Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-09-18
A TOUCH OLE NATURE.

"A"AH sttV9 4oh VI oScLApdDlOH. -" z
She stopped q little, and the few
locks visible beneath the deep bonnet
could hardly be called less than half.
gray. A faded shawl covered her mar
row shoulders, and this, with calico
dress even more faded, completed her
humble attire, Ell ...%
Her steps were slow. but not hesita-
ting, and Judging altogether from her
outward appearance, onewould scarce
iy concludeher aged outline was due to
years. Still there was about her a
worn look, that caught the eye Of Jim
Carroll, and held it,
We may say, and without fear Of
contradiction from any one who knew
him, that i'll all Missouri there were
few larger-hearted men than this same
Jim Carroll. Butitwas also true that
in all that region there were not many
who could be less charitable to their
enemies, or, when injured, longer hold
resentment.
Carroll was a single man. He look
ed young for his years, for although he
was but four years short OF fifty, one
would hardly take him to be forty.
He had fought braveIy during the
wax. and was IL bitter politician after
the service After leaving the army,
he had divided his time equally be-
tween locating long lines OF railroad
in the far West, and shorter ones near
er home.
just now he was on his way to a
preliminary survey, which he, with
others, were making near by. His as
sistants had preceded him a few rods,
and he was hurrying to overtake them,
when the woman took his attention.
Thespot he was passing, and in which
she stood, WAS a small enclosed open
ing in the pines, which served the pur-
pose OF aco,lntry buryinggro Per
haps two dozen graves were in it, some
neglected, some with bright flowers pro-
fusely growing above them, while 9TH
ers--a few only-were marked with
stones. These were all of humble
pattern, and near one of the plainest
was the woman.
The grave by which she stood, and
the one which the stone marked, was 81
long one, moss-grown, and till very re-
Gently neglected. Close beside it was
little grave, and Just beyond it, anoth-
or, not SO small as the second, nor
nearly as large sthe first.
The woman had evidently been there
some time, for little handfuls OF weeds
relying between the graves and along
the path near them. Besides, small
handful OF bright wild flowers lay even.
ly along on the centre of each.
just now she seemed busy rolling
two common stones to the heads of
the unmarked graves. One she had
already placed in position, or nearly
so, and was now working at the other,
which was apparently too heavy for
her. When Carroll saw this, he at
once laid down his transit, and step
ped up to the fence.
"Can | help you any, madam" he
rail
The woman started as he spoke and
turned half-frightened face towards
him.
II thought maybe I could help you
with the stone,' he continued. clam
sorry If startled you" s..
excuse me, SIR, she replied. ~
thought was alone, but if you can
help me, shall be greatly obliged,
though ] would not wish to trouble
"Nothing could give me more pleas
ure, madam and with this the warm
hearted man came up to the grave,
and with ease tipped the stone on one
edge at the head OF it.
what We're you going to do with
those?" he asked, pointing to the
smaller ones, evidently freshly taken
out of the ground. This he asked
partly from a desire to further assist
her, and partly from an underlined
something that made him wish to
know more OF the humble graves and
their mourner.
Thank you, sir, but if I hasten, l
think shall have time. I wished to
lay them along the grass, so if I never
come again, twill show the palmer
where they are Perhaps 'twould do
no harm, sir, but it seems hard to
NAYS s'Is Clle'i s.epPeo upon .uo,,,
.o, your iae NC Gn nl,al, Wv 't 80 ~
le.p you' p ,th,,+ on uu I suo
l ;eiiu "1. ~ w, M1 haasat e,,d -
oa toNI 60, ~ I ~. us1 ~ ~ o.aues
l'e. w. p ~ .nI ei 10y th Uoo +Iare
49, = 10y stI ~ o 4ha,,a;d thenn lann +bo
~ vt tha , az; . .anaa 90 - t te
en a.' a - 4h Lv,.e Ae.'0 ''os' CIV ~ ''0
'ot g Gns .le4 M 49,, 49,. =, sao,ad ~ Mt
,;t4,o a 10. o ,. . ~ o. sba str rne,s
tlss.e eiip Ia $50 or'o ~. lor