Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-12-10

IuDuf - WE h'uuNhi "uH Wv" 1850
whistle. At tho third repetition an
saluts was heard, and tho
pins-calico gown came IN sight
The oval check was rcdder from
shame than exercise, as the girl ad'
yanced TO her fathers sido. She had
not meant again to face this guest who
had witnessed her poverty and awk.
warduess. but she dared not disobey.
Polly, hcv so got the letter safop"
Eyes, pop"
nWhnrp"
She raised her dark eyes and searched
both countonanoes with grave question:
Ing.
"What fer ye want ter know"
mo natter want II. ="
"Fer himW
"Thet amt noshin' ter ye,"
"Yes, pop. it be. l promised tor
keep it till his own boy come from
tho States. promised agin tibet last
day. Don't asst me ter give it up ter
nobuddy else"
Young I'M. what wus or Steady's
nameP He larnt 1t to ye so t ye could
spell it out like scholard."
"Idon't see no call"
Say it. l tell 20. Don't yc dar' go
ngin mel"
The inpatient words wore addressed
10 tho reluctant girl, but "Or Grizzly's"
eager gaze was on tho strangers face.
With slow distiuciness. feeling her.
self traitor TO n sacred memory. she
pronounced the words;
-Willett-Barr."
The traveller palol from tho shock.
whose truth was saddcr than no
dreamed. a moment later ho rose
and disappeared in the canyon.
Daddy. what fer did ye make me?
want ter tell nobuddy but the boy"
"Yender's him"
"HimP Oh, Lordy!'
To both minds returned tho Same
poor and barren death
chamber of "Or Steady" his vain Of
forts for speech, his hopeless longing
for the loved presence which had come
-.-too late.
The moon had risen when Barr re-
turned to the cabin. By tho light of a
kerosene-lamp no saw the girl within
watching over bulky envelope which
lay upon the table.
She rose to meet him rs he came
within few feet OF her and paused.
Lifting the lamp. and shading it with
her hand so that the rays fell full
upon his features, she examined them
even more critically than her father
had done.
She would have rlsked life to de-
fend, o. to deliver to its rightful claim
ant. her sacred trust.
'Sw'ar ter me, stranger; be you his
'boy'P Be you - John = Willctt =
BarrP"
The sorrowful regret In the face
confronting her was too genuine for
further doubling. With sigh OF in
tense relief she held out her hand and
the letter.
He took them both, and with the
Difference due Queen bent and
touched the brown fingers with his
lips. Twice that day Polly's eyes had
filed with an unaccustomed mist but
this time she hid them in her cham
Der.
The old man and his guest sat down
outside Neither was inclined for
speech. There would be time for such
later-that hour was for silence
1t might have been midnight when
the elders hairy hand reached out and
touched the others sleeve; left 1t TO
point silently over the moonlit sward
to the pile CT rocks bordering the
gulch.
The young mans eyes followed the
gesture, then came suddenly back and
met the triumphant gaze shot to him
from beneath old Stinson's beetling
brow.
HE amt sot thar afore sence
foun' his pile. cal'lated eff he wus
hisself he'd be on han ter-night ter
meet his 'boy'"'
With arms extended, and glad cry
as OF childhood, Barr ran toward the
group OF powders. Dimly, through
her healthful slumber. Polly heard
that happy "Father!" and smiled upon
her pillow. Grizzly" heard it. and
felt burden lifted from his faithful
heart. Tho echoes OF the canyon
caught it up and tossed it back to one
another in sweet succession till it died
upon the night wind. Did 1t reach TO
the hungry heart in the lonely grave,
and quiet its unrcstP Who can tellP
81 dare not, John. We have been
so differently trained. You have had
n lifetime OF learning, one little year.
am so ignorant! lam not good enough
no, won't say that! | am 40 good us
you-as good as any OF those beautiful
women / see; but they are far better
fitted to marry you"
A twelvemonth OF culture had not
detracted from the proud. free grace
of the creature who had grown up in
the wilderness, and 1t was quite the
old Polly who tossed back her pretty
head. folded her shapely arms, and set
her chin firmly to Withstand her plead
ing lover.
He came close to her, but he dared
not touch her. Once his lips had
caressed her fingers; would they ever
reach her perfect mouth?
Darling, what has learning to do
with you and inep Saall tell you what
| SEQ, alwaysp A fresh-made grave in
lonely place, group of rough men
and weeping girl, kneeling with
folded hands and upturned face. old
Steady knows, as | know, that no other
than his Polly can be wife to his boy.
Gomez
He held out his arms A moment
later, with the slow, sweet yielding of
the conquered wllding that she was,
she dropped to let them fold about her.
Evelyn Hunt Raymond, in Lesbos
Newspaper.