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


breathing his last
Three persons stood by the bedside Of
,he dying nan--the old gray haired
doctor from over In the valley and True
and Ivy, Fishers mothcrleis children.
True was u robust, manly looking 10y
Of fourteen. while his sister, two years
Younger. was sweet, earnest faced
child. with ewes like the violots bloom
inp In the canyon, and hair like the
wnrnest sunbeans gliding the crests Of
,he Rockies. The old doctors eyes were
moist when they rested piyingly upon
the children, 10 soon TO be left orphans
indeed. ~ they linelt and tcarfully lis
tened to their fathers last word,
"Truc,' the dying man said, placing
his thin hand on the lads brown curls,
.you and Ivy stick TO each other md
stick 20 the little claim ~ the canyon.
Try not to feel too lonesome when your
dads gone. Nour Uncle Jim will come
rs soon rs he hcars the word. The doc
tor has given me his promise TO write 10
Jim. aud know hen come back aud
look after YOU. Remember 70 stick to
the claim, for mind | tell you. you'll
iud WALLER dirt there sume time. Stay
here In the cabin I'LL Jim comes; then
he'll go 20 work ON the clalm. He'll find
the gold, for It's thern"
Aud with his old faith in the valuable.
ness Of the claim in the canyon strong
a. ever. Milton Fisher passed away.
Ii was q hard struggle for those lonely
children to fight lies battle without
father or mother. But they went btavely
a. work 20 make the most Ut their cir
cumstancrs.
The Fishers were very poor. Two
years before Milton Fisher whose foot.
steps hard luck had always scented 10
dog with rcmursclca, pcr,isteucy, had
Joined nn emigrIut train, starting from
Missouri to Colorado. They had brought
nothing but Themselves and few house.
hold goods in dilapiiatcl looking COW
cred wagon. drawn by one mule and a
stout Indian pony.
After the fathers death some Of tho
settlers in the valley tried 10 persuade
Ivy TO leave the isolated old cabin On
Rocky Ridge. But she would not go,
When urged 10 do 50 she always said:
"No, True aud must stick together,
cause pap said TO. know we're mighty
poor. but we eau work, aud know WEI
get along some way till Uncle Jim
comes
True had intended 10 rent a piece ~
land IA the valley aud put In u email
crop; but the mule fell from the ella nd
broke Is neck, 50 he was forced 10 do
something else. he hired himself to a
farmer three miles distant 20 help clear
out some irrigatiug bitches He did not
receive mans wngcs for his snrviccs,
and considering the cost Of living Ia that
part Of the west his earnings amounted
toa mere pittancc.
But Ivy WIS little household "cono'
mist, aud they managed to get along
much better than might have been
imagined until True met with an acct
dent,
While helping tho farmer 10 split som,
timbers the AK had slipped, cutting hi.
foot 80 badly as TO lay him up for scyera
weeks. Ivy was his faithful little nurse
and was ever ready to cheer him mp whul
his patience showed signs Of giving out.
IL was la the fall Of the year whcI
True cut his foot. The deciduous tree
began to shed their foliage, but uncl'
Jim had not come yet,
Tho doctor had written three letters
addressing them TO frontier postutlicl
So Wyoming where Jim Fisher had beei
last heard from.
But no answer came back, and rs jim
was kind Of rover, spending his time II
hunting, trapping and mining, II wa
likely that he did not receive the letters
Now that True was disahl ed, the lionel
young jewellers on Rocky Ridge felt thei
isolation and orphanago more keenll
aud longed for the presence OF Uncl
Jim. 80.
Autumn gave place to wintcr chill
but brought no tidings Of thu 'nnderel
True's foot proved more obstinai
about healing than had ut first been pr
dicted. A heavy cold added to his trur
BILE, and Christmas eve found him I'll
confined TO tho cabin.
"Oh, dear" he sighed dolefully. "r'
morrows Christmas, and here am Of .
account yet. hoped all along I'd
able to work before this and make anti
Christmas for you. Il won't seem a b
like Christmas to be housed up this wa
meant To make it seem like old tim
10 you, Ivy
1t was hard for the energetic boy to
there so helpless, aud there was som
thing very pathetic IN one Of his yea
calling up sold times Ivy realized IA
IN vague kind OF way, but resolute
REFRESHING tho tears she returned gent
"Trynot to mind, True. Wen ma
It as happy Christmas rs we ca
When Uncle jim gets hack well ma
mp TO you all you've missed by lying he
10 long
II don't believe that Uncle Jim IS ev
coming back, Ivy"
"oh, yes he is, rrue' Don't lose hea
80 she sought TO encourage him.
~ hadn't ought TO, | know, when y
are 80 kind to ne, and wait on me as
] was baby. But amt much bett,
I've been iienned up here 50 long WI
this sore foot, he said gloomily.
DON'T fret, True. Wen have nj
Christmas yeti
~ ought TO be ashamed 10 worry VII
you are 30 patient and | will try not
irci amy more"
"Maybe God won't forget W away