The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-05-17
MY BROTHER PERCY.
BY GRACE HIBBARD.

patients sometimes many miles away When he
came home lie was tired ana dusty, or cold aud
muddy, ana title cross. always kept out Of
My mother was an Invalid. Not an interesting
one. She was yellow and cross and lay on
lounge most OF The day. If we made noise, or
went very near heii 1t was hush !" or go
awayl"
Our household was ruled by a colored girl
called Jane. She had the smallest waist had
ever seen, and her pipesten-like ankles seemed
joined TO the center of her feet She was very
efficient help but cross-a person 10 be avoided.
Jane had an adniiIer. an old man, once slave.
She fanced MIN chiefly on account OF his I'M
were married. and "Mr. TOomer' became
member Of our family, aud TOOK care OF "Boues,'
fathers horse.
Life would have been very commonplace and
unlnteresliag 10 me save Tor Percy, my darling
brother. Somewhere IN the NOrseland, many
generations back, some viking must have been
an ancestor OF ours Percy was like him; eyes
of the darkest blue, ana hair haXen as the
NOTSeman's. He often lived III an ideal world;
saw more than did in lie sunsets, In The SKY
ana earth.
Through his mind fitted beautiful ladies'. noble
gentlemen and quaint, odd people. From CHILD
hood lie had composed rhymes and little stories.
Mr.. ToomeT aud myself listened to them with ad-
miraton. Percy was four years older than my
SELF but fought all lis childish battles for hin.
WAS very practical girl had r theory-per-
maps because | always well mySen-that
people had no night 10 be III; that good food, ex-
eIelse aud cAeerlu.ueSs were all That was neceS-
saTy 10 insure good health,
My name was EdWina, and Percy sometimes
celGO ne III. EOhln a. March. when / insisted
thai lie should eat Iare beel, and exercise more
Than suited MIN.
Jane kept a morse, and also owned a cabinet
organ. Ii she had chosen she could have Kept
IN elephant: our parents would never have
thought II possible 10 oppose her, After Jane
had finished her woUk and CUnned her afternoon
dress, she devoted hour TO song. In
childish days she had sung gay and sometimes
plantation melodies, which we had enjoyed.
These had changed TO songs OF love and senll-
ment. her eyes would roll about In fearful
manner she sang. Since her marriage Mr..
IoOmer sang duets with her-sad, iuueTeal songs.
Percy and ! lied from the house IN dlSmay aud
took long ambies.
One day Percy looked so delicate and white
that | telt alarmed and with A wildly Dealing
heart demanded OF father horse for MN 10 rice.
o my surprise aud delight my request was
granted without moments hesitation. The ju-
dicious present OF yellow shawl and a scarlet
sWeeping-cap 10 Jane gained me the use OF
Meg" her horse, during tie "Orgau Tecals."
Then Percy aud L gaiiOped over lie hills and
through The valleys, aud my viking grew strong
aud well
We studied together We read books of travel
In fancy We sailed 10 gondOlas, glided over SlDe-
rIar deserts on suOw-shOes, gathered flowers in
tropical ciinles ana went on steamers 10 Alaska.
In word, We were all The world 10 each other.
Percy often sent his writings 10 the papers.
Some were accepted, which gave him courage TO
20 on though some were declined. At last one
story made decided sensation. Then he wrOte
novel, which was well received, aud Percy be-
came Recognized author.
About this time our father died. Our mother
had passed away few years before Jane was
engaged IN obtaining a divorce from Mr.. Toomer.
She had read .'Aggie Atherton's Affinity" and
had found, on searching her heart, that The new
bar Der, and not the aged Mr.. Ioomer, was her
affinity.
So, between the tears OF Mr.. Toomer, and ro-
nance and law, James time was TOO fully occu-
pied TO attend 10 household matters, aud our
nome grew uncomfortable. Our father had left
longed 10 travel. One day l said TO Percy:
LET'S take tTlp 10 California"
II was Joy TO us TO spread our wings for the
FIRST time dnd fly from the home nest. We said
This should be but the beginning of our travels.
Our home was III Kansas. Tie hours seemed
but shoIl, everything was SO new 10 US, before
we reached Denver, the Queen City of the
Plains" Here We stopped day, ana beheld
with wonder beautiful city, city Of brick aud
stOne-a very "TadmOr IN The Wilderness"
But the mountains, the glorious Rocky Noun
Gans, blue aud suow-capped, delighted US most.
