Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1886-04-10
A CLOSE FAMILY.
One Generous Member Proves a
Savior.

Savior.
Old Jacob Miller was Il close man
He had bought n stony hillside farm
and the soil yielded him such n grudg.
ing living that his penurious habit,
grew upon him. Exposed to the hlea,
NORTH wind, his fruit did not ripen we'll,
and his sheep and cattle, wandering
about among the rocks and briars.
always had a hungry look, Still, he
managed 10 lay by money. Year after
year he added to his land, and year
after year he went on living in the same
old house-half frame, half logs. He
kept a sharp eye on the wood and flour
and meal, and never parted with dol
/. lar without bitter struggle. His wife.
a brokcn-down woman, finally gave up
tea he grumblcd SO much about it.
Tea was the only comfort had. -
she used to think sometimes, with Il
sigh; 'it chirked me up wonderfully. -
Her hands were brown and rough and
her form was bent. She never knew
what ii was TO have mothers peace
or happiness until her second was born
The oldest was like his father. She
used to think sometimes, when he or
dered her around or snatched a piece
of bread from her hand at the table,
that he would never be any comfort to
| her. But when her second son opened
/ his eyes, and smiled at her, instead of
| setting up scream rs his brother had
done, the world no longer seemed so
dark. She drew the little bundle
closer, but the baby snugged down
into n peaceful, satisfied, contented
way, as though he had made up his
mind TO make the best of things and be
Il friend to his mother, From that day
she used to say, with something be-
tween tear and a trembling smile;
"lic has never made me mite of
trouble. His temper was a good trial
to his father, but he was always good
to me. Even when he was baby he
would wave his spoon at me and try to
talk, and he was never satisfied until
he had given me part of his bread and
milk He would sit and watch me with
his big eyes until had eaten it, and
then he would laugh and eat his
own Sometimes when he was very
hungry | would try him by giving him
only little milk in a cup. but it was
always the same-hc would insist on
dividing it, and would never drink a
drop until had drank mine. And he
would work like little beaver. He
used to drag in sticks of wood as soon
as he could walk, and when he got |
older his father said he never saw any |
one that would go ahead so. Edward |
was trce-hearted and quick tempered |
and his father was close. They had |
high words sometimes, and Edward |
would come home with his ewes flash |
ing fire and his lips shut tight, and he |
would go upstairs to his room. used
to follow him sometimes, and | always |
found him thrown down with his face |
hidden. After while he would get
over it and laugh. though | know he
had been crying, and then he would |
always be better to me than ever, for
fear he had worried me-
"But one night there was dreadful !
scene. His father struck me, and Ed
ward flew at him like a young tiger.
His father knocked him down, and
when he got up he went TO his room
without a word did not dare to fol-
low him; but before daylight the next
he came to me in the kitchen,
with little bundle in his hand and
sad he was going away. | clung to
him and begged him not to go; but he
my hands gently and said
Mother, listen, This house isn't
fg1 ma fDt d. | hat |
him.
The dark red flush that | knew so
well swept over his cheeks. and the
flashing light burned in his eyes; and
hen he broke down and cried, and put
mis- arm around me as he mad so often {
lone before in his trouble, aHAsaid I
"'Forgiye me, mother, and let me
20 1t will be best for us You don't :
,now how feel when father is so cruel |
md mean I
"He was getting excited again and | ,
,cld him close and felt rs If couldn't Z
ct him 20; hut | had TO do it. Iput !
I'll my CRYING till after he was gone, !
md went upstairs and brought down q
he stockings | had darned for him and +
lis white shirts. Then hunted up the (
.ollar bin | had kept laid away so
ong and tried to make him take il, but q
c shook his head and tried to laugh, d
nd kept his hands behind him. He /
vouldn { touch it, though | knew he +
adn'i cent q
II watched him 90 away in the early :
lawn with his bundle When he got /
o The top Of the hill he stopped and q
iSscd his hand to me, and then went Y
nio the Kitchen and threw my apron +
ycr my head and cried till | had no +
lorc tears to shed. Ii seemed as though I
II The world was dead. Would / never I
ear him bounding down the stairs a
gain. whistling or singing, or see him !
teal into the house to help me with my
-ork when | was sick or had head
che? !.
81 went upstairs and looked at his z