Telegram-herald., 1889-09-17

ton l. the prairie roAd ts@t Ike q elocSlste
colorea r.btoa ysoana over the biilswy pr2i'
re llAs Cf stimfxerinF green sro thf0NsA
he valleys stretching between then-
II Was occupied tbs afternoon BY sln-
gle couYsyanee, BAT thai was q reinAF AAoie
one An o.d chase. drawa by an ancient,
heasy-footcd horse were tke trst q SttrAet
attention
4 oloesr look discovered IL the vehicles >
womau's form She might have beer ferry
I've years q age, gauut, angular and grim
visaced. The ouly enhvening feature ~
The outfit was & massive boneoet ci Aoiy-
hooks which the woman held IN Der hard
TIE whole made up 4 strange picture 'or
the FAR West II locked as though u might
be tie sub. .eet q "a &C fancy drawing sud
denly endowed with Lfs-
But s. was characteristic of Trial bagley.
She had never indicated in the most remote
maaner that she cared the snap OF hef
bony fingers Tor the opinion of her nelga-
bors. and the fsct that she gould readily rec
that The men were discussing her oio Ilo1
50 much IS rafls her feelings.
Since coming 20 the prnirle neigl oorhooa
she had asked r4o favor and msde 10 friends.
Eor years she had lived by herself on TIE
little claim upOn which she had made z
with al the independence Of mGn.
She ploged, sho harvested. she managed
tic threshiag, she marketed bog products,
she was in al respects as good farmer as
her noehbors, and, while IN no sense
wealthy. had gathered together neat little
property-onough TO keep her during her
o.d age.
she had one hobby hollyhocks. They
grew everywhere about her cabin, and ~
midsummer made its surroundings almost
wilderness of bloom. Yes, she had an
other. On every Sunday afternoon, lie Il
rainy or pleasant, she hl1hed Up the an
cient horse and chgise and drove 20 the
little prairie cemetery which lay .ust over
the second range Of hills, aud II the holly
hooks were in blossom laid flowers on the
graves She was not particular about the
granting of this favor There were bat
couple Of dozen graves, end al wire re
cipients Of her strange bounty. IL she had
any preference 1t was for the mounds COW
ering the remains OF the old soldiers, sev-
eral OF whom were there inferred. These
were never forgotten while the others were
AS the buggy and horse passed the post
Office and began 10 climb the hiil beyond,
the men talked over this strange history.
There don't seem 10 be any sense In il, ="
asserted Bill Hacker, the blacksmith
'She may have had great trouble, my
friend,n iuterposcd u long-haired River
Brother, who, with the characteristics Of his
sect, was inclined 10 throw tho mantle Of
charity over all things.
Does any body know where she came
front" asked Struble, the postmaster.
"Back East, somewhere answered HaScS
ler; don't she never git no lettersP'
"Not one; leastways she hasn't since
I've been in here, nigh on to six years"
Meanwhile the subject Of their remarks
was being carried along the prairie road,
her thoughts intent on the self-imposed
task that lay before her.
Over the crestof the swell the old horse
pulled tho chalise, then descending the other
slope he broke INTO slow trot, and rattin G
down the Hill turned a short corner where
the read led into o stcep-banked gully or
ravine.
The driver ierked back on the reins and
retarded their pace. The road twisted con
siderably 10 avoid some pits washed out by
q past dcluce, and was bounded by iu.
mense sunfOwers which had grown TO Q