Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-15

/! otjc grief and remorse ne was able to
put INTO words.
My brother, after ALL Used to play
/ together when we were little. Hum,
hum.
A man grows very tender when he
I goes back 10 the days when he was
.'Iittle."
Bought me a pair o skates once,
! when | wanted some Older than me
Samuel was always a-making me
| kites and whistles and all SIGH rattle
traps. Never could seem to get along
BIG family? Yes. | ought to have help
&c him. Amt a man Iivin' could
scratch anything but moss off them
rocks he calls farm. I'll help the boys
sec i don t. "
1t was 4 long, colo ride. Mrs. Mackle-
! fresh wrapped the buffaloes higher and
higher till at last she was quite extin-
guished in their folds and her husband
thought on drearily alone.
Almost there. The house is in sight.
A long, low, Imprinted affair The old
est inhabtant could not have remem-
bered when its owner had had money
enough to paint it. Here OF last.
''Who-o-a. Billy! You remember the
old hitching-pOst though it is SO long
since you've stopped at it. There has
not been much visiting lately. Remem-
Der how brother used to rush out in his
old blue coat, Alice, and"
WHY, John! Why, Johnr'
Mrs. MackIetresn rose up out OF her
cnyeloping furs like q startled Esqui-
mauX. She pinched her husbands arm
Historically, and he in his turn rubbed
his eyes half out at the sight of the ap-
partition that confronted him.
Come in! come in!'' it cried cor
daily. you must be half frozen, both
of you.
''How 70 YOU come here?" said John
Macklefresh, fearfully, not stirring
step in answer to this invitation.
How do you come, should say"
returned brother Samuel, for it was he,
blue coat, brass buttons and all. Come,
are you dead? You act SC"
No" broke in Mrs. John. who had
found q tongue, ''but we thought YOU
were. 1t said so--the telegraph did.
We came up to the funeraI!"
And so, between historical tears and
laughter and questions that nobody
pretended to answer, they unloaded and
got into the house. At least Mrs. John
did. The two brothers sided off be-
hind the barn. There John got hold of
brother SamueIs hand and shook it 81
Iently and solemnly, while the strong
tears ran down both their rugged faces.
Neither offered or asked explanations.
In that moment their hearts spoke
plainly enough. This my brother
was dead and is alive again"
In the house they went to work more
reasonably to unravcl the mystery.
Mrs. John showed them the telegram.
Il seen' cried one of them, with q
sudden light, ''there's Samuel Mackle-
fresh down at the Four Corners, and [
did hear he was very low last week.
He's got brother John, too, but didn't
know he lived in your town. Now he
won't get it. Amt that too bad?"
The brothers now came in Wiping
away surreptitious tears with their
.coat-sleeyes. They sat talking over the
curious event, when the village post
came rafting by, tossing the mail ut
them rs they sat at the window. Some
one rushed out to get it, but seized with
a sudden impulse John Macklefresh
dashed past him and secured it himself.
Hastily glanciDg about him he stuffed
one thin epistle into his own pocket. 1t
was the ''cutting letter."
''That'u keep to the day @ judg-
ment,' he muttered, rejoicingiy. IN
write him receipt in full for the two
hundred I'm deacon and a
Christian. "-PortlGnd Transcript.