Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1891-09-18

man mcw ner into ms zap ana croone,
over her like z woman
Don't We be afeared. little thing
don't We be afcard," he said IF "
pap or nanny never come yen be al
ways safe with US We had little ga
once, Almost y'r size an hcft. an'--yes
she looked amost like ye. We called
her Freeze, an ] guess we'll call u
Gale. for y'r amost like her.
The child looked trus:iTgly up into
lis sympatiet:c face, but it was plain
she did not understand him
Il reckon ye cant make me out. little
bird, from the way ye Look" he said.
but ye needn't be afeard. ye needn't
oe afeard
hem, and the father drew Lannie upon
MS other knee The pudgy little fellow
cooked at the pale-faced child moment.
hen, touching her thin hand, he looked
up into the mans face and lisped; She
Lann1e's sisterl Lannie's new sister,!
and the other children jumped up and
Down with glee.
The mother heard it as she entered,
and when she came forward with the
tiny dress and shoes that once had clad
their little Breeze, her heart was full
Taking the willing child to her breast
she passed into the other room again to
/ cloth her in dry garments, and the big.
ragged, steaming man leaned forward
and poked the fire, and the children
wondered, for his eyes were wet
| Presently the woman came back, and,
witt I quick step. set about getting
brc- ..fast- Armor remained leaning
forward, steaming. and gazing dirnly
into the bed of burning knots resent
ly his head sank down as if it were lead.
he had fallen asleep from utter ex-
haustion. The woman touched his
shoulder
Drink this cup of coffee, Trave," she
said soothingly. It'll strengthen you
till get some breakfast on the table"
But he could hardly drink it. his
hands shook SO, and he looked up pite-
ously in her face. Lucy I'm amost
pegged!' he said.
''Yes; oh, Travc, can't you stop now?
Can't you quit drinking9" she cried,
and her thin frame shook from head to
foot.
The man swayed forward over his
knees and groaned; Lucy. will if ]
kin!' But suddenly he threw himself
back with look of torture in his face
81 need it now! I'm Albumin up. Lucyw
he cried. Amt there any in the house2
Jist a spoonful!'
A look of despair spread over the
woman's face. ''Trave. there amt any,"
she said "You must go to bed now,
and sleep until y'r better" and she led
him into the other room as if he was a
trembling child.
When she came out again she asked
for Paul, but none of the children had
seen him, and she went anxiously to
the door and looked out The boy was
limping slowly up the path with his ia
TIERS rusted rifle on his shoulder. He
had found it in the bottom of the water
logged boat.
breakfast IS most ready. Paul"
said the mother, and her voice was an
infinitely tender caress- She did not
praise him. but he saw an approval in
her eyes too great for words.
I'm not much hungry, mother" he
said. ''I'll get the tubs filed. SO we
can go to work when y're ready"
When the poor meal was prepared he
came in and ate few bites in silence.
The food choked him when he looked at
his mothers care-worn face. Suddenly
as they sat at the table. the father cried
out wildly in the other room, and the
wife ran in and they heard her strug-
Cling with him. The children grew
still and the little waif looked fright
ened and perplexed.
SIT was right up there on the ceilinT''
had green eyes and a red-forked tongue,
It was an awful snake, Lucy. and it
jumped down onto me an got round my
neck an was chokin me! Oh. it was
chokin' me!''
Paul got up and. lifting theslittle girl
in his arms, looked at the children
meaningly, and they followed him out
He placed his delicate burden on q
bench in a sunny place down by the
wall, and, asking Carl to watch them
while they played, he went back to
help his mother. She came into the
room as he entered. 1t struck him to
the heart. she looked so worn and pitt
full.
Hes sleeping again." she whispered
Don't you go in where he is. Paul, un
less call you; perhaps the spell won't
come on him again."
The boy turned aside and sat down
before the fire. and began drying his
wet and clinging clothes. The woman
went slowly about her work. and
sounds from the children playing in the
sunshine came floating in.
The two did not talk; some question
touching the little stranger. who she
could be, and through what mysterious
peril she had come to them. may have
ebbed through their thoughts. but they
had no heart to speak Of it. The chill
dren might gambol on the grass, with
the deep indigo sky above and the
fragrant rain-washed air coming
through the pines and filling them with
zest, but to these elder two the very at
mosphere seemed thick and stagnart
with the curse that lay upon the family
After time the woman finished
washing the poor, cracked dishes and
went out, and the boy reused himself
and stirred YEARLY about He felt |
stiff and heavy, much as if he were
partly numb in body while his mind
was painfully wide-awake. He found
his mother putting the tubs in position
under the shed. getting them ready at
once for work.
"Mother. We amt ct to-" pleaded the
boy. I'VE amt fit to work; We didn't |
sleep none last night, know ye didn't
See, y're all of a tremble now. mother: |
can't we wait till tomorrow"
I'VE have nothing to eat in the house.
Paul." she said 1--WE must get these
done an get something to
feed the children. Your father may
have to have some medicine. too and
her lips trembled.