The Red Cloud chief., 1885-06-05

~ al "a,
som a., a garden. and laugh beneath
their burdens OF fruits and grains
CHAPTER VII
A COMFORTABLE HOME.
s'IDoks sort of showeyy like" said
John Parsons. coming into the shanty
the day before the girls were 10 90 to
Sacramento. and finding them and their
mother with eyes which gave evidence
OF weeping. packing up their wardrobes
preparatory TO starting.
Il believe ! shall cry myself If Won
wimin folks don't stop lOokin' so sick
like about the mouth. You don't want
TO see m old man like me CRY, do YOU,
nowe'
Come. mother, cheer up. You know
the girls II be in good hands. that II treat
EN- wei and let u. know if anything
happens 'em. 'Txin't fer very long any
wav: only a few months, an ! was
gone from YOU all more than six years.
and If ! hadn't a left you WI wouldn't
have had this ranch sto-day. which will
soon be the lines: in the whole country;
worth all the hard work and suflerin'
we've gone through.
AT least" he added. m~editatively,
..as well worth it as anything that poor
folks gifts is worth what it costs 'em.
And here's Johnny, he's a houseful
Of himself, amt you. Johnny? You
won't let mother and me git lonesome,
will you?'
But the youpgster had caught the in
lection Of tears, and his fathers forced
attempt ut being ~jocular could N o re-
move the feeling of coming loneliness
that was casting its shadow before, and
he stbod stall and looked silently ct the
preparations for the departure Of his
sisters with an expression on his ace OF
sadness and half of baby wisdom. Is if
he halted between sorrow for the COM
ing loss Of the girls and regrets that his
parents had no better judgment than to
permit their going.
The morrow saw them depart. A few
months later. q beautiful day in spring
saw them return. improved in mind and
appearance from the contact with those
whose thoughts and deeds had sought.
or were seeking. a different channel
than that to which their own had been
confined.
II John Parsons had been proud of
| his girls before. he was doubly SO now;
for he'could not fail to see that as,oci-
alton with people Of education had CIV
EN- an added grace to the body as well
rs the mind. And. unwit;ingiy per-
haps. the young people Of the neighbor-
hood showed them a triile more defer
ence than was usually given to those Of
their own ace and condition in life.
This Difference was in no sense obse-
quiousness; il was but the natural eN-
! preston of that respect which all. Yer
those least ambitious of excellence. feel
for others who are known to be striv-
inc to make themselves wiser and bet
ter.
Mrs. Parsons was not less pleased than
her husband. She also noticed the es-
TEEN in which her girls were held by
young and old; and that while they
aided rs willingly and cheerfully in the
household work. or in that of the vine
yard and orchard. as ever they had
done. they saw that the performance Of
manual labor alone vas not all their
duty to themselves and { o society, but
that the mind and the heart were en-
| titled to cons. derasion as web as the
body.
As for Erastus. he felt a little shy
whan he welcomed the girls on their re-
turn. True. he kissed both Jennie and
her sister. hut somehow il was hot the
hearty kind Of . smack with which he
had hidden them goodbye. and he held
Lucy's hand while he kissed her. instead
Of giving her = hug IS he had done the
morning they left
As for johnny. he Wa in ecstac:es;
for had not the rs brough; him . half
dozen things that he had been wanting
and expecting On their return? Be-
sides, he should have some one IN help
hunt hens nests and look for ducks
eggs in the water of the creek. where
they persisted in laying them Il thew
were not watched and shut up every
night.
A few DAYS after the return of Jennie
and Llcy the carpenters came and be-
gan work on the new house. All the
spring and summer they were busy;
and when they left. there stood in
front. and q little above the old shanty,
I, which was Lenceforth 70 be used for
fruis- packing and driving purposes. .
two-sso-y frame house with green blinds
and . verandah on three sides; the
coolest. mos; comfortable. most hos
pi;shie-looking house you would sec in
. months travel.
And no more hospitable family ever
lived than That which gathered about
the table of John and Martha Parsons,
and partook of the rich fruits and we'll
cooked meats and vegetables with
which II was daily spread.
No struggling miner. weary with
travel and wanting rest and food. evef
left their gate without at leas, a silent
wish that blessings might descend and
rrst upon the household.
The occasional traveller through the
country on business or pleasure heard
Of the Pa-sons' ranch: its splendidlv
titled acres; il luscious fruits and is
hosp;table owners. miles before he
rsacAed il and Travelled An hour later
thas he might knock q is gates and
obtain permission 10 spend the night
beneath its heuod root
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