.
"Let me-" said Georgia, kindly.
The old man let him take the letter,
and then said suddenly, but in low,
even tone: "Hole on, Georgia.
Georgia paused.
Georgia" said the old fellow, look
ing him steadily in the eye, ''you'ye
been kind to me-very kind-and I've
got nothing to show for it-nothing
but confidence. I'm going to tell you
something, Georgia, and then-then
you can read the letter and you'll I'M
derstand all the good news it con-
tains."
He paused moment and closed his
eyes. Then he continued
Georgia, was likely sort of young
chap years ago--not such good-for
nothing galoot as am now, and [ mar
ried, Georgia married the best girl in
old Pennsylvania. I was mighty happy
too happy, partner-that's what made
it go so hard when she died. We had
one child-a girl-and we called her
Alchemy wife's name. She was wee
little thing when her mother died and so
very, very pretty. It was hard lines on
me, Georgia, and somehow I got to
drinking. I know it did me no good
and T know it wasn't right, but man
don't reason much when he's desperate
like, and SO I drank and drank. I sold
out everything and put my girl-my
little Alice-with my wife's brother. He
had family of his own, and what could
lonely, broken-hearted man like me do
for a dear little girl? Georgia, if they'd
come to me and talked good and gentle
they could have made man of me, but
they didn't. They wouldn't let me come
into their house, and they said that I'd
killed my wife by drinking. Georgia, it
was a he-a damnable lie. [ never drank
drop till she died. and wouldn't have
done it then If I'd anyone to sympathize
with me. But I hadn't; was alone in
tbo world o1oDo with NV oraot oriae