Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-12-19

room. Jacob. SamethjugD air right and
somethinRs air wrong Imean n the dxin's,
lad; and hev noticed that the right things
are what was easy to do, and the other
things that were heap more trouble they
don't suit no one now they are done.''
s'Oh, fatherI fatherT' said Jacob, rising
and pacing the floor; '.you
should have been in my place; you should
have had chance"
.sChance for what. iada Money? I do
not want it. never have-that is not what
I have keered for"
kssWhat do You care fort" said Jacob.
ssMea What do keer for2 I don't know
how to tell We, lad. know don't keer for
money-for that only means SO many loads
of hemlock bark taken to the stannin'.'
But it seems to me, lad, as if there must be
some other use for what's in us-some other
use. I'm no scollard; I can't say what
feels, my boy, but when I heered you the
other day in court, pleadin' for that poor
woman, and saw the tears q runnin' down
the peoples cheeks, I felt as If I was a
livin' then" and Uncle Aaron rose and put
his hand on Jacobs shoulder.
ssYou give me new courage, father said
Jacob; shut it's hard to live on without her
my wife,
81 know, lad. Don't ever think forget
it. I doesn't.'' There are some that help
US; even although they can not take our
burden from US, they seem to share the
weight of it.
Jacob, strong man that he was, felt steal
ing over him the same sense OF comfort
that he had felt as a child in Uncle Aaron,s
arms. He felt siren gthened and uplifted,
better able to face the long, dreary outlook
oflonely days to come.
Gather" he said, at last, ssyou make me
feel like man again-hke a soldier that
has heard the RIM ing cheer of his Captain
to charge the foe. And would indeed be .
CO ward If fell back now.'
"My lad" said Uncle Aaron, with his
tender, loving smile, "you never have been
coward-and you neyerwin ber'
CHAPTER VI
There are few so stepped in wrong-doing
as to be comfortably stupefed. Rose has
never quite forgotten for one short half
hour her deserted child and husband. Uncle
Aaron's beseeching words have come back
to her ears again and again, and she feels
a strange, regretful pity whenever she
thinks of him.
Fifteen years have passed away since she
has seen him, and on this particular day as
she is walking through the town of Rom
dout he is in her mind. She is with her
theatrical company, and whether it is owing
aims or not, she has been thinking of Uncle
Aaron all the morning. Suddenly a hand
slaid upon her shoulder, and voice says
huskily: "Beant this Reset"
"Yes-why, it's youl'' she exclaims, gaz-
ing at Uncle Aaron in surprise. He stands
there in the sunlight, his beard and hair
very white, his gray eyes flashing with ex.
element, his breath coming fast. "Ah-
how do you do?" she says; ''are you well?"
Eyes, thankee," stammers Uncle Aaron.
81 was just thinking of you," goes on
Rose, coolly, looking very beautiful, with
the CLINT of the sun upon her yellow hair;
''do you of ten come into town? thought
you seldom left the mountains"
81 coined down on Matthew's business
He's my other son, yer know-has a farm
I live with him sence mother died. How
do ye know-how is Jacob" said the old
man, eagerly.
''Jacob? l do not know. have not seen
him." slowly, ''since last saw you.''
The calmness of this statement rather
shakes the good old man for a moment;
then, his eyes flashing more than ever, he
answers: $50 long as thatl Why, wee
Alice is nigh on to eighteen years old.''
eyes," assented Rose, calmly, ''she mues
be. Is she like mea Is she pretty, do ycu
knows''
woman woman - broken Uncle Aaron
'shave We no heart at all? And you have
not seen her in all these years2 Tell me,
have We never wanted to see her and yer
husband-my boys Never wanted to Sea
them all this time?"
slowly; ''but I have wanted to see you,
though. You don't believe that2 It's true
all the same. You have always been in my
thoughts. have felt so sorry that what
did hurt you, because you were SO goods
throwing out her hands with a pretty gest-
ure.
"Goodr CALCULATED Uncle Aaron, In
amazement; what do ye mean?"
81 mean," said Rose, turning around i'm
pulsively and facing him, ''that you are
more of saint than any one know, and
my memory Of your talk to me is like that
of church, and that if l had had you for
my father I might have been a good
woman. There, that's what mean"
More amazed than ever Uncle Aaron
stood looking at her, his heart swelling with
emotion.
eyes," went on Rose, s'and If were with
you every day now, I would be q good wo-
man. It's true" she nodded; ''you are bet
ter than all the priests to me-"
81 don't see why,' he said.
'sYou don'ts. No. suppose not" she ex-
claimed, laughing away tear; "but IT'S
fact all the same. know that II had tc
die this very minute, shouldn't be half so
afraid to go if you would stand by me END
hold my handl''
strange light, and the blood rushed holly u.
against his white hair. "Rose, I havs
thought Of something. Will yer do it Ter
me, childa Will ye do it2'
''Not to go back to Jacob"
"But if I go with ye," said Uncle Aaron,
rapidly. eye said, If ye was not making
sport Of me, that If were by ye every day
ye could be good woman. Rosei RoseI
come back to Jacob, and Ill come with
We! Come back to my boy. Come. I'll come
with We. Think OF the years mat he has
loved ye and been left alone. Think OF yen
child-will yer come, Rose7"
For a moment she seemed to waver, then
shaking her head she said, rather YEARLY:
mo. it would be of no use couldn't now.
1t is too late He can not WANT should not
suit him-he could not forgive, and besides
oh, couldn'tl It is impossible"
There are times when the yearning Of an
intense love has the force Of q whirlwind.
Such was Uncle Aaron's great soul now.
He saw the future joy both Of his boy and
Of this fair woman before him hanging in
the balance, and he felt that he must
save her. His eyes burned, his face was
flushed, he walked erect like king, and
like king he commanded:
'Come, I want to talk with ye"