The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-18

Song has ever told,
Beams the lovein Maud's eyes
Just I've years old! L
Boston Transcript.
JAKE'S LITTLE GIRL.
.No, mister" said Uncle Jake, 81
amt spliced nor never was"
For many years Uncle Jake had
kept 3 little tavern near one of the in
lets where the sea breaks through the
long sand bar into the Great South
bay, at point about fifteen miles
from New York. Ola pleasant Sun
day in summer it was q pretty lively
resort. Uncle Jake made a jovial
host, and people used to say that he
owed his good health in a great meas
ure to the frequency with which he
drank to it himself. Most OF the fish
ing parties from the harbors along the
bay stopped here for . clambake and
= cocktail; yatchmen anchored near
tho inlet and sportsmtn would put up
at the tavern fora week Or two at q
time. But in winter it was . dreary
spot. Themonotonons turmoil Of the
surf Was broken only now andthenby
. shriil cry Of q gull or tii.efshrieking OF
the wind as it whirled scross the bar.
During tho long storms only IN oc-
casional wrecker OF . patrol from the
liie-saving station visited the place,
and at any time in winter q party like
ours was . rarity.
Areal Bohemian freak had brought
us down to Uncle Jake's that night.
The evening before . dozen of US ar
lists had met at q little reunion in the
studio OF one OF our number, and one
Of us seeing q sketch OF Uncle Jake's
tavern on the easel, had proposed
paying him q winters visit. We all
knew Uncle Jake, and the idea of a
winters visit to him was too much of
q novelty to be resisted. So We set
out. for the tavern the next day, and
arrived there before night time. IN
Gle Jake knew that the trip across the
the bay had been q rough one. So he
started . roaring wood fire; and when
We had finished supper heput a steam
ing bowl Of punch on the table. But
despite his attention and the jollity
Of our party, he wasn't in the best OF
his. glass into the punch bowl pref
! ~ often, but he seemed moody and
didn't talk much. His low spirits
seemed also to have had q depressing
effect on Samson. his big mastifi, who
was about as well known along the
coast Is Uncle Jake himself. Usually
he barked q friendly welcome to every
one who came to the house. But ha
had been sullen and silent allthe ever.
ing and had sat near Uncle Jake, rest
ing his head on his masters knee and
now and then looking up wistfully at
him.
Ihad known Uncle Jake and his
big dog longer than the Others had,
and noticed that something was
wrong. Excepting the last two years,
which I had spent in Europe, l had
been to the tavern off and on for
about q dozen summers. Ihad al
ways liked the place-lt was so far re.
moved from everyday affairs. There
was usually q fresh breeze coming over
the broad expanse of ocean, q fine
surf sending its cool spray over the
beach, and here and there a white
sale outliaed against the blue sky.
and jovial with young fellows
and few Of them ever paid q visit to
the tavern without returning to it at
some futureday. The old man seem.
ed glad enough to 9 me again and
made sne sit next to him. But I felt
that since / had been there some
change had come over him and the
dog and the old place; and at times
he looked a. though he would like to
tell me something but hesitated on &C.
count of the others.
/ remembered q pretty, bright-cyed
lass, about II years old, whensI last
saw her, who was at the tavern in
former years, and whom we used ia
call ..Uncle Jake's little girl" She
made herself handy about the place
and was so simple andgraceful in hel
Bearing that she was a tavorite witt
all who went there. The sun hac
Drowned her face and arms, and tn,
wind had; played with her fair hair I'm
til it hung over her forehead Xix,
tangled sunbeams. She was tall anc
litheSome, and as strong as she was
oroooS,,o nfton ,whon 4aha waa a. mar,