Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-07-24

| W t1t " a. ~ AalA VI AAtlAC Va AARHts
that, look which way she would. some
thing called for her tears.
They had sold the blacksmith shop
and the pretty little home in Maine, and
their price, together with some money
saved, had brought them West, and was
supporting them while Mr. Hale dug ip
the hills for gold to take its place.
He had 'prospectedn the hills over for
months after their arrival, leaving the
wife and the little three-year-old girl in
the rough mining camp among strangers.
Now, however, he had found his ''mine"
in cliff on the mountain side, not far
above the sheltered canyon. Below it, in
a grove Of unbending frs, he had built Il
log-cabin, and there Agnes and baby
Bess now dwelt, hardly more lonely than
in the strange camp ten miles away.
The cabin contained one room, with a
dirt floor, a fireplace in one corner, a
bunk bed in another, and table and two
or three chairs besides. A mountain
creek ran near the house, from which the
family secured a supply Of water; but the
country about was bleal and bare of
verdure, beyond cedars and mountain
bushes. The altitude was too high for
the flowers and garden things dear to
New England heart. Sometimes Bessie
would climb up on the rocks and gather
a big, blue columbine OF cluster of del
icate ferns, which graced the most
austere places, and the child's heart was
gladdened for hours. But when the
mother tried to transplant their roots TO
the cabin door-yard they always died.
1t was now several weeks since she had
begun to be uneasy about Bessie Not
that the child was really sick. She was
out and in at the cabin door like a sun
beam; now pattering over the stones 10
the creek, with her unsteady baby feet,
and now chattering to the aodding colum-
bines in a language all her own.
But, day after day, it grew oftener
that she would sit down and rest
her little face in her hands, or say, plant
lively:
mamma, I'm tied" and ask to be
held.
Agnes began to be haunted by terrible
dread from the fact that she was not so
heavy to lift as she had been, and her
cheeks were less pink. But when the
child was at play again she would say to
herself:
Il fear / am growing fancifnl. Per I
haps Frank is right, and this home
sickness is going to my head. If | only (
had work to do, something to sew, some 4
thing TO read To live entirely in ones /
self like this is to wear out like an old .
house untenanted-wea out heart and (
body"
She leaned her troubled face against
the door-post, and looked away up to the (
barren rocks and the unbending fir-trees
that sheltered the canyon. She seemed
unable any longer to see, even with
spiritual eyes, farther upward than these
prison walls.
Her husband came down in the evening
more tired than usual. All day long be
had worked, with no encouragement be-
yond getting deeper IN the side of the
"0f course" he said, as he sat down
1t the rough, uncovered table to the eve
hing meal always late one on his ac-
CUNT, ''these 'pay-streaks' don't Law out
IN the open ground, Every foot 90 in
5 so much gained, and any day | NAV
ZONE upon body of mineral which will
yet us way up. So | am never discour-
lged so long as | am following the vein. -
Nevertheless, he was more silent than
Usual after supper He forgot even 10
axe Bessie on his knee. and sat by the
reside and smoked in deep reflection.
BY and by his wife, thinking this
night be favorable time said, plead
ngly:
20, Frank, let us 90 backl We would
AVE a little left if we went now.
nd that little would be better than this
lreadful uncertainty
The man seemed provoked in a mo-
nent.
Agnes Hale, giving up never used to {
un in our family; but you are developing
he quality amazingly lately. The idea /
1 running back just because one is a
title tired, and leaving fortune sticking {
ut OF the ground-perhaps not exactly 8
ticking OUT Suddenly remembering
he days hard work that failed to un- {
over IT'D ''but it is there. i know that d
y every mineral indication. Men do every q
ay Just what you are wanting of me.
'ook at Gid Harmon, for instance. He
'ent off and left just such a lead as mine. a
'ld Haliauay come along and took up the I
Tork just where he left off. Now, while
he Harmon family are fairly on the (
own, down there in camp, Old Halliday
living In Denver ON the top shelf. No. v
ladam, you will never see me give up. .
but, Frank, Bessie is not well. The a
ttle thing is losing flesh every day, has t
0 appetite, and seems to tire so easily. o
am sure the altitude is too high for I
err. Z
'Stuff and nonsensel Now, Aggie.
lat is one word for Bess and two for o
ourself; you are so set on going back. v
5 for her being sick, why she is as
right as chipmunk all day long. But, r
course, if she doesn't eat her dinner il h
all owing to altitude, you think.
Is altitude in this country.
is all the same if it is measles or cut
ng teeth, contracted at this height
lovQ fhp level af tba con 49,.