Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1886-04-03

friends. Two men can live like twins
a whole lifetime, but just let a pretty
woman come in and they will fight like
| brotherS-in-law over will. When little
| Phillis came to school, and jim and
ran races to ask TO see her home or to
fetch her to singing school or Sunday
night meeting, then. stranger, We
| knowcd the first trouble of our lives.
Somehow we grew cold like, and be-
fore that year was ended we did not
speak. One night Jim and met at her
house. was seventeen then, and jim
was over eighteen and as big as man.
lie had beard, almost, and he was AZ
handsome as picture. He didnt
know | was there, or don't think he'd
a called. had been there about ai.
hour, and just before the knocker
sounded Phillis had told me the old
story we all of us love to hear so we'll,
and felt as happy and light-hearted as
a lark. When jim came in and saw us
sitting in the little old parlor he seemed
to know just what had happened like q
flash. For n moment thought he'd do
something he'd regret some time. His
face got so black and sullen and his eyes
got ugly. Phillis saw it, too, soon rs |
did.
"'Jim. said she. her voice trembling
just little, Jim, want You and Bob
to shake hands and be friends
"Thcn got up and held ont my hand;
though, to tell the truth, felt sort OF
nervous.
Jim, she went on, her voice get
ting stronger and her face getting
swcetcr and Sweeter i want you to
love Bob again just AS YOU used TO, be-
causc-bc because | love him SO much,
Won't you, Jim, for-my sakep
"l wish YOU could have seen Jim just
then, stranger. | never saw the good
in man fight SO hard with the bad and
come out ahead in all my life before or
since, and never expect to again. lie
stood there by the open window just As
if he'd been carved out of stone. |
didn't know whether he'd heard what
she said or not, he was SO still.
Then, Just as | was about to take
back my hand, Jim took it in both Of
his so hard almost dropped. Then he
threw his arms around my neck, kissed
me on my lips, Hoped down on a
chair, stranger, and cried like baby.
Phillis, the little woman, cried too,
and there we all were with our arms
around each other crying like women
and not any of us knowing what we
were crying about.
THAT settled things with us, After
that we was brothers Just like we used
to be. Well, it's II long story, and
guess YOU won care to hear it all. So
I'll cut it short When | was twenty
one | was married. Jim was our best
man, and my oldest boy is named
James Churchill Brown. About year
or so later Jim married. She was n
cripple and supported her mother do
ing sewing. But if she had been II
royal princess Jim couldn't have
treated her any better. After he got
on the road he built her little house
near us and there they lived and there
these little tots came into the world.
About n year ago II little boy came to
their cottage. but he only stayed Il day
or so, and when he went back to where
he came from he took the little mother
back too, and these little ones were
left behind. Jim never lost heart,
though, but the blow nearly killed
him. He stood up under it as bravo
RS Il lion, and you d never have known
from his face, except that he didn't
smile the way he used to, that he knew
what sorrow was. One evening last
weck-it was an Off day with Jim--he
and Phillis was out walking by the
creek that runs through my meadow
by the red barn. 1t was just dusk and
my little boy was running on ahead
playing in the snow when they came
o the railroad crossing. just as they
got there Jim heard a whistle. 1t
wasn't time for the regular train, so he
wasn't watching out for danger, 1t
was a special and it was coming round
he curve like lightning. My little
Jim was playing ON the culvert Phil
lis heard the whistle, she saw the boy
IN the track, she heard the rattle of
he engine just as if it was a dream.
Then She gave little scream and fell
lown on the road in faint
East Creek called out the conduc-
or, as the train stopped again in the
storm.
ooh, Uncle Bob!" cried the little
maiden by my side. Look out the
There's Aunt Phillis and
,ousin Jim and there's grandpa and
grandma and what a funny looking
black wagon that is! Look! Look"
he continued, as the farmer gathered
ogethcr his charges and started for tho
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