The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-12-24

IVY WAS HIS FAITHFUL LITTLE NURSE.
In little solitary cabin, nesting like
a birds nest among the pines and cedars
on Rocky Ridge, Milton Fisher was
breathing his last.
Three persons stood by the bedside Of
the dying mantle old gray haired
doctor from over i'll the valley and True
and Ivy, Fishers motherle7s children.
True was a robust, manly looking boy
Of fourteen, while his sister, two years
younger. was a sweet, earnest faced
child. with eyes like the violets bloom
ing in the canyon, and hair like the
warmest sunbeams gliding the crests OF
the Rockies. The olddoctors eyes were
moist when they rested pityingly upon
the children, SO soon to be left orphans
indeed, as they knelt and tearfully lis.
tened to their fathers last words.
''True," the dying man said, placing
his thin hand On the lads brown curls,
'syou and Ivy stick to each other and
stick to the little claim in the canyon.
Try not to feel too lonesome when your
dads gone. Your Uncle Jim will come
as soon as he hears the word. The doc
tor has given me his promise to write to
Jim, and 1 know he'll come back and
look after you. Remember to stick to
the claim, for, mind I tell yon, you'll
find yaller dirt there some time. Stay
here in the cabin till Jim comes; then
he'll go to work on the claim. He'll find
the gold, for it's there!"
And with his old faith in the valuable
ness of the claim in the canyon strong
as ever, Milton Fisher passed away.
1t was a hard struggle for those lonely
children to fight life's battle without
father or mother. But they went bravely
to work to make the most of their cir
cumstances.
The Fishers were very poor. Two
years before Milton Fisher, whose foot
steps hard luck had always seemed to
dog with rcmOrseless p"rsisteucy, had
Joined an emgrant train, starting from
Missouri to Colorado. They had brought
nothing but themselves and few house
hold goods in a dilapidated looking COW
cred wagon, drawn by one mule and a
stout Indian pony.
After the fathers death some of the
settlers i'll s;le valley tried to persuade
Ivy'to leavs the isolated old cabin on
Rocky Ridge. But she would not go.
When urged 10 DO 50 she always said:
No, True and | must stick together,
cause pap said to. know we're mighty
poor, but we can work, and know We'll
get along some way till Uncle Jim
comes"
True had intended to rent piece of
land in the valley and put in a small
crop; but the mule fell from the cliff and
broke it's neck, SO he was forced to do
something else. He hired himself to a
farmer three miles distant to help clear
out some irrigating bitches. He did not
receive mans wages for his services,
and considering the cost of living in that
part of the west his earnings amounted
to a mere pittance.
But Ivy was q little household econo-
mist, and they managed to get along
much better than might have been
imagined until True met with an acct
dent. s---.-.-.
While helping the farmer to split some
timbers the ak had slipped, cutting his
foot SO badly as to lay him up for several
weeks. Ivy was his faithful little nurse,
and was ever ready to cheer him up when
| his patience showed signs Of giving out.
1t was in the fall of the year when
True cut his foot. The deciduous trees
| began to shed their foliage, but Uncle
jim had not come yet
| The doctor had written three letters
! addressing them to Il frontier pOstOffice
! in Wyoming where Jim Fisher had been
last heard from.
But no answer came back. and rs Jim
was 4 kind of rover, spending his time III
hunting, trapping and mining, it was
likely that he did not receive the letters
Now that True was disabled, the lonely
young jewellers on Rocky Ridge felt their
| isolation and orphanage more kecnly
and longed for the presence of Uncle
| Jim.
Autumn gave place to winter chill,
but brought no tidings of the wanderer
True's foot proved more obstinate
about healing than had at first been pre-.
! dicted. a heavy cold added to his trou-
BILE. and Christmas eve found him still
confined to the cabin.
| "Oh, DEAR" he sighed dolefully. "To
morrow's Christmas, and here am of nc
account yet. | hoped all along I'd be
a. lie to work before this and make nice
Christmas for you. 1t won't seem Bit
like Christmas to be housed up this way
l meant to make it seem like old times
to you, Ivy"
| 1t was hard for the energetic boy to b<
there so helpless, and there was some.
thing very pathetic in one of his year.
calling up ''old times" Ivy realized this
In vague kind of way, but resolutely
depressing the tears she returned gently
Try not to mind. True. Well make
1t as happy Christmas as we can
| When Uncle Jim gets back We'll make
up TO you all you've missed by lying here
SO long
"1don't believe that Uncle Jim is evel
coming back. Ivy"
| On. Yes lie is, True. Don't lose hear
So, she sought TO encourage him.
Il hadn't ought to. know, when yo
are 50 kind to lne, and wait on me as
1 was a baby. But l amt much better
I've been penned up here 50 long wit
| this sore foot. he said glo0mily.
Don't fret, True Well have a mic
| Christmas yet"
Il ought to be ashamed to worry whe.
You are 50 patient, and l will try not I
fret any more.
Maybe God won't forget US away u
here on Rocky Ridge this Christmas
Now try to sleep, True" And kissin
/ him softly she smoothed the covers owe
him. you'll feel better when you wax
up, then I'll give You some supper"
She sang softly about her simple hous.
hold tasks, until the boys regula
breathing told her that he slept.
Poor True!" she said to herself. g
wish had something nice to cheer hi1
up on Christmas. Not being we'll make
him feel more disappointed like. l
wish'-
She laid aside the old stockings whic