Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-11-14

this long ago Providence sent a star to
guide them wise men of the East, an l
hain't lost my faith"
But as the day wore on, and still the
long, monotonous land showed no hui
man Fabitatlon, no oasis of green, her
ewes dimmed, something like a sob
rose under the black kercheif on the
bowed shoulders. and the spectacles
were taken off with trembling hand and
put away in the the tin case.
'Be re goin' fur, mother ~ said the
old farmer. He had brought her cup
of coffee at the last station, and had
pointed out on the way things he
thought might interest her.
ITO Denver"
"Wal, wal; an you're from New En-
gland, I'll be bound ?"
From Maine," she answered; and
then she grew communicative, for she
was always chatty old lady, and she
had possessed her soul in silence SO
long. She told him all the relations
she had were two grand-nephews and
their families. That twenty years ago
Sam (for she had brought them both up
when their parents died of consump-
ton, that takes 80 many Of our folks)
Sam went out West, He was always ad-
venturous, and for ten years she did
not hear from him; but John was differ
ent and steady, and when he came of
age she had given him her farm, with
the provision she should always have a
home, otherwise he would have gone
away too. Well, for five years they
were happy, then John married, and
his wife had grown to think her bur-
den as the years went on, and the chill
dren when they grew big did not care
for her, and she felt she had lived too
long.
pathetically, sit seems / couldn't take
up heart to live day by day, an yit
knowed our folks was long lived. Ten
years back, when Sam wrote he was a
dom fair an sent me money, [ begun
to think of him; fur he was allus gem
erous an kind, an the gratefulest boy,
an so begun to save to go to him for 1
knowed [ could work my board fur a
good many years to come. Fur three
years he amt hardly wrote, but | laid
that to the wild kentry he lived in. /
said CHARS an Injuns don't skeer me
none fur when was gal up in Aroos-
TUX Kentry there was plenty of both,
an as fur bufalers them horned cattle
don't skeer me none, fur I've been
used to farm allus But the lonesome
ness of these medders has sorter upset
me an made me think Sam was further
of than ever calculated on"
"But what will you do if Sam amt in
Denver ?' asked the farmer.
81 hey put my faith In Providence"
she answered simply, and the stranger
He gave her his address as he got off at
the Nebraska line, and told her to send
him word if she needed help. With a
warm hand-clasp he parted from her
to join the phantoms IN her memory Of
folks tibet had bin kind to her, God
bless EN-" and then the train went
rumbling on. But many of the passen-
gers had listened to her story and were
interested, and they came to sit with
her and cheer her way. One pale lad
in the seat in front turned round to
look at her now and then and to an
swer her smile. He was going to the
new country for health and wealth,
poor lad, only to find eternal rest in the
sunny land, but his last dayswere bright
ened by the reward for anact of kind
ness.
sShe probably brought those boys
up" he thought, ''and denied her life
for them. Is she to die unrewarded,
in the world if that be So" He
thought of her and took out his poor
purse; there was SO little money in it,
too, every cent made big hole In his
store; but the consciousness of a good
deed was worth something. A"I mayn't
have the chance to do many more"
thought the lad, buttoEing his worn
overcoat. He slipped off at station
and sent telegram to Denver.
''To Samual Blair'-for he had caught
the name from her talk-"Your Aunt
Hannah from Maine is on the w. & w.
train coming to you"
1t was only a straw, but kindly wind
might blow it to the right one after all.
When he was sitting there after his
message had gone on its way, she
leaned over and handed him pepper
mint drop.
''You don't look strong, dearie," she
said; "hain't We no folks with We ?''
None on EARTH"
"We're both lone Ones" she smiled;
San how sad it be there amt no one to
fuss over ye. An be keerful Of the
drafts, and keep flannel allus on your
chist; that is good Tor the lungs"
"You are very kind to take an inter-
est in me-" he smiled; ''but I am afraid
it is too late"
Another night of weary slumber in
the cramped seats, and then the plain
began to be dotted with villages, and
soon appeared the struggling outskirts
of city. the smoke of mills the CLEAN
of the Platte River, and network of
iron rails
"This is Denver" said the lad to her,
"and I'll look after you as well as [
can"
IT wun't be no burden" she said
brightly. "I've twenty dollars yet, an
that's sight of money"
The train halted to let the eastward
bound express pass, there was an air of
excitement in the car, passengers get
ting ready to depart, gathering up lug
gage and wraps, and some watching the
new corners and the rows of strange
faces on the outward bound. The door
o. the car slammed suddenly, and big
bearded man with eager blue eyes came
down the aisle looking sharply from
right to left. He had left Denver on the
express to meet this train. His glance
fell on the tiny black figure.
"Why, Aunt Hannah p he cried,
with break in his voice, and she-she
put out her trembling hands and fell
into the bio arms tears STREAMING down