Nevada County picayune., 1889-05-01

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 now. for Hudson is dead and they'c as well make up their minds to it al once. It's been q long time sine, the news came of him dyin' in Cali fornia, bat they don't believe it, and just keep on expectin of him. i In the meantime, the boy ap- preached, and the old man, bccom- ing so intensely absorbed in his thoughts, had forgotten him. He was 2 tall lad, poorly dressed, but with an aIr of complete independence.
 Good evening"" he said, coming up close and placing one foot on the platform.
 The old man gave start on being thus suddenly disturbed, and, quickly glancing up, looked for moment on the face before him, and the color all went out of his own and he sank back without q word, although his ips moved and he tried to speak. The boy did not notice this for he had caught sight of the faded sign over head and was engaged in trying to make il out in the gathering hadcs of night. In d little while the old man recovered, and he asked:
 Boy, what's your name -
 sam Hicks. That was my faith CTS name, too, and he was your son. ;"
 "Ies, yes" the old man said, ris- ing with great effort and steadying himself against the building. 'I thought so. can see it in your face You look like him-like Sam my, mean. But you say he was my son. What do you mean:' and he took the boy by the arm and looked into his eyes as if he eX- pected to read the answer there. What do you meanf" he repeated.
 "Then you do not know. He is dead. -
 The old man sank back on the box with great gasp, and he became so pale that the boy was scared. But he soon recovered.
 'How did it happen that you cameE' he asked.
 Il was left alone when father and mother died, and they sent me back to you-the people did. l came from California with Slas Hudson who lived over the hill there, and he told me where to find you and sent me here"
 And Silas Hudson has come back! l thought he was dead-kllled in mine"
 No; l heard them talking of that, but it was mistake. It was my father who was killed"
 My boy killed." the old man ex- claimed, "and it is thus 1 have kept my promise to Lindy. It was l that drove him away, and I that killed him. Poor, poor sammy"
 The boy stood motionless for mo- ment, then turned to go away.
 "Hold on," Hicks cried, tottering down the road to where the boy was standing. "What are you going away for :"
 "iou say you drove my father off, and mistreated him. If you did that l cannot love you, and must go away. l don't want anything of yours after that"
 Didn't you know before you came? Didn't they tell you and teach you to hate me!"
 "No, sir; they did not. They taught me love you and to respect your name. They never said any thing bad of you" and again the boy took step forward, but the old man held him fast.
 Don't go, don't go, child,' he pleaded, and his voice was so weak and faltering that it touched the boys heart and awoke his deepest sympathy. "Don't go away and leave me, for Pm so lonesome and sad. l treated your father mean, but If you will stay and cheer me up with your presence l will live diff ferent life. 1 know that I've done wrong, but Eve suffered for it. Do not leave me. l cant spare you. l won't let you go.
 Sammy could not refuse the heart broken old mans request, and the few years that they remained together were happy ones to Sammy, and through the old mans sorrows there came many streaks of bright sun shine to break the gloom of his sad life. ~ Exchange.