Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-08-23

IOI pap! 10 you h0O" ulIHf IHcN SdIU
he was here, but I don't see him."
''What's yer pap's name?" Brandy
asked. We mout tell you somethin' bout
him"
ellis names Samson"
"Whut! old Ike Samson?'
Eyes, sir; only he's not old. Do you
know him?'
"Why, ya-as, we've seen i'm right
smart off an on. He ulster hang round
yere good bit"
Then he's not here now?" she asked.
oval, he's not exactly right here, but
he mayn't be fur off, you know"
''Do you reckon you could find out
where he is?"
''Why, l dunno. We mout."
Il want him so bad, and | wish you
would ask about him and help to find
him"
"W hat do You want Nv lm!"
Mothers sick down at the post, and
[ want to take him TO her SOS she will git
well. She heard of him up here, snd
left home away back in Missouri to find
him; but she took sick on the way and
can't 90 any further, and so l came on to
find pap and take him 20 her. He'll be
so glad to know she's come, won't he?"
Il dun why, yes, l low So" Brandy
stammcred out. ''Leastwise he ort to
be-"
''Ah, he will, too, for I know he must
be awful good. Mother wouldn't talk
about him so much, and cry over his pic
ture and old letters every day, if he
wasn't the best man living. He is good,
amt he?"
Brandy stammered, hesitated, and
grew red in the face, but made no reply.
After little while the girl repeated her
question.
"Why, sartinly, O. course" Brandy
said.
"And you'll help me find i'm, too?"
'Yas, We'll help you. Sam, you stay
here with the child, an the rest of us'll
look round little fer Ike"
Sam understood old Brandy's meaning,
and nodded assent. The others drew away
and walked some distance down the
gulch, where they came to halt.
"Now," says Brandy, ''you have all
herd the gals tale, an ye all know old
Ike. Whut ye got to say to it?''
For minute no one spoke, then Jerry,
stepping forward, said:
"Brandy, you've allus been sorter Of a
leader here, an I'd like ter know what
you've got to say, yerself.'
Brandy stood for a moment silently
rasping his jaw with his nails.
oval, boys" he said at last, ''you all
heerd me talkin' up thar while ago,
bout a wife and gal I've got back East
didn't ye?''
They nodded their heads.
oval, I'll tell ye, boys, s'pose that
wife an that child'ud git notion into
into 'em to come a-huntin' me up out
yere, an s'pose bout the time they'd
found whar wuz I'd done somethin' an
the fellers'ud string me up. It'ud be
purity doggofed hard on the wife an gal,
wouldn't it?''
''Bet it would" Jerry replied; ''an'
I'd be in for lettin' you go if you'd stole
ever cent O. gold-dust in the mountings."
''Them's my sentiments, boys" Brandy
said, in conclusion. "Now, what do
the rest of you say?"
'sLet i'm go! Turn i'm loose!" they
all cried.
''Then he goes" said Brandy, and the
miners broke loose in a wild cheer that
echoed and re-echoed through the gulch
and far up among the mountains.
'EThey've found 'im-they've found
inn" the child cried when she heard it.
81 dunno" Sam said, "whether they've
found i'm yet, but they will find i'm
purity soon. He was here to-day, and he
can't be far off. Is your ma much sick?"
eyes, sir; she's awful sick, and dom t
know nothing that goes on. She just
talks all the time about pap, and begs us
to fetch him to her."
''Then she didn't send you up here
after 'im?"
''No, sir; come myself. I had just
enough money to pay my way"
II reckon you'd like to go back to-
night, wouldn't you?"
eff | could find pap I would, for I'm
afraid mother amt goin' to live long,
Maybe not till morning."
"There amt no stage down tonight,
an it's long ways to walk"
ooh, I wouldn't mind that, if only
had pap to go with me. Do you reckon
they'll find him soon?"
eyes, l s'pect So"
Just then they heard the miners COM
ing back, and the girl waited almost
breathlessly for their approach.
oval, little gal" Brandy said, Twelve
found your pap, an he'll be here in a
minute The boys is fetchin' i'm up
from his cabin"
In a little while Ike Samson came up,