Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-11-05
STORY OF A LETTER.
It Won a Mother Back to Health
and Happiness.
s.OH work so early?"

'.Off work SO early?"
James stopped in passing a boy who,
like himself, was one of the workers
on large ranch. Caleb's stumpy fig
ure was bending over a large table in
the rough back porch and his face was
drawn into a pucker which told that
his task was no easy one.
Eyes, it's early know, but it's mail
day to-morrow-and 1 thought I'd send
letter."
Folks back east?" asked James.
"Well, 1 haven't got many folks.
Amt so well off as you are. It's my
stepmother, but she's a good woman
and likes to hear from me and I think
ought to-"
No one ever thought of taking Caleb
for an exemplar in anything. He was
slow and clumsy in his movements and
never dreamed of presuming to make a
suggestion of duty to anyone. But it
had come to be observed that Caleb
was to be relied on.
''If you look for him where he be-
longs he is sure to be there" his en-
rloyer had been heard to say. And
some of the boys had noticed that Ca
lebs quiet: 81 think ought to- always
| referred to something he was sure to do
James had intended calling upon
Caleb for assistance in the turning of
water into the irrigating ditch upon
| which the crops SO largely depended.
but he now turned away and went by
himself, with weight at his heart and
a shadow upon his brow. If asked the
reason for it he might have been slow
| to admit to anyone else that it was
| called there by consciousness of neg
| lect of duty, but the fact was very
| plain to himself.
''Just stepmother. If Caleb thinks
it's matter of ought to- write to her
| about every mail day 1 wonder what
| he'd do if he had a mother and father
and a sister. Heigho! 1 didn't expect
to be gone three years when got mad
| and quit"
In the early springtime James had
been seized with a spasm of remorse at
his long, cruel neglect of those who
| loved him, to whom he was SO much
and to whom lie realized he owed it to
be such comfort.
| 'Pll write. And some day I'll go
back and do my best by EN-
! He did write, his letter carrying all
the JOY which may be imagined into
| the old farmhouse. Father and mother
had answered, the sight of their poor
cramped handwriting bringing tears
to the eyes of the wandering son. And
Susan had written:
Father says he'll never miss driving
in to the post Office on the days that a
letter could get here after your mail
| day. And mother stands at the gate
watching for him to come back"
1t had reached his heart and spurred
him up to writing quite regularly for
awhile. Then the intervals between
his letters had grown longer, and now
for weeks he had not written.
Passing later again near Caleb's
rough library he paused with half a
smile. The sun-tanned, freckled face
was now, in the throes of an effort to
accomplish fine-looking address to
his letter, drawn into series of knots
and wrinkles astonishing to behold.
All of a sudden they relaxed into a
smile of pride and delight as he held
up and contempt ated the scraggy re-
suit of his efforts.
''I'd rather pillow all day." he said.
meeting James gaze with beaming
eye. ''Yes, I would. l always feel as
though I'd tackled big job and got
the better of it when I've wrote let
er. feel as light as feather. When
I used to let it slip sometimes / felt as
though I had q stone to carry. feel
that way now when writin' times
comm. But I've found the best way
to get rid of that feelin's just to get
right at it and do it. think that's
the way with most things when you
think you ought to. don't you?'
eyes, do" said James, as he went
on toward the stables. ''And when
you knoso you ought to, as do he
| added to himself.
Caleb followed him with shout be-
tokening his unburdened condition of
mind. and leading out one of the shay
| gy ponies used in herding the cattle.
was soon galloping the four miles to
the point at which the weekly mail
was gathered. Scant and irregular it
was, and who can tell how many
anxious hearts watched for its news OF
loved ones, or waited in the WEAKNESS
Of hope deferred for tidings which did
| not come.
The full moon arose over the wide
expanse of rolling mountainous seen
cry as the riders form was lost in the
distance. James leaned against a
rough cart and gazed mechanically
| about him.
81 wish l had written too. didn't
mean to get into loose ways about it
again-as sure as / live 1 didn't
Mother watching at the gate, Susy
said. l s'pose it's the same old gate :
the one used to swing on when 1 was
little and get scolded for it Next
Tuesday1l be the day mother'll be
Watching"
In the hush Of the glorious light his
thoughts wandered over years gone by.
Far back, almost to infancy, did his
memory stray, bringing up scenes
vague and misty. incidents only dimiy
recalled; get in all his mothers face,
gentle and tender. seemed to stand out
distinctly. Sometimes it bent over him
in sickness. sometimes he saw it as in
church, with the grave expression put
On for the day. Sometimes it bore Z