Connecticut western news., 1880-05-12

said Georg1a, "an' 1t sorter strikes me we might call in an see."
 t As this met the approval of all the men, Georgia and Roney started up tc the Hermit's little cabin. A dim light crept around the edges of the old fou1 sack that acted as curtain for the little square pane of glass constituting g window, and after consultation, the two messengers concluded to take Q peep before making their presence known.
 Georgia put his face to the glass and peered intently within. The. Hermit sat on the earthen floor enveloped in torn and Miserable blanket His hat was off, and his long, gray hair was tangled and unkempt. His eyes, which Georgia could plainly see, as he sat nearly facing the window, combined with their usual pleading expression sort of feverish glitter, and the whole attitude of the man was one of despair. In his hands he held what appeared to be a photograph and an old letter, and he never moved his eyes from them. a... ...
 The rest of the room that came within Georgia's field of vision betokened clean iness, but at the same time extreme poverty for even that rough country. Georgia withdrew his head, and his com panion took Q look, after which they both softly retreated some little distance into the timber and paused
 "Well ?" said Roney.
 "Durned queer," said Georgia.
 "Kinder sick looking, eh ?" s..
 Georgia nodded his head thoughtfully.
 "Let's see the boys about it, D said Roney, and then they both retraced their steps to the saloon.
 The boys listened with interest to the report, and pulled their boards and scratched their heads in attempts to ob- tain solution as to what ailed the Her init. Many and various were the expla- nations given, and then they decided that Georgia and Roney had better go back and knock at the door and inquire, at any rate, if anything was wrong so, thereupon the two once more started up the trail. They knocked-frst softly and then louder-but eicited no re- sponse or caused any show of life within, save the extinguishment immediately of the light.
 "No use," whispered Roney, and, without further word, they left the little cabin and its solitary and eccentric occu- pant, and joined their comrades.
 The next day passed, and the next, and the Hermit gave no signs of exist ence. That evening the mail came in and among the letters was one, in a woman's hand, for John Harmer, Min eral City, San Juan county, Colorado. There was not such parsonage in the county, so far as the boys knew, but Georgia suddenly suggested that it might be for the Hermit. This, seemed most probable, and he was deputed to carry it up and deliver it, if correct.
 As before, all the knocking failed to obtain an answer, and Georgia, after moments hesitation, put his shoulder to the door and with as little noise as pos- sible burst the wooden buttons 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 neryously grasping and re- laxing again the torn blanket on which he tossed. # s 1 Whats the matter, old pard ?" said Georgia, as he raised the old mans head
 The fevered eyes slowly turned to- ward his face, the emaciated fingers opened, and the poor, lonely old fellow said huskily:. . .. s'Don't tell her r, .s .
 Who-tell who?"
 "Alice-poor little thing-she don't know" f~
 Thinking of his folks in the States, ]" muttered Georgia, and then tenderly and carefully he lifted the sick man in his arms and strode 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 ransaclzed for the best that 1t 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 Slverton to secure @ can of peaches, and the men almost fought in their anxiety to act as nurses and watch CTS. 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 became evident that the mountain fever had one more victim. One night Georgia sat smoking his pipe and musing. The owner of the let ter had been found, for in his rawlings the old man had often mentioned the name farmer, 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 befound? All these 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. I In an instant Georgia sprung to his feet and hastened to the bedside. Z" Why, pardner, dern nit-yer-yer get