The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-05-26
A Dernier Resort.
By MARGARET ErrrNaE.

town one afternoon in early June.
was quiet tree-shaded. grass-grow
street, and tho man, IS he Wake,
along with jaunty. swinging ster
seemed wonderfully wide awake in COZ
trast to it. He was well-preserve
man, who must have been very goo
looking. if not positively handsome. il
his youth. He was dressed in a gra
suit of fashionable cut and wore hi
silk hat slightly tipped on one side o
nis abundant brown curly hair. Thi
Drown. curly hair was very slight,
touched with gray here and there, s.
lightly, indeed. as not 10 be percepti
BILE to the careless observer. In hi
right hand, which was firmly helt
against the small of his back, he grasp
ed heavy. gold-headed cane. HI
glanced from side to side, as he walked
at the windows of the cottages with thu
air of one who has been used to, ant
still expects to catch the admirins
chances of pecping women. And il
this expectation he was not wholly dis
appointed, for from at least half {
dozen doors and as many windows ht
caught their glances. though they wers
more Of wonder than admirati on
albeit he chose only to admit the lat
ter.
by Jove!" said he to himself in ,
drawing tone as the last cottage passed
he emerged into the highway again and
came in sight of a picturesque old black
smiths shop. before which stood an
immense willow show little the place
has changed. What sleepy old town
it is. I don't believe there have been
twenty buildings added to it since ]
loft here nearly quarter of century
ago. And there's the smithy just the
same as when I worked there in a
grmy apron-paugh!" And then
stepping across to the shop where q
man of about his own age-a stout
round-faeed, merry looking fellow was
welding hammer with mighty force,
striking brave sparks from the horse
shoe he was fashioning and singing
loudly the while to the musical clink.
clink. clink that answered his blows.
''Hellow! Jim Farlow," said the new
conner. in louder and quicker tone
than that in which he had spoken to
himself, but it was not until Jim Far
low was touched upon the shoulder by
the gray-kidded hand that the loud
singing and musical clinking ceased
and the blacksm til turned slowly about
and gravely regarded his visitor with
no hint of recognition in his honest
blue eyes.
why, Jim. don't you know me?"
asked he out of the gray suit. Surely
you havn't forgotten Jack Palmerf'
Jack Palmer!' repeated tho black
smith. ..Be you Jack Palmer? Ifyou
be. you don't look much like the Jack
Palmer that used to work aside of me
at this very forge.
But I am all the same" said Pal
mer, though l fancy city life has re-
moved all trace of the country youth.
That is all trace of his rusticity.
fiat!er myself some of his good looks
still remain. Hey. JimP'
To this speech, made with sslf-satis-
fed smile. Jim replied by another
questions: II s'pose you've invested
that money SOS you made heap out
of it?'
'Well, I did-at first" answered
Palmer. ''but the heap soon dwindled
away. 1t was only thirty thousand in
the first place. you know"
"Only thirty thousand" replied Jim
with grim chuckle; ivy wen you
first heard of it 1 thought you'd go
clean daft. 1 swan 1 did. Thirty
thousand. says you to me a-tearin' off
your apron thirty thousand fur me
that never got thirty dollars together
since the day I were born an that
Xix an twenty years ago. Thirty
thousand, says you"
Eyes, yes" interrupted his compan-
ion hastily; Il suppose it did look like
! large sum to me then. but when one
ives in a great city and associates with
wealthy people it soon begins to look
ike very small one. and by Jove! it
md all I made by it got less and less rs
he years went on until I am actually
Town to my last hundred"
down TO your last hundred!" echoed
finn Farlow. swell. you must have
lived high. And now. if may make
70 free as to ask. what have you come
Jack here forP You surely amt a
ookin'-" and glancing at the kid
,loves he broke out into loud OUTLAW
you surely amt looking for job at
he old SIN thy aeainP"
'Pshaw! Nonsense" replied the
ther. half angrily, and then he resum-
d. in his former drawing tone. 'Old
,orbett's dead, hear. and left Ruth
II the property. Must be worth tidy
title sum?'
1T is worth a tidy little sum and
he's tidy little woman" asserted the |
blacksmith with emphasis.
Palmer than ever. though, l sup
ose. Naturally such homely girls
make still homlier old maids"
Il never thought her humbly nor
either did any one else but you, l
uess, Palmer. and you didn't think so
III you got amongst them city gals.
'ou treated Ruth ALFRED mean, you
i'd" and Jim Farlow turned to his
nvil again.
''Oh. look here. Jim, don't 60 to
,ork for minute or two more. Does
he live at the farmp / know I didn't
-eat her exactly right. but when. one
nds ones self surrounded by hand
ome, fashionable girls one can't help
ut forget the rustic maidens one
caves behind. But l have good reason
think that 1 can still make it all
ght. Better late than never, you