Wichita eagle., 1890-01-29

| mortar upon my Ce;ensciess pate. a YARD
or more of hanging plaster had tumbled
| from the ceiling Never from that time
| forth did lay sacrilegious hands upon that
paper.
| Some time along in nidwiIter travelling
| compositor struck town, and was given 4
temporary SIT on The Spectator. He was
| q veteran at the case, and had evidently seen
q good deal of the world. Like all Of his
| class. our new man most entertaining
| conversationalist, and together we spent the
evenings smoking our pipes around the Old
| Office stove. while he talked Of far countries,
| of people of note, of foOtlight favorites, of
brakenlen who had kindly permitted him to
| snuggle himself in the corner OF a coal car az
be journeyed, with empty pockets, from one
| point to another in search OF work. Extol-
| ling the phianthroI1ic brakeman, in one of
our siestas he rounded up his glowing tribute
by excIaiIning: when Tatervine Joe meets
q srnutty faced brakeman he meets brave
heart, true heart-rough it may be, but
full to overlooking with the milk of human
kindnessln
.'Tatervine Joe," said l. who's Tatervine
Joer'
"Well, sir, I'm Tatervine JOe-that is, Pm
known by that cognonen to many Of the
craft. ] used to sing tho grasahopper and
tatervine song with such true artistic feeling,
that | became 80 entangled i'll the vine that it
stuck to me long after the boys refused to
listen more to my melodious ditty."
''Tatervine," said |, I've got song for
you to sing. 1t hes awaited your coming a
good while" And l led him to the niys-
terious writing on the wall over Bob's case.
The new compositor read the lines and,
turning to me with moistened eyes, said:
Il viii tell you a short story. Two men,
both type stickers, once left New Orleans for
the diamond fields of South America. They
went for adventure and to better their for
tunes. Cne never was married; the other
was a young widower, who left behind in
the care of a relative, sweet little maiden
over whose head four summers had flown.
The father idollzed the child. He, of the two
adventures went forth with 8 purpose. To
gain for the child was his one motive in life.
He worked hard and fortune favored him.
OF the two who returned after five years
toll and privation, he, the father, had treas
ure-both money and sparkling gems. But,
alas! the relative into whose keeping the
child was intrusted had died OF the girl no
trace could be found Some affirmed that
She too, was decd. This broke the fond
fathers heart and quite turned bis head.
.'He searched for bis child, but in vain.
TO think said he, 'of robbing myself of the
sulshine of her presence 50 many years for
the paltry treasures of the mine--one loving
smile from her lips would buy them ALL An
continued he, Il once had heart OF fesh--it
has turned to crystal now. In my bosom |
shall put these fatefnl stones. Though light,
they seem to crash me. l will carry them
unseen, in penance. SGT my heart on them;
they shall now sit on my heart-yea, they
shall be my heart. Henceforth | am deadp
The man grew thin and wasted, and he wan
dered afar His friend saw hin last some
three years ago. Later he received letter
from the wan1erer. 1t was mostly an in
coherent nuddle--tbe stony heart was crush
ing him-the imps of darkness coveted his
bones--they would boil him into glue-of the
glue they would make an mixing roller and
spread darkness over the faceDf the heavens"
Hold on, Tatervine,n said |, "the riddle is
solved You are the friend; and this"
pointing to the scrawl, lis the wanderers
latest message to you" Then l told him of
nv thin iodger Of That cold October night.
Hes buried his heart-his burdensome
ueosure-his diamonds in your he'll box
- midst battered faces,
Broken leads and bent up spaces"
said Tatervine. There's q Providence in
that he continued, 'for l have found his
long lost daughter"
Sure enough, there in the receptacle for
old and broken types, fncased in q small can
vas sack, were the sinners and the follow
ing note:
DEAR TATERvInE: AS you migrate it is possible
that you may strike this place. bury my heart
In this box. You may Gbd it. 1t will not be bur
densone to you. The accused diamonds are
yours II Bessie is dead. If you find them not,
they may be a benefit to the poor lad who is try
ing TO run a first class PAPER in this woebegone
town lie was kind 60 ne, but you have always
been my friend / shall not be boiled! / go to
Niagara Falls tomorrow. You know what be-
comes of morbid people who go to the falls.
TON BUrrERFrEID.
Bessie got the diamonds.
l never heard anything more of poor Tom.
Jasper Henderson in Democrat and Chroui.
Gle