Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1890-09-27
THE OLD MANS ROMANCE.

HShAJs 10 nc huueQ a
iresh stick tatne already glowing fire.
fssi leave for Texas on the early
train tomorrow, Cousin Tom," The
young man answered firmly, almost
solemnly.
"Do you fnd-h&ve you heard thar
there Is good opening for spAysician
out there where you are golngfn said
Inc old man as be lighted his pipe and
reseated himself In his confor table
loathern chair.
II don't care a continental whether
there Is an opeuing for a physician or
not; am going west TO go to vctR,h
said Boo, quickly. Il may end by be-
ing cowboy or something worse. per-
maps" he added with a laugh that il
was not pleasant to hear.
"And how does the little Alice like
tho IDEA Of your going?" asked Cousin
Tom csrelessly, II seemed, but his
aaikclosed eyes under his shaggy
orows were fixed very intently upon
ME young fellow as he spoke,
Bob WINGED. Il have not consider~
ed II necessary to notify Mise Ames
ofmy intention" hs said stlnly.
Perhaps may as well tell you. ~
ne continued after u moment s.that Il
viii DO through no voluntary act Of
mine thai she ever hears OF me again;
so. IL you please, we will leave her out
OF the conversation. But come, Cousin
Tom. you have been out west yourself.
I@l me something about the country
The old man pulled away slowly at
bis pipe. The young fellows indiffer-
ence did not deceive him. There were
a good many thoughts in his mind.
He had been sitting long while alone
with only the dim freight and his
memories for company. The coming
OF his young cousin had hardly dis
PEELED the visions he had been recall
Ing, aud he waited long time before
replying.
Yes" he said, at length. between
the puffs, IL have seen a good deal of
the west, and very different country
IL Is from this, / can assure you.
There Is hardly square mile ofground
in the whole State OF Texas that
have not been over; and Mexico and
the territories. and California, too,
know pretty we'll l was a consider
ably younger man than / am now
when went to the frontier. | little
thought then OF becoming the decrepit
old bookworm that / am now, with
hardly strength enough TO light my
pipe 1t has been a good long time
since the Mexican war. though, hasn't
it9 ! was hardly as old as you when
i enlisted.
ibid l ever tell you. Bob" said the |
old man suddenly, ''how | came to
go 10 the WARP"
mo- said Bob. ''and have often
been curious TO know why you threw
up everything and spent so many years
OF your lie 10 wandering about"
well, said tho old man, leaning
forward TO empty his pipe upon the
hearth. Il may make a pretty long
story of IT. and II you get tired you |
must let me know. After left school |
settled down in the village to prac-
tiee law. i was never very wild fel-
low, only quick and hot-tempered-
quick and hot-tempered. Aye. there's !
where the touble came, !" said the old |
man musingly. The freight nickered |
upon his bald head and sunken cheeks. |
and his eyes we're very sad
"Here, boy" he said, as he fumbled |
In his pocket and produced a little.
worn velvet case. ''that has been with
me everywhere through all that
Western wild Look at it as talk to
you"
why. this Is Alice, sir,n said Bob
eagerly as he opened the case.
"Aye. Alice, said the old man, "but
not your Alice. My Alice used 10
call her In the old days She was
Alice Ames' aunt I can see her now,
boy, as saw her the day she sat list
ening to me as | told my love to her.
She kept her eyes bent down upon the
grass at her feet all the tine was
talking TO her. We had walked down
the bill TO the rustic seat under the old
beech tree. but that too Is gone now.
1 forgot Her hat had slipped of.
remember and her rough rings Of hair
seemed TO have caught the rays Of the
sun himself and shono and glinted
round her head. She lifted her sweet
eyes TO mine when / mad done, and put
ting her hand In mine said:
why. Tom. don't you know have
loved you always9"
And, boy--but why am / telling you
all thisp You wanted TO know WIN I
went West Well. as told you, was
q hotheaded. quick-tempered fool,
and, though it seemed to me now tina.
Alice did everything that 3 sensible
man would have been satisfied with. /
used then 70 be very exaeting. and was
often vexed with her. She was bright
sDd cheerful and happy. and used to
treat my high and mighty humors with
The lightness they deserved. Finally,
one day. shall never forget It'll had
been TO see Alice In the morning. and,
with my usual foolhardiness, had been
censuring her for dancing so much the
pight before with HenPv Wantwartb |