We longed 10 be nearer 10 Them; SO The next day
we resumed our journey. We went southwark
toward Pixies Peak.
shall never forget the day we reached Salt
Lake City. Percy and / had seen SO little in
our lives that We were eager 10 view every place
OF Interest. We visited The cooperative store,
The Bee Hive, the Eagle cate, the Lion House,
Brigham NouBe's grave, Inc Tabernacle-that
vast building which seats twelve thousand peo-
pie. We lead an unfamiliar tune played on tile
huge organ-a tune such as We ianeied King
David i1lEht have listened TO. We passed out
II the Tabernacle just at sunset. Before US was
The Temulc-the grand massive Iempe-but
halt completed, with massive walls and golden
sky for door aud windows.
Our religious education had been much neg
iecIed. When we were very young we had said
our prayers" under james directions. She would
often preface them by saying:
Now hurry W., Pan done gwlne out this chen
Ing Mind now and keep yOur eyes shut"
The knowledge that she was helping herself
from my cologne bottle did not put lie In de-
votionai frame OF mind, or cause me to lie at
peace with lie world. But some way we had
grouped our way heavenward.
As We stood looking at this great temple Percy
said:
'Edwlna. 1 do not think could endure life
without you, sweet sister; but let US each re-
member, II left without the other that there is
"a house not made with hands, eternal In tue
heavens IheIe one Will walt until the other
comes"
Laie that afternoon we took the train for og
Den. How we enjoyed The ride on the borders OF
the Dead Sea OF America ~ Alter We left Og
den We rode through The desert again. Very
early IN The second morning the passengers were
all UP, eager 10 see "Cape Horn" by daylight.
Tie desert was passed. Over the earth was
carpet OF green. Down far below us were tiny
homes, with PINK and white apple blossoms tap
ping al tile windows. Percy aud enjoyed every
thing We saw the hydraulic workings, Dutch
Flat" the scene OF Bret HaTte's famous story, a
little hamlet IN cup-shaped nook down between
green hills. Then came Cape Horn" At our
right wall OF rock up, up, a hundred feet; at
our left valley thousand feet below US, the
American River flowing through ii, like a silver
Ribbon from an eagles beak.
Our train was composed of twelve cars, drawn
by Two engines. We went around the fearful
curve, hundreds OF feet In the air. From my seat
In the car 1 could see our two engines. What
monsters they looked Great iron horses
throwing out living lire. The sunlight gistened
Cd their polished steel bars. People held their
breath, so appalling was the dlstauce-a very
gateway Into another world.
over the bridge between two mountains we
WeuT Down the sunny hlllsides we passed.
Then we all felt safe and were looking forward
with pleasure TO our stop for breakfast. How
sweet The sunlight looked on the green fields!
How pleasant the vineyards! Callfornia-the
land Of proMlse-was reached
Upon our train was young man, Ray Elliot
eonsumptiVe seeking the liie-gyng climate OF
San Diego. Percy and he had become quite IN
teiesied In each other His place was two cars
IN 'front.' OF the one In which were.
Percy had not seen his new friend that morn
Ing, so lie said TO me:
Il VIII leave you a little while, Edwina, and 20
and see how Mr. Elliot bears the Journey"
Come back soon, Percy" l replied
AS he opened the car door and stood for mo.
ment IN Tue glorious morning sunshine, he raised
his hat playiuly to me. The sunlight rested low
ing Oh his haXen hair. 1t seemed 10 me that l
saw a golden crown upon his head. A chill crept
over me: held out both hands to him. called
out:
Percy, Percy come back to mep
He did not hear me-
saw the door Of the next car close after him.
took up book and tried to read. could see
before me only sanity face crowned with golden
eurls, aud halo about IT,
A sudden swaylng Of the cars-a grating on
the broken ties-a crash-a sound OF escaping
steam-a slackening OF speed-a sudden stop.
sprang 10 The car door. We were between
two eubankments fifteen feet In height.
was speeding away for help. The second en-
glne, the monster, our iron horse, breathing
hfibg hte, lay helpless, broken thing, thrown
oy the hand OF late against the rocks. Two
broken cars were heaDed upon H. while one car
was thrown crosswise thus placing a barrier
which saved The cars In the rear i have seen a
train oil toy cars tossed away by the hand OF
frelful child In much the same position as his
wrecked train.
shall never forget the landscape. The tall
pines, with immense cones upon them; the
breeze signing aud sometimes moaning among
them; the beautiful green grass-here and there
patches OF golden wild poppies-noddng to us.
The deep ravine-the broken cars-a small farm
house rustic well.
saw group OF men. Some one was upon the
grass under line pines. / went pearl looked.
II was my goldencrowned saint-my brother
Percy. He dead.
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Unfair Advantage Taken.