Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-12-24

made cotton shirt,
Aunt Fanny was vcxed with him for
his persistent shidlessucss IN this busy
new town, where every hand and every
foot had work for each working hour
was II small wonder that she felt that
even indian Joe should be willing 10 do
the few and small chores which she had
set for himp Il was no use how
ever; when the morning found her out
Of bed, Il likewise found loc up and
away. no kindling cut, no water carried,
and no FIRE started. She could but scold
him sharply, yet the mother heart
within her repcnted. and when Joe
would look up into her face and repeat
the formula that good old Uncle Deuie
had taught him to use on just such
occasions, "Plelse forgive me, do beta
next time. Aunt Fanny" Then she
would sigh dieconsollielyand mutmur
"Wcll. / suppose Us bred Ia the
bone" And then once more she would
give him his chores TO do, aud would
lccl encouraged 10 see how willingly he
took hold, while she was there. to
watch.
lf Toe did not like 10 work, there was
one thing he dearly loved-a "ehoro',
which Is often disliked by white children,
and one which was more fashionable
formerly than II is ~ present. lie
would sit for hours In the house Of the
ncichbors and rock or otherwise amusc
the baby. II was a pity that Aunt Fanny
was a childless woman, for II she had
been a mother II would have cOnsnlcd
her much to witness the intense devotion
of loo toward the tiny, helpless bits ol
humanity which crow aud gurgie and
rule the house.
How he loved 10 watch the little, rest.
less motions and 10 see the swift smile
which always greeted his approach at
any shrine held sacred To baby.
His tongue was an Indian one, and II
allowed him few words and small desire
TO express the deep thoughts which tos-
scd, and boiled, and beloved and play.
ed away down, occan.ieep,in his nature,
too far down for even bubble OF emo
ton to appear upon the surface,
Ills whole time would gladly have
been passed NJ the crib Of some baby,
II Inc had been allowed 10 SO spend H.
Next to babies came the icat1crcl song.
sters OF the ait WHAT glorious fun 10
climb some high cottonwood tree, and
there sit and wait with Indian quiet
until the birds knew him. and passed
him by as II he were limb OF the tree.
think he must have had some definite
understanding with these tiny creatures
for his voice was so nearly like their
own when he chose to repeat their son
woodland calls, that even the sharpcst
human ear could not, tell which was boy
and which was bird.
Away up 10 some cottonwood tree he
would sit Tor hours, calling sometimes Ia
suit, sweet chirps. aud auon sitting per-
fcetly still and listening 10 the noisy
twitter, twit,cr Of the many birds con-
gregated about him.
Poor little loci With the winter came
snow, and away ilew the birds To warm
or climes; out from sight hid the daisies
and bluebels. And, worst OF all, the
hacking cough with which he was
troubled moved Aunt Fanny to refuse
him the privilege OF going ont Of doors.
even TO split kindling wood. No,
indeed. She actually brought the small
chunks within tive warm kitchen, and,
true to her Yankee instincts, insisic d
upon his chopping them, although she
went to lar more trouble TO clean up the
muss than II she had done the work In
| the shed.
Aunt Fanny was nothing II she was
not industrious, and In spite Of nlturc.
IN spite OF birth. she was determined to
do her best by Indian Joe to make him
grow into a useful, industrious man. II
I would not be her fault II he was a dis
grace to her bringing up, for she toiled
lar more to teach him 80 ! habits than
she would have done In dong twice the
amount OF work herself.
Toe chopped wood, and made lit.efs
all about the floor, and moped between
whites, dawdling at the window, with
| his big black eyes fastened on the win
ter scene without Away up on the
mountains, tina, Is where, in his childish,
wordless Imagination, he had planted n
high city out OF the reach Of cold and
frost and snow. and there grew flowers
and there sang birds, and there romped
. babiesl
One cold, cold day. very near the
Christmas tide, Aunt Fanny carried him
from the bed, where he had laid most o
the time Of late, and taking him to the
window, she told him to watch and soor
he would see Uncle Derric coming home
through the sunshine and the snow
That was delight, and Il was a grievou
disappointment to Toe that q heavy fit o
coughing shook him just as the hug,
shoulders OF his beloved master anC
friend pushed through the small gate an,
he lost the look in.,he kindly keen eye
through the mist OF tears in his own eye
that followed his long cou ching spell.
When he recovered from the spasm
II was to find himself In the arms Of hi
kind protector, and he dropped of I,
sleep soon after quite content with III,
and his portion OF II. A week after, |
was the short, brief dawn of Christ
mas Day itself, Joe lay in his own It'll,
trundle bed, his eys burning bright will
the fever OF death within, and his breatl
short with the swiftly oncoming strug
gle.
Near him sat Aunt Fannie, her eye
running over with sorrowlul tears, an
her big cotton handkerchief all soaker
and doubled up In wrecgleSs disregau
Of neatness and cleanliness, a sure. sigl
that Aunt Fanny was too absorbed wit
emotion to remember her own tidy ma
ture.
At the head Of the bed lnelt Uncl
Derric, his big hands sottoning ant
smoothing his straight lusterless hair q
his beloved orphan Lamanite. lie wa
talking In a low tone Of voice TO III
child, trying in his blunt and yet tende
way to prepare the little one for tn
eternity about to open upon his visioI
He had explained to the boy the Chris
mas day, and why Il was so celebrated
10 the dying ears he was also relatin
much OF the history OF his own LAM