The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-01-22
soMERsET PA, WEDNESDAY. JANUARY p. 1890


a great etfors. Returned upon the speak
er, his breath coming in gssps-
An re dar Ter say that Ter meier
me.--he spoke with aereat effort Some
time-nOt nos -i'll-make You repent
/ this
The words died on his lips
Move on = commanded the cattle
man. grlsiiy sand mind how You threat
en- me. or / May pat bullet through You
now
jim skinner turned eway, sick and
dizzy tumuit OF anger and mortifica-
ton surging through his breast
AN this is fhe way Tn treated, IS ii. "
he mutfered. ga tramp-an outesst-
br nd u q ii ihies-l thief
His eyes flashed, his bosom heayed.
his breathing became heavy and labored.
He shut his hands tightly, and trndged
on
Dave Foster stool for several moments
watching the squire of the stranger nov
ing down the rpzd.
Blast me, ''he muttered. ii if don't
believe / made mistake in that fellow,
after all Bat he looks seedy enough,
though, for anything and how's a fellow
to tell the genuine from the bogus I've
had so many cattle stolen OF late, that
I've begun to suspect every stranger
sees
He turned and re-entered the house.
Nearly mile further on, Jim skinner
came 10 snail frame house. He felt
that he could not 90 much further. He
must stop somewhere soon. or fall by
the roadside lie would make one more
efort-one more trial-and if he should
fail-
His face pzled-a look of despair came
into his eyes. He approached the door
of the house, and knocked. A man
came TO the door with a book in his
hand
am weak and-and-hungry," be
faliered. must stop somewhere. have
no money
+" This is school-hoase, answered the
man at the door, shortly and then closed
the door in Jim's flce. He turned away,
look Of despair on his thin, white face.
All the world seemed TO grow dark about
him. Where would ne 90 next? He
hardly knew. lie stood IN the road, the
cold March wind blowing about him,
fi1;tering his tstiered garments aud
sweeping through the loug grass with a
sharp. kissing sound.
He turned and walked slowly down
the road, just as score OF children, re
LEASED from school, issued from the school
house door and scattered, going in differ
ent directions 10 their homes, where
bright fires and happy smiles awaited
them.
Why should he struggle against fate :?
What did the world hold for hiss Moth
ing Why not die by the roadside and
be done with itg No one would miss
him
n ctGI4 Vi nun 4CC-
interrupted his reverie-
lie turned. aad saw little girl, with a
cloud Of sunny ssaif and a bright. sweet
face, out OF which looked pair of large,
blue eyes, running after him.
Please wait, won't your she cried,
almost ont Of breath. = heard you say
you were hungry. and-and she paus-
ed and looked al him tinidsy-- if you'll
take this opening tin pail which she
carried in her hand some slices Of
bread and piece Of cake wanted one
of the girls 10 come with me, but she
said you were an old tramp. and would
hurt me Bat you won't though-wili
you ?"
he gazed al her a moment, unable to
speak
Hurt you Heaven bless you. child p
he exclaimed. who would hurt an
sugelP"
His voice frembIed. Tears came into
his eyes. he sank down into the grass
by the roadside, and covered his face
with his hands and wepi.
She stood looking at him, wonder and
sympathy pictured in her large, beautiful
eyes. She approached and laid her hand
gently on his shoulder, and put the piec-
es Of bread and cake in his lap.
Im sorry if made you cry. she
said, touch of tenderness in her voice.
She bent down quickly and kissed him.
. There" :" she said I'm not afraid
Of you, amIg'
The next moment she was gone and
hurrying up the road to oyertske her
COMPANIONS
lie sat there for some time, trying to
eat the pieces of bread and cake she mad
dropped in his lsp, Du, despair had de-
priyed him ofsny desire for food.
tie walked on slowly. hardly knoEing
or caring what he did.
The wind was increasing in lis fury,
and sweeping through the loug grass
with weini, dismal sornsi. Banks Of
tswney, purple clouds lay along the rim
OF the horizon, ouT Of which siioiie ui2ss
Of flaming yellow lighi iron the sinking
sun beyond. Presently veil Of smoke
swept over his head, and shower Of
black einders coululens5ed 10 fall about
him, while The air, ali OF a Sudden, WAS
f...r, u-sth f7r,..s If ..ttrnf, ,-.....r .r.s,r,
lie turned. An awful sight uIei his gaze
The prairie Was on flre
Great columns of black smoke we're
rolling across the prairie and the red
flames. leAping and roaring in the gale,
were rushing down toward where he
stood, not quarter of mile away
Several school-chiidren came running
down the road and passed, crying vita
fright as they ran
Far behind.them. her hat OF, her long.
yellow hair flying in the wind, came the
little girl who had left bin few mo-
rnenis before, the roaring flames rapidly
gaining upon her.
He uttered groAn, and ran toward her
as fast as bis weak and io,tering limbs
could carry him.
Every breath Of wind was now laden
with dense clouds Of smoke and heat,
and black with flying cinders He saw
her sizgger as she ran-then turn parity
around and sink down in the road, just
q. he reached her side