Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-11-26


without his supper tonight" saidWid-
ow Hosmer, as she peered anxiously
out into the bleak rainy twilight. Pete
had sprained his leg 50, slipping down
out of the hayloft. that he can't take a
step on it, and s'pose you and | will
have toshnish the chores, Milly."
"All right. mother /; l can milk old
speckie as well as not 1; AID then we
have only to close up things for the
night. Pete managed to get the hay
down before he got himself down, but
l do think he is the most awkward, ,un-
lucky creature that we ever had on the
place. Here it isn't O week since he
almost cut his thumb off, and its a
| mercy he didn't burn the house up yes
terday, when he went and started the
great fire In the fireplace without ever
taking the boards off the chimney ~
Eyes, that's so ; he does seem bit
unbalanced but feel sorry for the
poor fellow. He's groaning dreadful
with his leg, and won't let me do a
thing for it; says he has got it wrapped
up and thinks it will get easier after he
gets to bed. gave him some liniment
for it and he went to his room, and
now comes this dispatch from Jim, aud
no one to 60 to the station with his
lunch"
'Never mind, mother !; We'll fix it
somehow" answered pretty. brown
eyed Milly, as she hustled about, put
ting on her waterproof and overshoe
preparatory to finishing the chores, and
the darkness hid the rosy flush with
which she said as the first tinking
streams OF milk made music in the tin
pail "Mother. l believe / can carry
Jim's lunch down to him myself !"
"Mercy, Milly I'd never dare to
let you 1.-The night so dark, and the
road so long and lonely /! No, indeed,
child; Jim would never allow it.''
81 know, but it is too bad for the
poor fellow to 60 without his supper
this cold, bleak night, and I know ev-
cry inch of the way with my eyes shut
Mrs. Hosmer shivered little as she
drew her shawl closer agaius: the keen
autumn blast, and one could see that
her resolution wavered little.
"a cup of nice, hot coffee from home
would seem sort of cheerful to him."
she said, in a meditating tone, land
it's proper kind of you to make the of
fer, child; but doubt it's being safe
for you going 80 far alone"
"Nobody would be likely to be out
such a night as this, unless it should
be some Of the neighboring farmers,
and even if there were 1.-The darkness
would hide me-"
"I'm afraid to let you 20, Milly. I've
heard of tramps, and
"I'll cell you, mother; I'll take Jim IS
revolver ! He left it in his room the
last time he was at home"
"Werl," began Mrs. Hosmer, doubt
fully. "though you'd never dare to use
it."
"Yes, I would, il I really needed tol"
responded Milly $50 let us call it set
tied, and 60 in and get something nice
put up for lunch.'
Really pleased down In her maternal
heart for this regard for her sons CON
fort, Mrs. Hosmer gave a reluctant
consent for Jim was her only and al
most idolized child, little Milly being
only the daughter of a dear dead friend
whose child Mrs. Hosmer had gladly
taken to her home and heart.
The farm was small and Jim detest
cd farming, so man was always em.
ployed on the place, while ambitious
Jim risked life and limb as an ehgin-
eer. He was now handsome, ,stalwart
fellow of twenty y-six. whose broad shoul'
ders, Lronzed face, and merry eyes
were secretly enshrined in Milly's heart
as her ideal of all that was noble and
manly. AS for Jim, he, too, had an
ideal, and often as he sat waiting on
his engine he.pictured future fireside
to which he could turn for rest instead
of to his barren boarding house, and
the woman's face that always smiled
his welcome in its light was wonderful.
" like the little picture of Milly Jha
he always carried in the pocket of hi
blue flannel shirt. Many time th'
engine light shone over the sweet fac
as it lay on his grim palm at interval
of work, and Jim would whisper, soft
| ly, 'sBy and by, little GIRL" as he care
fully slipped it back where it beat will
every beat of his heart.
Working fAit hfully and steadily, Sc
cretly laying the foundation of tha
ideal home, Jim had gained the respec
and confidence Of his employers ant
was on the road to promotion. Blu
, his work now was somewhat varied
and when the busy season came ant
freight was moving freely, he oftel
ran wild train" through Rock6eld
as the little place was called, where
station had been erected for The accom-