The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-08

next uDor. "a YOU inic-bt -a'. 20
nv old home. where | grew UP. and ]
ain I been there in ten year.. went
over once TO the funeral Of an uncle %
mine, nv mother only brother. and
] ain seen any Of the folks. except now
and then as thGy would come on busi-
ness or something Of that sort 10 N
village. Lately. though. / have had a
great desire TO 90 back-wan; to Sc:
the orchards that ! hooked apples from
when | was "A boy" He paused and
chucklcd at the delightful memory OF
his youthful! pranks: bu: hi, face grew
grave. and when he cont Erd j: was in
. low. confidential tone: .'You see. ! have
got tn go pretty s0o for ha' awarning
this spriIg-a stroke paralysis-ap
plexy-Idon know which; for awhile
l wa, bal OF. ] can't do much now
adays. and my sons-in-law run the store
mostly; aud so ! says to the girl. that |
would buy a new suit Of clothes. l
should have to have EN- any how u be
buried in. and might as well get a lit
tie wear out Of 'cm first. SO | got the
suit; and then | made up my mind 20
90 visiting. The girls didn't lik. to
hav me 90 of: but ain { got so old As
10 he bossed around Ike a child. ! knew
! could take care Of myself. and ! know
everybody in B~aldwin-that's the name
Of the place | am going To; next station
but one. WAS raised there. 1 guess
this will be my last visit-ihouyh a man
may have a shake and live twenty years
aftcrward. Ii don't make me much
alive, somehow
He smiled. and his cvcs twinklcd. but
his words were pathetic to me. Perhaps
! encouraged him. for he rambled on.
telling me all about his family and bus
mess affairs. and winding up with an
account OF his wifc's death. which had
occurred the winter before. He was
deep in the details Of her last illEcSs
when the train stopped 80 suddenly as
I % ~startlc ever, body. and the men with
n accord FASTENED out Of tn. car and
rushed forward 10 see what had hap
pcnci. A freight train Ia I'll run oil the
track. wreckiny one ear completely; but
a ganc of laborers had already arr.vcd
from New Iia.en. and the conductor
told Us that tn way would be- Cleared
in AN hour or 80. Leaving my new
friend to watch the progress of the
work. | sauntercd slowly down a shady
road that wound through lonely fields.
Presently | carne on a little school
house. painted white. and through the
open windows and door l saw Il few
children seated at their desks, while a
few others stood up before the spinsier
teacher. rccitinI Il lesson. | felt 4
thrill of pity for the lint-lock"d urchin
who was sayin" the NUT plication table.
stumbling over the Mines. just a. l had
III my box hood. Opposite was a grave
yard. running up steep TO the east and
aud incloscd bv a low stone wall that
WAS almos hidden beneath tangled
vines and sprawling bushes. There
were no paths. and the graye-stoneS
pee ed IA from a dense growth of tall
graSsc,. purple aStcrS and vivid golden
rod. One stone marked the grave of Il
certain Appollo' Wclthcy. who had fall
cn i'm the battle of Seven Mountains. |
made my way about the graves slowly,
but | found no quaint cpitaphs, although
some of the names struck me rs extra
ordinary-such u Noihdlah, AMI Par
tlicna. and Minerva. Far up on the
blow of the hill was Il simple marble
slab. marking III place whcrc Parma
Shelby was buried, who had died in
1876. aged eighteen. Set back in the
headstonc. and protected by Il marble
Flap that hung OF a hing. Il scover.d
a dagucrrotype of the Il lad girl. and |
looSci long and earnestly on the pic
tur-d face. Tho expression Wa gentle
and winning. Her thick hair Wa, urIwn
back from Il b-oal intelligent brow.
and the shadow of 4 smile lurked in the
OF her mouth. Her large eyes
met mine with "A sort of entreaty. max
ing an appeal for. sympathy and re-
spect. At her throat an old-fashioncd
brooch fastened a pretty embroidered
collar. and the auSterely simple dress
fitted smoothly owe her >Ipping shoul-
dcr> and gir,i>h breast. She had died
in September: perhaps she had been
buried on just such a day a. this, when
the goldcn-rod famed along tn. fences
and the asterS were abloom every
where. She must have had fr ends To
mourn her. n mother Ia weep bitter
tears in the darkness. Even the sea-
sons. with their storms of rain aud now
had dealt tendcrly with this portrait of
her. hidden away III III, stone.
You hcrc?'
| started. Behind me stood the gar
rulouS old man. my companion in the
cars. looking down n me seriously. and
without 4 word he seated himself be-
side me on the sunkcn stone near
ParnaS grave. For awhile We w.,rr
silent. and the children in the school
house across the way began II recitc
something in Il chorus. their voices
rising and falling in Il monoionouS chant
Poor Parma said the old man.
softly.
You knew herr"
He nodded. and. taking hold of nv
arm. pointed Il Il church >pirc that
showed itself on n hill IL the west.
That where I'm going" h. said. 1T
amt three miles away and. as We have
10 STAY there till he track IS Gear for
the train. l thought I'd JUS; walk down
and see the graveyard. My folks are
buried Wonder. under shat pine-trce.
and l suppose I'll lay alongside Of EN-
some dav. told the girls 10 bring lie.
I'd rather he here than anywhere else.
l guess
After n minutes pause he stretched
out his hand. raised the marble flap.
and locke 1t the portrait Of Parma with
a waveriug smile.
..lt Il good likeness" h continued.
Her old father had il put III. She was
all he hal lc:t. anu he didn't stay long
after she WAS gone. Ii" used IL come
here and sill and look NJ The picture 10y
the hour. Many'> the time ! have Sen
him sitting here al alone. sor; - talk
ing. aS though she could hear. He WAS
childish. and | Sue>s ne thought he
knew that h" had c,me 20 keep he-
compsny. Perhaps she did" Ani,he