Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-09-11

him say one thing the whole during
time, only just that heart -breakin' ques-
ton: Have you seen-Mose-s" He had
struck his head, and every other ideC
'peared to have left it except that he had
lost his boy and must find him. Here
he comes, now. Be kind to him, neigh
Dor; how do we know but that he halls
from Cawncord2"
How, indeed2 Yet, even without that
recommendation to my sympathy,
should have been "kind" to the harm
less mental wreck whom chance had
thrown in my path.
He attached himself to me from the
| beginning, and in Il short time became
| the constant companion OF my walks.
| He was always silent, save for that pitiful
query, which it is quite likely heard less
than any one else, but which after long
| interval of silence he would suddenly
PROFOUND. He would toss back the iron
gray locks from his worn face and look up
into my eyes with that wide, wondering
glance of his: ''Ilave you-secn Mose-sH
and would lmpassiyely receive my sor-
rowful, negative shake of the head
Evidently he expected no other reply;
that is, if his brain had any power of
expectation lett within its convolutions.
when l left Boomville l parted with
| "Pop" with real regret He was so
| patient, so faithful, so uuobtrusivc, that
I his society was more like that of some de-
voted animal than of any human being;
and those who have lived much with the
compauionship of favorite dog or horse
will understand that there are times
when their silent presence is vastly
more agreeable than that of ones own
kind.
As iourneyed farther into the wild.
sometimes meeting not more than one nr
two fellow creatures in the course of
long days ride, l found myself rccurril':
with strange persistence 10 "Pop',
pathetic story, and half impelled to ask
of each traveller whom met: "Have yo@
secn-Mose-sl'
| do not now remember when it was
impressed upon me that l should yet
''see Mose-s;" but became imbued with
the idea very shortly after leaving Boom
vile. | did not go about making the in
quiry which now seemed so natural to
me, but | kept my eyes and ears wcll
OPEN If Moses were still alive-and,
probable as it might be, no proof of his
death had ever vet been found-he could
not have wandered very far away from
the scene of the accident which had in
iured his fathers brain.
He had been described to me as an ex-
tremely winning and handsome lad
Every one. white men and Indians alike,
had been kind to him; there was an APP
peal in his silent helplessness which no
one could resist.
The hopeful possibility was that he
had attached himself to some company
of trappers or miners; and as my business
led me to visit many camps, | had an eX
cellent opportunity Of searching for the
missing lad. was the more determined
in my endeavor by the thought that his
restoration to his father might also serve
to clear that fathers clouded intelli-
gence. For "Pop's" trouble was not in
sanity; l agreed with the landlady in
thai. 1t was n total suspension of
memory and interest save on one point.
1t was like a clog in machinery that is
only temporary hindrance, and of no
permanent injury once it is removed.
was not at all surprised when found
him. l knew him at once from the de-
scription l had had, and from the intui-
tion that ! was destined so to do.
He was washing dishes in a mining
camp where l had stopped to pass the
night and, as good fortune had it, was
on my return trip toward Boomville.
After watching him closely for a little
while | asked the miner sitting next me
in the circle around the fire: "Where did
that boy come from?"
Hmm; thar ye've got me, stranger.
He come-nobody knows from whar.
He Just crawled inter camp one day,
long last spring, e'ena'most dead with
hunger, an wore ter shadder trampin'
When the boys asst him ter give er count
of hiSsef-he Jest looked at 'em an laid
right down on ther groun' an went ter
sleep We see t he was clean beat out,
an wall, we Jest fed him an took keer
on him, so bein' IS he didn't pear ter
know enough ter take keer on hisself
An that's-all er anybody knows
"Does he never speakp
Look herel How'd We ever come ter
! asst that, I'd like ter know? Ever seen
him afore2 Err heern tell on him?n
! told him the story of poor "Pop's'
and my own ideas concerning it.
Not only he, but all his fellow miners
listened with the utmost attention
Finally, one who appeared to be leader
among them, cried out, excitedly: "SeC
here, traveller! that thar boy hain't spokt
nary word scnce ever he come inter camp
but thar amt no better ner handler crit
ter 'boyc groun' an what he is; an II
tell We what we'll du You kin sic on te
him with Noses er any thing ye'vc
min ter, an ef ye kin git anything outer
him We'll b'lieve the yarn we've been tel
lin, an III fix him up to go long bacl
with ye ter that thar looney daddy G
his'n. Eff we carn't-we'll low this ain
ther chap ye're a-lookin' fer, an kee
him 'mongst us er spell longer. VIVA
dye say, boys2"
They all agreed to the experiment.
The spokesman toning his voice as i
| the handsome dishwasher were deaf
bawled out: Look-a- here, Numby"
The lad desisted from his uniting
task and lifted his great blue eyes to-
ward the speakers face That his brain
was not wholly without intelligence was
evident from the fact that he had learned
the title his protectors had given him,
and that he paid no attention when he
was not addressed.
The miner raised his grimy hand and
beckoned, Laying his towel softly down
"A peculiar quietude accompanied all his
movements 'Numby' obeyed. He came
slowly up to the circle and stood just
outside its limits, looking mutely from
face to face as "A dog might have done,
yet without dogs inquiring interest.
Tackle him, stranger said some one