Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-19


e.. RI ITO make a home
IN and earn living for
TEE my brother and sister
a " and myself, - re-
piled Ned, promptly,
mot afraid of hard work? Don't
mind leaving the city?',
''No, sir. -
81 have two boys at home, and l wish
they had half your pluck, - said the gen
tlemau. ''Now as to this application of
yours 1t 8 irregular, I must own; but
can t see why it shouldn't hold. If aman
deserts his family, his widow or minor
child, in case of her death, may declare
themselves heads of the family, ana en-
ter land accordingly. When an honest
man is stricken down by disease, l cam
see why members of his family shouldn t
have the same privileges. 1t may arouse
some discussion in Washington, but if
you can afford to take the risk, I think
we can and will. Go up and settle on
the land, and then enter it in the office
of the county clerk Of Alameda county.
IL he makes any objections, refer him to
me. 80
CHAPTER Iy.-TOM's APOLOGY.
A night or two before the children left
the CITY, as thev were resting from a
busy day S labor, there came the sound
of a great hubbub at the gate, followed
by the sound of stampede up the walk.
Two voices, boy 5 and a man s, were
heard outside, then there was a CHATTER
as il a squad of infantry had race1 over
the little porch, and there were gruff
murmurs and smothered laughter.
The boys, thoroughly, startled, sprang
TO the door and flung it open.
Nm, We
struggling with something very strong
and active, and very wild and unman-
ageable; something that was spotted,
dun-colOr and white, with eyes like
fawn, and silken ears that pricked for
ward as the door opened, in very know
ing fashion.
THAT IL do, Jiml'' said the boy, IN n
tone OF one accustomed TO giving orders.
"'I've got her now. You can go.
"BaR-a-aa.
Surely they know tine familiar call.
"Beauty!' exclaimed Ned, amazed.
That S what S the matter, - replied
Tom BGteman, for it was he, avoiding
Ned IS eye, as lie secured the rope TO one
of the posts. "Afraid you might forget
her. Knew you were awful busy.
Thought I'd bring her along myself
But Ned was boy, too. and he still
smarted over the savage threat young
Bateman had made at the schoolhouss.
81 don't want your calf, - he said,
bluntly. keep her yourself. -
Hope appeared at the door, drawing
back slightly at the sight of the visitor.
Something had happened the previous
Saturday that she had not told the boys.
After they had started for the land
Office she had gone out on the back steps
10 have the good cry'' she bad been
promising herself. She had been hold
lug back ali the week, and her tears
rained down thick and fast, while her
slight form shook with the sobs she could
no longer control. She did not hear the
faint tinkle Ct the door bell in the house,
nor yet loud rapping on the front door
when the bell remained unanswered.
i moment later Tom Bateman came
along the walk at the side of the house,
and opened the gate in the tall lattice
work separating the front yard from the
back. He thrust his head through the
opening and called out in a cautious
voice, as if not quite sure what sort of
reception he might meet:
''Boys!''
Hope raised her head and recognized
him. and tried TO recover her self-cOm-
mnnd, but could not. Dropping her face
again upon her arms, she sobbed as if her
heart would break.
"Why, Hope!' said Tom.
He was big boy, in class A OF the first
grammar grade and she was little girl,
grades and grades below him, but she
reminded him of q little sister he had
lost, and whom, for loves sake and the
pain the memory brought him, he had
tried hard to forget. He sat down on
the step beside her and drew the little
girl into his arms and made clumsy et-
fort to quiet her.
Don't cry - he said. ''It's ter
rible thing, / know. Mr.. Roberts has
been telling me about it. But you can t
help matters by crying. You'll just
take away the boys nerve.'
''But the boys ain here,' sobbed
the child.
"ButIam. And I can t stand it. Do
stop, Hope. You II kill yourself crying
So Would that make it easier for them
or your father?'
He had succeeded in quieting her at
last, and he dried her tears with hand
kerchief not very immaculate and wrung
from her promise that she would not
cry any more before he went away.
''When you feel like crying, just tear
arou the house and bang things about
and make other people feel bad. That's
the way l do. -
Hope laughed.
''But don't tell the boys" she i'm
plored.
a. All right. Mum s the word.
The consciousness of this innocent Sc
oret embarrassed them both at their next
meeting; but 1t made Tom all the more
determined to make peace with the
brothers of the little girl who had sobbed
out her SORROWS in his arms.
"Don I be spunky Ned, - urged Tom
IL low voice. ~ didn't know-I