Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-01-10


folks attacked as if they had not seen
a morsel to eat for "A week. at least.
AS they ate, the matron questioned
them.
What is your name?" she asked
the little girl.
May, and his is Johnnie she an
swered.
Strange, the same names as my
two darlings; and so like Them" he
thought
But what is your last manner the
matron queried He leaned eagerly
forward TO catch the reply, but the
girl spoke so low that lie could rot
make it out.
where is your father" asked the
matron.
Hes dead" answered the little girl.
1--WE used to have lots ofmoney once,
but he lost it all Just before he died,
and now we're poor, and mammals
Deen sick ever SO Tonga and can't work,
and there won't anybody hire me,
cause they say amt big enough,
and-and-" and here she broke out
crying.
The matron soothed her, and after
a little she dried her eyes, and saying
that they must he going home to
their mother, took her brother by
the hand, and the two passed out
again into the cold and snow He,
to, went out, and as he brushed by
the matron, to his wonder, she did
not appear to see him at all He
thought it was strange, and would
have given it more thought, but just
then he was too busy in trying to see
which way the children had gone in
the darkness
He followed just behind them as
they plodded sturdily along through
the singing cold and cutting sleet,
but for some reason, he could not
understand what, he could not over
take them. He tried to call out to
them to stop but again his tongue
refused to do its work, and no sound
issued from his lips. Soon the little
boy began to whimper with the cold,
and his sister took the threadbare
shawl from her own lily clad shoulders
and wrapping it around him kissed
him, and babe him to keep up good
heart for they would soon be home
"Home?" he thought, "what kind
of a home must it be that two such
waits as these call by that dear name?
My God, what if my petted darlings
should ever come to this?'
He thought of his refusal to give a
paltry five dollars of his abundant
store to aid in clothing such as these,
and then of the seven dollars and q
half for the new box of cigars, and
cursed himself as a selfish brute.
"Never mind" he thought, "Tll
make up to these two little ones to-
morrow"
Just then the little fellow stumbled
and fell in the snow, and crying bit.
terly declared that his feet hurt him
so that he could go no futher. Where
at the girl lifted him in her arms
chafed his feet with her equally freez
ing hands for moment, then wrapped
ed them up in her apron and with
his head upon her shoulders trudged
bravely OIL. He tried so get near to
them so that he could take hen
in his arms-to cry out to then
to stop SO that he could overtakt
them, but again the same invisible
power prevented him.
Up to this time he had been unabl,
to catch sight of the face of either o
thom, but all at once, he could no
tell how, he found himself in front o
an facing them.
He gave one look into their faces
and started back in horror, Grea'
God! he saw before him the darling
of his heart-his May, his Johnnie
the two babes to save whom from
even the slightest pain he woult
gladly have periled his life. HI
sprang towards them to clasp then
in his arms, to gather them clos
and warm their Freezing frames
r need be, in the very life blood of hi
heart, which now throbbed and leap
within his bosom Ikea mad thin:
struggling to be free. He reached
them, lie threw his arms aroun'
them, but they did not appear t,
see him, for they passed through hin
as if he were but thin air, and agail
ne found himself behind them. III
I. turned and again tried to lift then
up, but his arms again held nothing
but the air. Three times he vainl
tried to clasp them to his throbbin
breast, but still brave-hearted Ma
, strobe bravely on, rs ii unconsciou
, of his presence.
| Then all at once it flashed acros
! him that he was dead; that perhaps
+ year had passed since he had dice
and he had but now come to life j
= spirit form. And as the though
t flashed through his mind with a
, the conviction of undeniable trutl
and he realized that he was powerles
= TO help them, there burst from HI
5 lips shrek of agony that sounde
} like the cry of lost soul, and I'll
next instant he found himself still
{ the flesh, in his own comfortable 81
J.. ting room, with the cold sweat han.
t ing great beads upon his brow, h
e May and Johnnie staring at him wit
. scared faces, and his wife pale an
V wild-eyed clinging convulsively to h
Y arm and asking him what was tt
r matter.
!, He rubbed his eyes and locke
II around him for a moment, drew
e long breath, stopped and kissed he
i and answered:
e "Oh, nothing, dear; only had ii
o nightmare, that was ALL That min'
e