Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-12-06

lOuUcSt 10 1auS0 at his e00to8.
when mans got to go, Wv, he's
got to-" Jess said, presently. "An'
when he gifts sol he sets around till he
mighty nigh grows fast, an sneaks
around till everybody is tired o SEEM
him. an borrys his tobacco. an never
buys nuth'n,. an pays no taxes an
won't vote, an never does nur says
nuth'n' to help the boom along, an
lows it's nuth'n' to him whether the
railroad comes yere or goes to Boom
opolis-wy. when a man gifts that fur.
gone, l reckon he's got to go, Or
"Or be buried" interrupted Cal.
That's it, Jess went on. prairie
City h'ain't got on use fer that kind O.
people. But, somehow
whats that over thar" interrupt
ed another committeeman.
A covered wagon, drawn by pair of
skinny horses, rounded the slope of a
slight rise half mile distant.
'.Must come niddlin' fur by he way
the team crawls," said Jess.
"What air they doin' out yere way
of from any road?'
Changing their course. the commit.
tee galloped towards the slow-moving
vehicle. AS they neared it they made
discovery. There seemed to be no
driver, and the reins were dragging.
The skinny team stopped as the horse
men came up. Long Jess lifted one of
the tattered curtains and looked into
the wagon.
.'Oh. have you found my boys q
faint voice quavered eagerly.
The other members of the committee
peered into the wagon. A woman with
tangled white hair about her wrinkled
face. that was wan and CHASTITY, turned
her acknowledgement eyes, full of a
pitiful. unreasoning pleading. slowly
from one to another of the bearded
faces as they looked down upon her
where she lay, on a rude bed of quilts,
in the bottom of the wagon-body.
Have you found my boy YETI" she
piped. feebly. with eager beseeching.
Ous AdNV y Ou lOuuu
I'VE h'aint-" began Cal Senter.
"Hush"' whispered Jess. I'VE ex.
pect to find him soon, grammar. He
KANT be fur off," he added, sooth-
ingly.
''Oh. l am so gladr' the sick woman
whispered. Il was afraid that some
thing had happened to him. But, you'll
find him, won't you?' she went on,
anxiously.
''We'll try" answered Jess.
''She's clOst to dyin', I'm afeard." he
said. when the committee had with
drawn short distance from the wagon
for consultation. '.Out of her head
an dyin'!'
"What air we goin' to do?" ques-
toned Cal.
What We KIM replied Jess. "She's
starvin, too, BELIEVED
Two minutes later one of the emil
grafton committee was hurrying to-
wards Prairie City as fast as his horse
could carry him.
''Mebby her boy lives sumwers yer
abouts." suggested Cal Senter.
Have you found him?" the faint
voice Quivered, as the bearded face
looked into the wagon again.
What did you say his name was?"
questioned Jess. 1T sorto slipped
me-"
Paul" and her voice dwelt loving
ly upon the name--"Paul Emery"
The shaggy heads were solemnly
shaken. No one knew Paul Emery.
Puzzled. they withdrew for anothe:
consultation.
I'm afeard she'll never see her
boy. if he h'ain't found mighty soon,"
said Long Jess.
Wonder if we couldn't sorto find
him. any how" said Cal. .'Mcbby
she couldn't tell
''Twouldn't make her no worse"
spoke Jess, IAN it might"
The others grasped the idea. Again
the bearded faces looked into the
wagon.
know him at first sight?" ques-
toned jess. might have changed
good DEAL"
The sick woman babbled on a little
while of how she would know her boy
her Paul. Then she produced
battered tintype from beneath her pill
low.
That is Paul. my boyr' she said.
Paul''
The picture ,limly revealed slen-
der young fellow, honest-faced and
beardless.
The shaggy heads were gravely
shaken.
THE scar don't show much in the
picture" the sick woman piped.
weakly. The doctor said it would
always remain there. And Bessie |
said she never wanted it to fade |
from his cheek. because it would al. |
ways be reminder of how he had
risked his life to save hers. Bes-
sic"
The committee heard no more.
They had hastily Withdrawn