The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-07-31
TAGGART'S LITTLE WOMAN.


stopped eatin' an held our forks in the
air to stare at her. ...-
She was the peartest and prettiest thing
our eyes had seen in six months, and she
stood there barefoot and sunburned, with
q tangle of gold h ir hanging over her
shoulders an co.or in her little face
that shamed the Wild roses.
please hev We ennything to eat We
could lend us? Pap lowed he'd like to
borry some bread an tea an he'd come
here to sleep S he wouldn't trubble ye to
move the things an pap lowed ef ye
didn't wanter spare 'em we could sleep
in the haystack and drink water from the
spring. ".a -.|' 'l- ..ila
She said it all in breathless way like
a lesson she had learned, and stood shame
facedly on one little foot waiten fur an
answer.
"Cum in-fetch yer dad--of course
ye're as welcome as roses in Janivery.
But fust like-what's yer name, little
lady? What might we call yery"
Pap calls me Taggart's little woman"
We had heard Of Taggart, but not Of
his child. So he was her father. the on
eriest, LATEST loafer in the county, not
vicious, but OF no earthly account to HIM
self nor anybody else. t.r
An now we were to have him saddled
on us. The little woman had gone off on
the run and we set out two extra tin
plates kept for company and two shinin'
new mugs and dished up some more of
the squirrel stew and the last of the baked
potatoes for our visitors.
They came in together, hand in hand,
and we gave Tagt art as cordial a well
come as we could, count Of his child.
For we were glad, every man of us, to in
stall Taggart's little woman at our cabin
table, and to endure her father for her
sake. T#.-I .lN J.
An we never repented of, it either.
Why, that little mite, bless her, was like
letter from home every day in the year.
She was the light of our eyes afore she
had been with us a month, and we cod
died her good for nothin' dad Jest cause
he was her dad, and she loved him with
all the power of her little heart. We all
lowed that she was too good for him, but
when we come to sift the evidence we
found that he had cared for her ever since
her mother died in a prairie schooner and
she We're mite of a baby.
Now yoti wouldn't believe that any
man would be so shiftless, but it air
fact. He had been seven years tryin to
earn enough money to take that young
TN back East to her grandmother. And
here he was without a cent to his name.
Liquor? No. He drank with the rest Of
us, but not more than the law allowed
and the climate warranted.
He was just that unlucky that he could
not seem to make days wages and live
on them like anybody else. We hired
him to wash our findings, and he lost the
dust and saved the refuse, and then he
Gtared, stupid like. when we talked to
him, and acted queer
Z One or twicehe went to Miners Town,
and come home in that same way. There
was two Cinnamon come along one day,
and we run them off lively, an when we
did Taggart he Lit out without a word in
the way they had gone as if he were
crazy. "''' BOD
rs Then Green, ,,one of our men, said in a
low voice. 81.
i"1reckoh rve got it," %. 'tt
as it typboid!" asked another Of the
gang.
'-- ~No, says Green sits opium"
"Thats why he don't work HG'
An the reason he can't go East"
"Air We talkin' about my pappy?"
1t was the childs little voice at our ell
bows, and we all jumped like we'd been
caught stealin'. So Green told her the
story Of the "Three Bears" and the "Cat
That was Princess, and when Taggart
came shutting in, with his hang dog look,
she was laughin', and havin' the best
kind o time. But soon's she saw him she
was anxious and worried, but he Just ran
his hand over her hair, and says he:
% How would Taggarts little woman
like to go East and live in fine house
and hey lots of money and good clothes
and edication?"
Fust rate, pap, says the little woman,
land all them could come along mo.
tionin' TO us.
Bless her little heart! She was gettin'
as fond Of us as we was Of her.
Wohuoi IL ldSRdTtS lltLle woman
could make rabbit pie, says Green one
mornin'.
Jest you try me, came quick as a
1I fash. "Stop some rabbits fur me an see
me cook 'em in pork an seasonin'."
There's a old gun in that loft that's
got fine bird shot in it, said Green. aye
kin hev that Taggart, to hunt with. Ei
ye air no better at shootin' rabbits thar
ye air at pannin' gold dust them rabbits
will live to be Methusalums.
d" l was tied to my chair with a lame
foot, so Watched tho little woman eittin
the dough ready for the rabbit pie. She
was picture, with her bright eyes and
pretty ways, and she had fixed her VI
with some things we bought at Miners
Town specially for her. AS looked a,
her thought what difference her be
ing there made. couldn't remember
when any of us he'd used swear word.
j Little woman, can yer read 2" asked
"No, mister; but pappy can, {" was the
answer. An I'm goin' ter learn how
sOOn's avar I on Fast TOR INV trropp,au,