Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-08-17

down on Sandy Fork creek on the old
Plumber place ?
u think heard Of the name year
CT 50 $50 -rher 7 vas home during
~2ll..:--
Veil. tha. h:5 child
Where is Mr. Lakeman ?"
80 him ? he's dead
And the boys mother ?"
shes dead, too, died fust," said
Pete. sadly, reflling his pipe.
And the child is heir to the Plumber
farm? Well. it's very valuable, and he
has ample support
Not much" said Pete, striking
match and applying it to his pipe.
"Why not %
THE little fellow was euchred out o
it some way. He hasn't nothin' but a
hundred and sixty acres o brush and
hills not worth ten cents an acre"
Then father keeps him as matter
Of charity"
NO, boy. yer wrong agin-1 should
have said doctor. but | forgot" and
Pete laughed. But Warren was too
much interested in the little cripple be-
fore him to heed the little joke of his
friend, the pe'ldler.
You say my father does not keep
him?" he asked.
NO. yer father does keep him; but
not AS a matter Of charity" said Pete
HE has other means them"
Not dollar"
why, Pete. what do you mean?"
Warren asked, in establishment, you
talk in riddles; please explain your
self"
"Haw. haw. haw. | like to see we puz-.
zled, boy-no, doc, mean-but I'll not
keep You on the ragged edge o sus-
pense any longer. That boy is sup
ported by his sister"
His sister,"
"Yes, Helen Lakeman There were
only two o them when the old folks
died. Didn't know much about the
family cos I'd never sold 'em much
goods, they bcin' out o my regular
range. We know. But when Lakcman
died it seems every body. even his own
gal, thought he was well-to-do in the
world, but some debts come agin his
estate and took every thing except that
brush and hill land, too poor to sprout
beans. Wall, there were the gal, then
fourteen. for it was two years ago. and
her crippled brother only four. She
had some edSccation an tried to keep
school, but couldn't pass muster, some
way then she hired Out: she's been
here 1 believe for the last six or seven
months"
The story was simple one, and told
with but very little feeling OH the part
of Pete. 1t was simply the struggle of
ayoung girl trying to do her duty.
Warren received it as such. He saw
nothing especially grand in it then.
There was nothing noble in girl hiring
out to earn livelihood for herself. or
herself and invalid brother, much less
any thing romantic. What romance
could there be in q girl hiring out. 1t
~
romance in the worlds eyes must be
very unnatural. very uncommon.
Hes nice little boy" said Pete,
after few moments silence, still look
ing at the child. Though he's awfully
crippled and can't walk without havin'
his hands on his knees; he's just as pa
tient as kin be, an Helen she's mighty
good to him. She never scolds him an
alters looks to his comfort, though she
be tired out. sometimes think death
to that child will be blessin'."
Pete's tones were sad. This no
madic man. with all his bad grammar
and pronunciation, was something of a
philosopher. He had travelled consid-
erably in his humble calling. and. hay
ing keen perception, picked up many
truths not to be found in text bookk
In fact. he was an educated man, not
from the standpoint Of books, but from
nature.
why do You think the death of that
child would be blessing. Pete?" War
rem asked.
IBID ye never see bird with Grip
pied wing. and see how the poor little
thing tried to fly and couldn'tp Well,
this child, good as he is. holds down
that gal. Every cent she makes goes
to support herself an the child"
The breakfast bell rang. and Pete did
not complete his sentence.
mat morning Warren noticed that the
eyes, of the hired ghl. who was sacrificing
herself for her crippled brother. were
very large and blue, and her forehead
was broad and high. and her features
were regular. She was neat and tidy. and
did not look at all like the slovcn
kitchen girls he had seen. Her hair
was golden and neatly gathered in a
net. There was sweet sadness upon
her face, which touched him not a lit
tie. when he remembered that all her
earnings barely supported herself and
her brother.
Ito be continued