The Wahpeton times., 1888-11-29

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green, her eyes dimmed. somsthinr.
like a sob rose under the black ker-
chief on the bowed shoulders, and the
spectncles were taken on with trem.
bling hand and put away in the tin
case.
"Be ye goin' fur, mother??' said the
old farmer. He, had brought her a
cup of coffee ut the last station, and
had pointed out on the way things he
thought might interest her.
"To Denver"
"Wal, wal; an you're from New
England, I'll be bound?"
"From Maine," she answered; and
then she grew communicative, for
she was always 2 chatty old lady,
and she had possessed her soul in ST.
lence 80 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 consumption, that
takes SO 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
different and steady, and when he
came of age she had given him her
farm, with the provision she should
always have q 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 a burden as the wears
went on, and the children when they
grew big did not care for her, and
she felt she had lived too long.
81 growed so lonesome" she said
pathetically, cit seems l couldn't
take up heart to live day by day, an
yit l Enowed our folks waslonglived.
Ten years back, when Sam wrote he
was q doin' fair an sent me money, I
begun to think of him; fur he was
allus generous an kind, an the CRATE
fullest boy, an so I begun to save to
go to him for l knowed could work
my board fur good meny years to
come. Fur three year he ain t hardly
wrote, but / laid that to the wild
kentry he lived in. said CHARS an
Injuns don't skeer me none fur when
l was a gal up in Aroostuk kentry
there was plenty of both, an as fur
buffalers them horned cattle don't
skeer me none, fur I've been used to
a farm allus. But the lonesomeness
of these medders has sorter upsot me
an made me think Sam was further
off than ever calculated on" :
"But what will you do if Sam amt
in Denver?" asked the farmer. :.
II hev put my faith in Proti-
dence," she answered simply, and
the stranger could not mar that
trust by any warning. He gave her
his address as he got off at the Ne
braska line, and told her to send
him word if she needed help. With u
warm Handicapped he parted from
her to join the phantoms III her men,
ory of folks thet had bin kind to
her, God bless en-" and then the
train went rumbling on. But many
of the passengers had listend 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 to look at her now and
then and to answer 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 days were bright
ened by the reward for an act of kind
ness.
."She probably brought those boys
up" he thought land denied her life
for them. Is she to die unrewarded,
wonder. There can not be any
good in the world if that be so." He
thought of her and took out his
poor purse; there was little money in
it, too, every cent made d big hole
in his store; but the consciousness of
a good deed was worth something.
81 mayn't have the chance to do
many more" thought the lad, but
toning his worn overcoat. He slip
ped off at station and sent q tele-
gram 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 straw, but q kindly
wind might blow it to the right one
after oil.
When he was sitting there after his
message had gone on its way, she
leaned over and handed him q pep
permint drop.
"You don't look strong, dearie,"
she said; "hain't yeno folks with ye?"
"None on earth"
"We're both lone ones, she smiled;
can how sad it be there amt no
one to fuss over We. An be keerful
of the drafts. and keep flannel allus
on your chist; that is good for the
lungs"
''You are very kind to take an in
terest in me-" he smiled; 'but 1 am
afraid it is too late"
Another night of weary slumber in
the cramped seats, and then the
plain began to be dotted with vii
lagos, and soon appeared the strag-
Cling outskirts of a city, the Platte
River, and q network of iron rails.
"This is Denver" said the lad to
her, "and I'll look after you as well
as 1 can"
81 wun't be no burden" she said
brightly. GIVE twenty dollars yet