St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-10-19

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hopefully. ''across them deserts like
this long ago Providence sent star to
guide them wise men of the East, an
hain't lost my faith.
But as the day wore on. and still the
long. mOnOtOnous land showed no hu.
man habitation. no oasis of green. her
eyes dimmed. something like sob
rose under the black kerchief on the
bowed shoulders, and the spectacles
were taken off with trembling hand
and put away carefully in the worn tin
case.
BE We 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; you're from New En-
gland. I'll be bound?"
From Maine" she answered.; and
then she grew communicative. for she
was always a chatty old lady. and she
had possessed her soul in silence so
long. and it was q relief to tell the
story of her weary years Of waiting TO
kindly listener.
She told him all the rela tons 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 SO many of our folks)
went out West He was always ad-
venturOus. and for ten years she did
not hear from him; but John was diff
ferent and steady, and when he came
of age she had given him her farm.
with the provision she should always
have 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 ~ the years went on. and the
children when they grew big did not
care for her, she felt she had lived too
long.
II growed SO lonesome" she said.
pathetically, lit seems couldn't take
up heart to live day by day. an yit l
knowed our folks was long lived. Ten
years back, when Sam wrote he was a
dOin' fair an sent me money. begun
to think of him; fur he was allus gen.
erous an kind. an the gratefulest boy.
an so began to save to 60 to him. fur
l knowed I could work my board fur a
good meny years to come. Fur three
year he amt hardly wrote. but laid
that to the wild kentry he lived in. I
said bars 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 q farm allua But the
l0nesumness Of these medders has
sorter upset me an made me think
every day Sam was further off than l
ever calc'lated on"
But what will you do if Sam amt
in Denver?" asked the farmer.
Il hev put my faith in Providence. :"
she answered. simply. and the stranger
could not mar that trust by any word
of warning.
He gave her his address as he got
OF 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 'em, "and the train went
rumbling on.
But many of the passengers had
listened to her story and were inter-
ested. and they came to sit with her.
One pale little lad in the seat in
front turned round 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 frightened by the re-
ward of his thoughtful act of kindness.
''She probably brought those boys
up" he thought land denied her life
for them. Is she to die unrewarded. l
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 90 little money in it. too.
every cent made big hole in his store;
but the consciousness OF a good deed
was worth something. Il mayn't have
the chance to do many more" thought
the lad. buttoning his worn overcoAt
He slipped on without word At
station and sent q telegram to Denver
ITO Samuel Blair"-for he had
caught the name from her talk-''Your
Aunt Hannah Blair. Of Maine. is on
the W. 4 W. train coming to you "
It was only . straw, but . kindly
wind might blow it to the right one
after all.
When he was sitting there alter his
message had gone on its way. she
leaned over and handed him . pepper,
mint drop from . package 10 her
pocket
You don't look strong, dearie. ~ she
said; '.hain't ye no folks with ye?
.'Noue on earth"
Were both lone ones" she smiled;
AN how sad it BE- there amt no one
70 fuss over ye. An b keerful' Il the
drafts. and keep flannel allus Oh your
chist; that is good fur the lungs.
You arc very kind to take an inter
est in me-" he smiled; .'bnt am
afraid il il too late" ss ,,s.i ..
Another night of weary slumber in
the cramped seats. and then the plain
heonn tn be dotted with villages. and