Morning journal and courier., 1892-12-28

ways did when he went to work. got
supper s-resdy that night, an waited an
waited for him, an he never eome, an
hsin't heerd word sencs that time"
Perhaps he got killed somewheres,n
suggested Dick.
"No, don't b'lieve he did. looked
into ev'ry news paper could find, an in
CURED of ev'rybody 1 see, but 1 couldn't
hear nothin' about him He disappeared
as suddin and mysterious as eff heid ben
swallowed up in the ground. I never
could understan' it."
Probably youth never know now. it's
ben SO long" said Dick, "he's dead by
this time of course"
"Nol Dick, know he amt dead. I've
had good many dreams bout him late
lY, an he was always lvin'. 1t was only
las night that / had another one. I
dreamed that went to heaven, and
saw King Jesus" she spoke softly and
reverentislly, "an' he looked at me so
sweet and sorrowful-like and said, sHarrIt
vino be you s-lookin' forF An said I'm
lookin' for Rsuben;' an then he said 'he
amt here an iss' then woke up. / can
see 1t all jes' az plain as day. she said ex-
citedly, IAN know shall see him again
before die"
"Well, gran'mother, 1 hope you will IL
you want to, but shouldn't think you'd
care about seein' him after he'd treated
you so shabby. He'd ought to have q
good thTsshin' et hes ben alive all this
long time."Ea
"Don'tDiok; can't bear to hear you
talk sgin him; he was your grandfather,
an hs was always good to me and the
baby"
can right, little gran'mothsr, won't
no more eff 1t makes you feel bad; but I
say you're a brick not to go back on q fel-
Ter after so many years"
Mrs. Parker was an oneirocritic. She
thoroughly believed in dreams and in the
interpretations thereof. She had many
signs and forewarnings; ths most common
happenings had some oocuIt meaning for
her. If she dropped knife or fork on
the floor 1t betokened the coming of Wis
itor, whose sex was determined by the one
that fell, and the direction also, from
which they would make their appearance.
She was so thoroughly in earnest and told
her signs and dreams go irnocently, that
her friends smiled indulgently, and had
not the heart to convince her of the fol-
ly of her superstitions.
1t did not take long, with Dicks help,
to make ready for the journey. There was
money enough resulting from the sale Of
the furniture TO buy the wheeled chair;
and 1t was hard to tell which was the hap
pier, the little girl on receiving 1t or the
old woman in its bestowal.
It was very tired but happy woman
who sat, with folded hands, so proudly
by the side of her stalTsrt grandson on
the passenger cars of the Central New
York road. She looked at him 80 often,
and seemed SO pleased every time she
l0pt sd that the raaEanpara haran IN mn.
tice the couple, and smiliugly formed oon-
lectures regarding them.
Her thoughts went forward to the
daughter whom shs had not seen for SO
many long years; and she questioned Dick
continually sbout her. sis she as ham
some as she used to bel" she asked.
'Tm afraid not" answered Dick. "You
know mother had hard time after father
died, with all of rs children to take care
of; But please God" he added soiemnly,
''the hard times are over, for and Jake
will take care of you and mother now"
'How good you are to me-" che said,
giving him loving little pat, 81 don't de-
serve it."
She was interested in everything and in
everybody whom she ssw; asking each
time they nearei station, "where be We
now, Dicki" And, Dick, noble fellow that
he was, answered her patiently, and was
| not ashamed of the harmless peculisrities
of She little old-fsshioned woman by his
side.
When night came she continued to look
| out of the window, peering ont into the
| darkness, vsinly trying to see the country
| through which they were passing, for this
| journey was great deal to her, and she
wanted to make the most of 1t. Finally
Dick persuaded her to lean her head on q
shawl, which he had folded for her, and
although he persisted 81 ain't the least bit
| tired; and If be / can get rested in
Chicago" the tired eyes closed, and before
she knew it abe was asleep.
| She was awakened by the sudden stop
page of the train. and starting up asked
sleepily, "Where be we now"
| Il guess we amt nowhere in particular -
answered Dick, "there must be an acci-
dent, or somethin' On the track I'm goin'
out to see." He was back again presently
and told her that man, who had sp-
parently been walking on the track, had
| been struck by the engine, and thrown
| over into a field close by. ''Ths strnugEst
part of all, he concluded, she sin't killed
outright. and there aiut no bones broke ss
can find out; but hs's iss' groanin' awful
Why, they're bringin' him in here"
AS he spoke, two men carrying the poor
fellow, appeared at the door. They made
'
him up with the shawls and wraps which
the kind hearted passengers offered him.
| His grosns were more than Mrs. Parker
could bear. It made her kind cid heart
ache. Thrus.ing h-r hand into the depths
of her faded carpet bag, che drew out q
bottle of osmphor and, putting few drops
into a glass of water, went to his relief.
"Here, take little campfire and water,
it'll do you good" she said soothingly.
II mi r. IL a ~.
tie, and bsthed his head. This treatment
seemed to revive him. and, opening his
eyes, he looked to ses who WAS acting the
| part of the good samaritan toward him.
"Be you any more comfortable nowf" she
asked.
''Yes, I guess be-" he answered
! family.
"weIl. knowed 1t would help you" " she
: said confidently; there amt nothin' lik,
, campfire for sinkin' spells I couldn't keeI
r house without my campfire"
After awhile she began talking to him
! and, finding that he had worked on rail
roads the greater part of his life, che in
D quired of him, as she had inquired of sC
8 many strangers she had met during all tn,
| long years, IL he knew Reuben Parker.
3 The man looked up at her sharply as sh'
I. asked the question. 81 shouldn't wonder
3 If did," be said finally; 'Tm pretty vel
acquainted with him. I've known him Q
: | good many yesrs."
I "DId you ever hear him say anythin
1 | bout Harri't Parksrf' she asked eIcitedly
: "what do you know bout her," he said
r trying to move, but the effort made hin
{ faint again, and 1t wss some time befor
t he could speak. When at last he grew
easier he said: "Harri't Parker was m!
t wife. What do you know About HArri'
t Parkeri I've ben tryin' TO find her thes
s many years"
, Looking at him as IL abe would read th
truth in his face, she leaned forward an'
y said earnestly: ''Be You Reuben Parker
Air you my husband that lef' me mos
: forty years agoi Obi Reuben how couli
9 you hev done i'll KEEP your supper wa.r
all night wAitin' for yon TO come YU
= hadn't ought to hev treated me so."