The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-10-18
THE OLD MANS ROMANCE.


the old man quietly, as he added q
fresh stick TO the already glowing fire.
Yes; 1 leave for Texas on the early
train tomorrow. Cousin Tom," the
young man answered firmly. almost
solemnly.
do you ind-have you heard that
there Is good opening for a physician
out there whore you are goingg" said
the old man as he lighted his pipe and
rcseated himself In his comfortable
leathern chair.
IL don't care continental whether
there Is an opening for a physician or
not; ] am going west TO go to work"
said Bob. quickly. II may end by be-
ing cowboy or something worse, per-
haps." he added with laugh that IL
was not pleasant to hear
"And how does the little Alice like
the idea OF your goingP" asked Cousin
Tom carelessly. 1t seemed. but his
half-closed eyes under his shaggy
brows were fixed very intently upon
the young fellow as he spoke.
Bob WINGED Il have not consider
ed 10 necessary to notify Miss Ames
Of my intention" no said stifiy.
'Perhaps may as well tell you"
ne continued after a moment that 1t
viii be through no voluntary act OF
mine that she ever hears OF me again;
so. II you please. we wilt leave her out
o. the conversation. But come, Cousin
Tom. you have been out west yourself.
feline something about the country"
The old man pulled away slowly at
his pipe. The young fellows indifTer-
ence did not deceive him. There were
n good many thoughts in his mind.
He had been sitting long while alone
with only the dim freight and his
memories for company. The coming
OF his young cousin had hardly dis
PEELED the visions he had been recall
ing and he waited long time before
replying.
yes" he said, at length. between
the puffs. II have seen a good deal OF
the west. and very different country
IL Is from this, can assure you.
There Is hardly a square mile ofground
Ia the whole State OF Texas that /
have not been over; and Mexico and
the territories, and California, too,
know pretty we'll. / was consider
sbly younger man than am now
when j went TO the frontier. little
thought then OF becoming the decrepit
old bookworm that / am now. with
hardly strength enough TO light my
pipe. IL has been a good long time
since the Mexican war. though, hasn't
itp was hardly as old as you when
! enlisted.
'Did ! ever tell you. Bob" said the
old man suddenly, chow came TO
60 10 the warp"
No" said Bob. land / have often
been curious TO know why you threw
UP everything and spent SO many years
of your life in wandering about"
"Well," said the old man, leaning
forward TO empty his pipe upon the
hearth. Il may make pretty long
story OF It, and II you get tired you
must let me know. After left school
Isettled down in the village to prac-
tice law. i was never very wild fell
low, only quick and hot-tempered--
quick and hot-tempered. Aye. there's
where the touble came" said the old
man musingly. The freight fllchered
upon his bald head and sunlxen cheeks,
and his eyes we're very sad.
''Herc, boy" he said. as he fumbled
In his pocket and produced a little
worn velvet case. ''that has been with
mo evereywhore through all that
Western wild. Look at IL as talk TO
you"
why. this Is Alice. SIR" said Bob
eagerly as he opened the case.
AYE. Alice" said the old man, shut
not your Alice. My Alice / used TO
call her In the old days. She was
Alice Ames' aunt / can see her now,
boy, ms saw her tho day she sat list
ening TO me as told my love 10 her.
She kept her eyes bent down upon the
grass at her feet all tho time was
talking TO her. We had walked down
the Hill 10 the rustic seat under the old
beech tree, but that too is gone now
forgot Her hat had slipped of. /
remember. and her rough rings OF hair
seemed TO have caught the rays OF the
: sun himself and shone and glinted
round her head. She lifted her sweet
A., ...I.... 4.