The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-08
BY PARNA'S GRAVE.
The Story Told by An Old Man to
A Chance Acquaintance.

The train paused at every lonely sta
fion, sometime permitting a passen-
ger 10 allght. but oftcncr gathering up
bclatcd summer .Ourists-the ONE
with golden rod or a,trrs in their belts,
the mcn with fish baskets or game-bags
over their shoulders. The one passen-
gcr-car was old and small and low
c".lcd, the rcd plush seats were faded.
the little pancs of gIas, grimy, and it
was olly after repeated efforts that |
succeeded IN raising the window Ia let
the soft wind of early autumn blow
against nv face. II WAS with regret
that ] viewed thc fields and woods. fer
WAS leaving them, and every tree
bcckon"d 10 M, and whispered: stay
stay until tir frost has turned our
~lray,S. until November gales have
stripucd III bare. until we hide beneath
IN" ia cS white snow. until the spring
cpinc> Slowly up ON way. | won
dcrrd if / would STAY if ! could: whcth-
rr, if all Ia" world were before me, |
would choose iu pitch my tent on some
solitary beach or within sound of the
soug.iin" p.nrs. Wa not my longing
born OF "a comfortable con.cntmcnt2
NaS ! not in my heart of hearts down
right clad to IA" going back t. the town,
Ia my friends. lay work, my winter
pleasure? \ great clump of sumach
burnt r-d iii a little hollow. and my
thoughts jumped Ia the red ne room of
INV club. - "A deep crimson arm chair
by the open tirr. and in an instant the
rumble of the tram sounded Ike The
laden omnibu>c~ toiling ovcr the city
street. Ttrr conversation of two TOLD.
midL lc-a"cd men behind me called
mo back from my dreams. and
1 was list ming 10 their droning
&c cunt of the cvi! doing> % Sundry
persons in S~aybrook. when the train
stopped. and the brakeman called out
the place ia an inJur.nG tone that
maicncd his ~up-tu,ned nose and high
circiiug eyebrows. From my wIndo
l ~aw on the Platform two young sh.
uucrulouo- ook ug who regard
ed with auN.oN' interest a thicE->ct.
white haired old man. Evidently he
WAS about la STAR: n lolrnc,, for he
carried a Satrh.l which WAS IL new and
.hiuinr a. his tall silk hat. He sp:anG
from .he Platform. not lightly. but gay
IL. an with a h~alf-laughing half-frown-
in~ refusal q. the aid eagerly rendered
HIM by both the fus>y women. They
glanced a: each other significantly AMI
purscd ~ their lips.
Now. pa. you have GOT 10 take some
sort oi care OF yourS ii. sad n of
them. in amrrirvcl ones ''iou will
Gil hurt if yon 90 jumping about that
MAN
The other woman shook her head
with a ~forlorn air that WAS in itself u
prophecy of future mi>hap Ia the agile
old gentleman: and then she and her
compauion lifted their skirts very high
and ,trlled down 10 the ground care
fully. - if 10 show that they knew
enough Ia be needed how they placed
their precious feet. Then they gave the
old gentleman much dolcfui good adj
vice. and he. declaring that he was a
lsi~ht smarter than they thought. be-
slowed a hearty kiss upoa each. and.
wrenching himself free from their
clutches. got on the car Just rs the
train ncran 10 Glide away. He came
slowly down the aisle. looking right
md left toward the well-iilled seats.
until he arrived opposite me-. when he
halted and glanced at the p~'rtmanteau
hat had 80 far been a defense against
,trudcrS. made 4 place for him at
nee. for my heart warmed toward him
Il hardly know WHY. unless 1t were
tcausc he reminded ME vaguely OF my
an white-haircd father. dead this
ANY 4 year.
..Thank YOU. Young man, he SAID.
lot the window open. eh? just lem
waive nv handkerchief out of il to
u girls. viii yoE?
L. leaned heavily on my knees and
WED his handkerchief merrly to the
Nv women. who Shook theirs sadly III
rcru. This ceremony over. my COM
pdon squared himself in the seat and
load u~nnaturally grave lie wore a
ne suit of black broadcloih. cut rs
on a country tailor can Gu black
brdcloth. the low vest displaying a
gre eNpan>c OF white shirt that ended
al lie neck in a high collar. about
viii was tied a soft hlack-Silk scarf.
ThandS and loops of the scarf were So
car,ily pulled ont and arranged that
| wdd have waGerrd anything that
II those elderly girls had presided
oychiS part of the old gentleman 5
toilel His hands were brown. but not
hards those of Il man who holds a
plownnd his face WAS lighted 10y 4
pair $hrewd. twinkling blue eyes. lie
brush a white thread off his coat. he
CROSSE his legs. he looked askant at
me. ii remarked that j. WAS =
day. ike a flash there came into mind
a drolissertation of Heinrich Hclne 5
upon | possible horrible consequences
that nj follow if one does not cap the
remarf.Fiue weather to-day with
".Yes. HAY we have fine weather.
and | ilied promptly that l had never
known more perfect autumn day.
-Juihe morning To start oil. said
the OLDHAM. My girls kind o sur
missed iould rain: but guess it was
only hs}lSe they wanted to keep M
home. hey couldn't see why should
start III OF a sudden and 60 visit
ing
$50 Mare off on a pleasure-trip'"
IremaH.
He nded and smiled: Il ain't going
very fa1ut it's to a place where 1
ain't beeh a long time. though l have
lived wi& twenty miles of it for mor
than thiAive wears. Queer how you
travel hdknd there and don't think Of
nlaceS I'd near home"