The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-11-02
DRIV FROM HOME.

WILL HILL u uille OF tho Slrelm In fuIl
sight,when caught s;ght of canoe COM
ing down. It appeared to have broken
adrift. and as the current set it directly
toward the marshy spct in front OF me
waited and watched with some interest.
The craft finally drove into the reeds
and came to q standstill, and minute
later mans head slowly appeared to
view. 1t was the head of real live ma
tive-long haired, sallow faced, high
cheek bones, unkempt whiskers and vel
low teeth. The head regarded me with
surprise for time, and then a body
came into view. Its long arms, dun col
ored garments, talon like finger nails,
stoop shoulders and long neck proved
the presence of q native cracker" He
gazed and | gazed, and as he did not
seem inclined to be the first to break the
silence l finally said:
Hello! What are you doing there?r
Stranger. I've bin driv from hu1n,'
he replied, in q voice so full of sorrow
that could almost sees. burying ground
behind him.
lie used a piece of board to paddle the
craft ashore. A closer inspection re-
vealed that he was the essence of sorrow
and dirt boiled down and caked hard.
He was six feet tall, loose jointed. lanky
and evidently as lazy as he was long.
Had | been sure that he was 1 900 wears
old would have bet one dollar to shil-
ling that he had not combed his hair or
washed his face for $50 years. He held
out paw like washboard. and greeted
me with:
Stranger, Ell! Well, old Bill Smith
bids we welcome. Las mite he had a
hum to take We to, and cheer to sot
out fur ye, and some pone and bakon to
offer We, but this mornin' he kin only
shake we by the hand. All is gone-all
is gone'
Has some calamity happened:" 1
asked.
Some calamity has. I've been driv
from hum, stranger. | hain't got no
place to lay my head no more, 'cept in
that thar leaky canoe"
THAT'S bad. Who did it,
''Selutha, sah-and nobody else-driy
me right away from the hum in which 7
was born
''And who's Selutha:"
my wife-the woman who vowed TO
love and cherish and support me. Mar
RED her moren seventeen years ago, and
we've got five children, and last mite she
1riv me from humr'
You had fuss, SUPPOSE
"Furse? Furse? No, we had no furse.
She jist Lit down ON me and pulled hair
and clawed, and said she'd stood it LONG
She driv me out in the cold
world, and l went to bed in the canoe,
cast her adrift and yere l am, stranger.
I'm wuss nor an orfun. Won't You 90
back hum with me and argify to the ole
Glow far is it?''
six miles, and I'll take you up in the |
,anoe. Do it for me, stranger. Don't
tand by and see husband and father !
Inv from his hum"
We got into the canoe, and he used the |
paddle in a vigorous manner. l sized |
him up as lazy, good natured native. |
md it wasn't long before he '.gave him
elf away"
car ye a lawyer he asked as we
lrove along up the river.
Something of one"
''Good! I was in hopes you was. You
an argify the ole woman in ten min
Ites."
what made the fuss?"
''Jist notion O hern. | hain't well
nd can't work, and she's got notion l
rter. Jist tell her that 1 look like a
IAN who won't live year. Tell her
hat hard work would break me down
week, Tell her you never felt so
orry fer any one in yer hull life"
We voyaged along for awhile in ST.
.nce, and then I noticed that the man
Tas weeping. He wiped the tears away
nd asked:
Stranger, was ye ever driv from
um?'
Never"
''Then we don't know how it breaks a
,ller down. In argifying with Se1utna
st menshun that I wept, won't we?
he's heavy ON tears
We landed at the bank below Smiths
abin about noon. He decided to re-
lain IN the canoe until 1 should go up
nd ''argify." 1 cut across a field to
he road and approached the house from
lie front. At the door was a broken |
IN and three or four steel traps, which
id been pounded out of shape. l also I
w a splintered powder horn and an old |
II cap, and there was a faint smell of
Risky from some broken glass. | t
'und Mrs. Smith to be nervous little
oman of 40, and the five children were t
le q pair OF stairs in height. l was
Try kindly received, and after a little t
made bold to say:
Il met Mr.. Smith about six miles
,wn the road"
What! My ole Bill, the onery muller /
the wife.
Yes. ma'am."
"And didn't We shute at himg" 8
ooh, no." S
''You orter. He's the lankest. LATEST.
uckless man in Moth Carolina. run a
m out last mite. l sha'n't truck with /
N no mo-"
HE was telling me about it. He felt
ry badly
No. Ole Bill felt bad about any t
ing.'' C
8 Yes, he actually shed tears when he
ought he should never see you and the t
ildren again"
Hills to Dustin, but what news.
lildren, hear that! Your father she'd n
n tears.'
Did pop beller?" asked the Oldest boy j
me.
..Yas ha c1.iod y