Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1885-08-27


she guessed she'd run over to the min
ister's and tell him "if he can ketch
hold Of a likely little girl. wen try an
git along with her two weeks'-even
then Calista only said; "Well. would,
sister. A little girl wouldn't be so
much trouble for You as boy, most
likely"
But after Miss Jane had gone on her
orrand 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 selfish
pig. Lord, help m not TO squcal and
knock over my vittles every time cant
have 'em 10 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 aud
wounded two years longer, and then
came home with the malaria that made
her an invalid for life.
Jane Sewall hae heard. as her neigh
bors had, that Alexander Merrill was
shot through the head rs ne flung him
self in desperation across the fatal dead
line of the pen at Andersonville but
there had been no engagement an-
nounccd between them.
He had whispered to her under tho
blooming apple trees the night before
his regiment went away, and asked II
she would wait until he came back. and
after his death IL was whispered about
that he had been "kind o shinin' up TO
Janc SewAll,n and the postmaster was
sure "he had wrote to hers" but the
modcsty of the New England village
would have been shocked II she had
presumed to openly mourn for him.
And so the sorrow that flowed from
Calista's wound. leaving it sweet and
ready for healing, had cankered in
James heart, end formed crust that
few broke through.
She and Calista lived comfortably on
the old place with little money and
Calsta's pension; and though their lives
might not lie in the sunshine, and the
light was subdued, il 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 aud
found Miss Jane irving so many dough-
nuts that Calisia said, laughingly. she
must be expecting a boy. after all; but
they were both surprised when the min
lister stopped at the door with boy in
his wagon.
IL said a girl" said Miss Jane, en-
phatically, meeting the minister on the
doorstep.
II know you did. Miss Sewall, /
know you d d." said the good man,
''but now I'll tell you Just how il is.
This hoy has brought dog with him"
Miss James face was gorgon-like in
its stonincss 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
.lc thing hasn't made a 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 l blame you. though.
for not wanting a boy" he continued,
land I'll see II we can't stow him away
somewhere with ours"
Miss Jane caught n 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
in"
II hope you'll never regret II, >" said
the minister, shaking hands when he
went away.
IL hope | sha'n't," responded Miss
JANE. in a tone that said IL know |
shall;' but Mr.. Chandler was used 10 a
lack Of faith. and he rode away, leaving
the boy, with the box under his arm,
standing on the broad. Hat door-srone,
in the morning sunshine.
Miss Jane said she never did see
such fool for a boy that seemed 10
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 n harm.
less little ragged-haired thing. who pal
great respect to the enormous yellow
aud-white cat Sarah. and molliied her
mistress by catching the rats the lazy
Sarah had allowed to gambol about
the barn almost under her nose
Quite a friendship grew between
Calista and Jack, for be loved TO listen
10 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 imag-
ination.
After awhile they found, in addition
to Snap. he had brought with him an
old fageolet. ON which he played. il not
scientifically, at least in a way pleasing
10 these lonely women.
"Pinafore" was new. but, fortunate
ly. the bands still play Marching
Through Georgia and Annie Laurie,
and Jack ratified them of. while Ca
lsta hummed. in n soft little voice. an
accompaniment half a measure ahead
or behind, as II happened Miss Jane
paid little heed, apparently, to the boz,
but il was not Calista who crept up
stairs 10 look at him as he lay asleep.
and murmured: "If no had lived" " and
then blushed hotly alone in the dark at
what seemed, 10 her rigid creed. al
most a sin for the unwed 10 think Of
wlfehood or motherhood, even though
il might never be.
The second week Of Jacks stay was
extremely sultry, and one night. in a
terrible shower, Calista was taken with
one Of the attacks Of illness that had
hung about her ever since her Southern
campaign.
As Miss Jane hurriedly prepared the
medicine she kept at hand, Jacks face
In..I II L.. - IL IL.