Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1885-08-27

Crisp moss ana crushed the IraRran'
pennyroyal. she found herself wonder.
ing vaguely how it would seem if this
were the first time.
No one but herself and her God knew
of the warfare that went on down in the
southwest pasture that afternoon, but
Calista knew who had the victory when
they sat down to their five o'clock sup.
per. But she said nothing. And even
after the dishes were washed and the
milk put away, and Miss Jane tied on
an ancient black straw ''hackerney'
and said, after a little hesitation, that
she guessed she'd run over to the min.
ister's and tell him '.if he can ketch
hold of a likely little girl, we'll try an
git along with her two week" seven
then Calista only said: ''Well, l would,
sister. A little girl wouldn't be Sc
much trouble for you as boy, most
likely"
But after Miss Jane had gone on her
errand Calista went into her bedroom
and shut the door. She had entered
into her closet.
What Miss Jane said to herself as she
trudged away was: IF I'm a selfish
pig, Lord, help me not to squeal and
knock over my vittles every time can
have 'em to suit me-" And she backed
up her prayers by her deeds.
Twenty years ago Calista had closed
the eyes of her husband, young Lieu.
tenant John Emmons. in a Southern
hospital. She stayed with the sick and
wounded two years longer. and then
came home with the malaria that made
her an invalid for life
Jane Sewall haC heard. as her neigh
bors had, that Alexander Merrill was
shot through the head as ne flung him
self in desperation across the fatal dead
line of the pen at Andersonville; but
there had been no engagement an
nounced between them
He had whispered to her under the
blooming apple trees the night before
his regiment went away. and asked if
she would wait until he came back, and
after his death it was whispered about
that he had been kind O. shinin' up to
Jane Sewall,' and the postmaster was
sure "he had wrote to her." but the
modesty of the New Englani village
would have been shocked if she had
presumed to openly mourn for him.
And SO the sorrow that flowed from
CaIistas wound, leaving it sweet and
ready for healing, had cankered in
James heart, and formed crust that
few broke through.
the old place with little money and
Calista's pension; and though their lives
might not lie in the sunshine, and the
light was subdued, it was tender, not
gloomy. and the only real shadow that
darkened the path was the dread that
sometimes thrust itself forward that
one might be left alone.
The fatal Tuesday, as Miss Jane
would have expressed it, came and
found Miss Jane irving so many dough-
nuts that Calista said, laughingly. She
must be expecting hoy, after all; but
they were both surprised when the min
lister stopped at the door with boy in
his wagon.
Il said girl" said Miss Jane, en-
phatically, meeting the minister on the
doorstep.
Il know you did, Miss Sewall,
know you d d. said the good man,
''but now I'll tell you just how it is.
This hoy has brought dog with him"
Miss James face was gorgon-like in
its stoniness-'' land nobody wants him.
He brought the dog aboard the boat in
that pas eboard box, and there he's
kept him till somebody caught him put
ting in part of his luncheon for the lit
tie creature to eat. He cut holes in the
box so the dog could breathe. and told
him to keep still. and the knowing lit
tic thing hasn't made sound since
they started last night. The boy said
he was afraid to leave him for fear he
would be abused or lost"
Mr. Chandler paused, and looked at
Miss James face. He read nothing
there.
Il can't say 1 blame you, though,
for not wanting boy" he continued.
land I'll see if we can't stow him away
with ours
Miss Jane caught a glimpse of
Calista's face. "You pig, Jane Sewall,
now kick over the whole trough be-
cause you can't have everything your
way" said she to herself, and Stop"
said she to the minister; "bring him
i'm
81 hope you'll never regret it." said
the minister, shaking hands when he
went away.
IL hope sha'n't," responded Miss
Jane, in tone that said 81 know
sha]l;" but Mr.. Chandler was used to a
lack of faith. and he rode away, leaving
the boy, with the box under his arm,
on the broad, flat door-stone,
in the morning sunshine.
Miss Jane said she 'never did see
such fool for boy that seemed TO
have wit, too" as the days wore away;
and he asked her '.what held up the
stone WALL that fenced the pasture
across the road, or wondered that rasp-
berries grew on bushes. or puzzled at
the connection between the hen or the
nest and the egg found in there after
ward. Miss Jane was. as she said,
really ''nonplussed at such ignorance.
The dog. Snap, proved to be harm
less little ragged-haired thing, who paid
great respect to the enormous yellow
and-white cat Sarah, and Modified her
mistress by catching the rats the lazy
Sarah had allowed to gambol about
the barn almost under her nose.
Quite friendship grew between
Calista and Jack, for he loved to listen
to her stories of the war, though he
never hesitated to tell her when he
thought she left the straight highway of
fact and strayed into the fields of mag
nation.
After awhile they found, in addition
to Snap. he had brought with him an
old fageolet, on which he played, if not
scientifically. at least in way pleasing
70 these lonely women.
''Pinafore'' was new, but, fortunate
ly, the bands still play marching