The Colfax chronicle., 1890-05-24

while her face lost all its bright anima
tion- She was very sentative tomboy
apparently.
sRilly?"
All turned in = startled way to Sc.
that Pete Pelter was standing besid.
them, with look in his face that seemed
half sad and half angry.
why, dadl we've got back!''
The girl sprung nimbly up and caught
her father round the neck, where sh,
clung, kissing his bearded face. The
rough mountaineer kissed her in return
just as better dressed father would
have done, and stroked her hair very
tenderly.
"All right amt ye, Rilly?" he said.
"Ranter took good care ON We while ]
was away? Got to be of again, but I'll
be back this evenin'."
He kissed her again and put her down
on the ground.
Now you an Ranter be of to yer fun.
He's the comp'ny you've got to associate
with, an no otherr'
The girl and the dog ran away to-
gether, and the man turned again to
speak to Mrs. Fromer.
Il don't want my gal to be intrudin'
an ! won't low her to be intrudin'," he
said, with kind of rude dignity.
"She wasn't intruding. But 1 will
say this, Pete Pelter, you ought to stay
home more and keep her in some sort of
order. It's too bad, the way she goes
on. Why, she's the wors' child on Hilo
Mountain"
There hain't no man would say that
to me bout my gal!' the father said,
roughly. Then he softened his tone,
remembering it was woman he spoke
too.
"Ye're wrong bout Rilly," he con-
tinued. "She amt the wust child. She's
the best child, the lovin'est, generous
est, bravest, best child that's goin.' It's
her way that makes ye think different,
an ways depends on p'ints an view.
Rilly amt SO bad, bein' rough, as some
is bein' smooth. Eff her mother wus
livin'-well, she showed what she'd ave
done when she gave her the purity name,
Amarillo. She'd ave made her the
purtiest behaved child ON the mountain.
But NO other woman don't bother.'
Mr.. Pelter made an awkward bow and
walked of toward his cabin, and Mrs.
Fromer went into the house to think it
over. leaving little Jerry outside. She
was very glad that he had so soon for
gotten Rilly's invitation and his own
disappointment.
No child on the mountafn-or of the
for that matter-was quite SO
good as little Jerry Fromer. His father
believed it, and his mother knew it. He
made no trouble at all, but amused him.
self in all sorts of pretty little ways,
leaving his busy mother free to attend
to the great amount of work which
every housekeeper-even In mountain
cabin In California-always finds to do.
Almost always the weather permitted
him to play out of doors, so that he was
far happier, as we'll as far healthier,
than il he were shut up in the house.
And as he never thought of running |
away, this was all very satisfactory to |
he mother. Sometimes she did not |
have to look after him from noon until |
supper time.
This afternoon was one Of those for
'unate times. All through the long,
pleasant time of sunshine the careful |
housewife was left undisturbed to work
Ind think. She thought most Of her
'wn child. Of course, but she thought
rood deal about Pete Pelter's child
Ilso. Perhaps people were little too
lard on Rilly, after all. Perhaps If the
leighbor women would only take little
more friendly interest in her she would
lot be such rude little rufian. Really
he never knew Of the child doing any
hing actually wicked. But she was
uch . rowdy.
At length she noticed that the sun
hine bad grown dim. Evening was
oming and Jerry's father would soon
q home, and sho must bring the little
elbow In and make him neat, as she
lways did for the fathers home coming.
She went to the door, but Jerry was
ot whore she had left him. She looked
uickly about, but her child was no
here in sight. She called; no answer
anne. In panic she ran all about the
ouse and up and down the road, calling
8 she went; neither sight nor sound of
er child could she gain. Little Jerry
ras lost!
THAT grill That dreadful girlr' Mrs.
'romer moaned, as she realized that her
aby was gone. But then 1 would
ave heard her If she had come about {
Desperate and heartbroken she con-
nued her fruitless search, growing /:
lore and more excited with every min {
te. When Mr.. Fromer came homo he |
'und his wife SO nearly frantic that he
'uld hardly learn from her what had I
appened.
1t was terrible thing when he did
'arn and realize it. There was no
moving how long the child had been
one, but with darkness coming swiftly
a he would have time before he could I
found to get hopelessly lost in the !
rest that was not SO very far away.
Q might be wandering there even now;