The morning call., 1892-10-20

faver. He hired out with us mighty nigh
two wears ago. When he came TO our place
he was a accommodating sort of chap.
The boys used to pity him, for he never
talked like he had any kin above ground, or
any friends. either. All along he has been
kind of dull and slow in his ways, aud two
weeks ago he suddenly took down sick with
fever: he lay in his bunk, moaning sorter
stupid-like. not speaking word for several
Gays: But two nights ago. as was sitting
by him, a-watchiBg to see IL he wanted
raised up IN bed and called out:
Wife! wifep two or three times, as
natural as you please.
Who are you calling, Frank?' said /.
Why. I'm calling Mary, my wife, OF
course; isn't Mary here?' and he looked
around and called again several times.
II hardly knew what TO do or say, 1or
fear of making him restless, SO said:
"'Never mind; she'll come before long,
"He lay there aud looked at me. and then
clspped his hands TO his head, and was sun
for very long time. Presently he glanced
M and his eyes seemed more quiet and
natural than 1 had ever seen them He
".Joe I am too weak to tell you about
IT, but l have a wife. She must be at
Greenfield. Won't You 60 and bring her
'Now, didn't know what to think or do.
for | thought that surely man who had
given his wife the bounce for nigh unto
two years must be queer sort Of a fellow,
or else she must be queer sort OF wife.
so tried to put him off; but, bless you. it
was nc use: The more | begged off the
more excited he was, and | was afraid he
would go into fits and maybe die. and then
I'd be to blame. Finally saws:
don't believe your vile Will come
with such a looking codger as me; may be
| she won't believe word say
"He kinder smiled at that and said:
"'You only GO and offer to bring her 10
her husband. Tell her that Frank Is sick
and wants her and you'll see whether she
won't come.
"Well. of course, couldn't stand that,
so at break of day started. ! rode fifty
miles to the nearest railroad station, and
here ! am, ready to start right back with
Franks wife"
Mary neither wept nor tainted. but sank
right down on her knees and poured out her
thanks to the man who had come with such
good news. Strange to say, she never
doubted the story for one moment, and
when some of the family gently limited that
| it would be well to make some inquiries be-
fore trusting herself with the stranger, she
turned on US like an angry lioness deprived
of her young. We had DO heart nor courage
TO protest against any of her plans and
could only give her all possible aid in pre-
pairing for the journey and promised 20 keep
the little boy until she returned.
The strange man.needed rest and refresh
| ment, and these she urged upon him. watt
| ing upon him herself and trying to show
| her gratitude in every way possible.
Very early the next morning she started
on her long journey TO an unknown place,
! and in care of an unknown individual.
| But she was like new being; all her lam
guor, all her wearied. haggard looks had
| vanished, and she seemed endowed with
| wonderful strength. All traces of sadness
| had left her face and in her voice there was
| a thrill OF victory.
1t was several days before we received
any message from her. and then there were
but few lines TO tell us of her safety, Of
her husbands rapid c0nyalescenee, and that
we might expect them in short time, when
she would explain all.
The story of Frank Hunters discovery
| and his expected return was rapidly eircu-
| lated about town, aud all of his old friends
and neighbors assembled at the depot to bid
| him welcome home. Aud TO see him clasp
| his baby boy and wife once more together in
| his arms was something never TO be forgot
| ten by any of US.
In the quiet OF his home he told us the
| story of his life while absent, and it adds
one more to the already long list of truths
that are stranger than fiction.
II shall never forget" said he, show
! happy and light-hearted / felt when
started out fishing that morning. You know
| / did not often have holiday. so l thought
| | would get all the good there was to be
had. / remembered how l used to enjoy
| padding about in a rowboat when | was a
| little boy. on the Illinois River, so that was
| why wouldn't let the darby boy go with
me. ! fastened my lines to the boat and
made for the deep water in the lake. and
| there L had some good luck fishing, and
| then / concluded TO 60 ashore on the side
where the woods were thick. drew the
! boat up, but just then my foot slipped on
| the wet SAND, the boat slid back into the
water and fell down striking my forehead
| on a large, sharp-pointed boulder. Now,
you will be surprised when / tell you that
| remember nothing more until | found myself
| in the PineTies, in the lumber camp. Yet the
men say that l came to them in the middle
| of August, so that l must have wandered
| through the woods for several weeks un-
conscious. / must have had the outward
| appearance Of sanity, for l was somehow
fed and clothed, as the days went by. When
l started out fishing / had a considerable
| sum Of money In my pocket. and when
| reached the camp Il was nearly gone. Then
| followed period in which MY mental con-
dition must have been very peculiar. The
| men say that l gave my name in the usual
1 manner, and seemed like other people ex-
| cept that did not like 10 talk, bat l re-
member nothing of my feelings, and each
| dRy passed by without my notice. At last
| my torpor was broken up by a simple oc-
| currenee. One day the mail was distributed
| and sat watching the men read their letters
! and papers 1t is strange that II never oc-
| Cured to NE to wonder why | received no
letters. Presently | saw a man hide his
| face in his hands and sob bitterly.
| "What can be the matter?" asked.
| "'My child-my boy is deadP said the
| poor fellow, grooming and sobbing worse
than before. And then he wentOn t. tel
me- how smart his little boy was, how beau
| tifnl, how he loved him; how he was trying
to save money just for the sake of the boy,
and so on, as men will talk when the very
fountains of grief are broken up within
them. listened for while, aud suddenly
nv brain seemed to be on fire. For the
first time since my fall on the stone l began
to have a conscious identity / looked a.
my hands, my clothing. and tried TO recall
memories of the past, but In vain. My
mental struggles we're frightful and termi-
mated in brain fever. Then all at once the
past came back to me; the rest you know
Mary looked at me with shining eyes.
HE called me, and | heard" she said
softly. "You believe ii now?"
pressed her hand in silence; could no
speak; surely this was love which passed
human understanding