The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1892-09-17

we didn't see him ut noon we heard from
him, and after supper he was brough, out
to be looked at and talked to for an hour
The little chap could master papa"
mamma" dog" "cat," and so on, aud
"Old Comfort" did little else but teach
him. When he brought out n new word
we were rs enthusiastic as If some one had
made "A rich find, and sometimes the cheers
and hand clapping frightened him until he
put up a lip. AS Il rule he would shake
hands with all and smile at every one. but
he cluuy to odd Comfort" in way to
touch your heart Some of us would 'bor
row" him occasionally and carry him
about on heads or shoulders, but he was
not content to be long out of the old mans
arms. If we were Childish what would
you say of the gang down ut Albany Flat?
Two weeks after the boy came to us about
dozen of them came up one Il ternOOn to
see if it was Il real, live boy. with II regular
face and two arms and legs They found
it was. They saw him laugh and heard
him talk, and they retired to consult The
result was an offer Of ore, provisions and
cash amounting to $500; but we laughed
them to scorn. Sell our boys Why, there
wasn't money enough in the whole United
States to tempt us.
him through the fall and winter in good
shape, and he kept growing and ende,aring
himself to everybody. We could have
found better claims further down, but no
one would 30 unless all would move, ;,s it
would be leaving the boy behind. When
spring came we all noticed that little
Jack was out of sorts. suppose it was
our coarse fare us much as anything else,
although he got two or three heavy colds
in spite of "Old Comforts" motherly care
We weren't alarmed, however, and nobOsiy
was prepared for it when the whisper
came that our boy was sick. Three days
! later he was dead. On the last day no
| work was done. After dinner we formed
| in line and passed in and out of the old
mans shanty to look upon that pale face
before death came At sunset he died, and
during that long night no man spoke
above whisper. We made him coffin
out of boxes, dug grave in the sunshine
| on the hillside, and when we laid him
away no man kept hack his tears. It was
"Old Comfort" who read II chapter from
his pocket Bible at the grave, and it was
he who made the prayer in torres which
told us all how sore his old heart was
When all was over some men went away
and sat down by themselves to grieve.
! while others began tearing down and pack
ing up to leave the place on the morrow.
That night there was no singing, no music
on the fiddles, no story telling about the
, camp fires or in tie shantes. Now and
then men whispt each other, but the
camp was SO quiet mat one coming up the
trail would have believed it deserted. And
SO went the night. and when morning
came the camp was aroused by the shouts
of an early riser. He was pointing up the
hillside to little Jacks grave. We knew
! what was wrong ~ we started up the
path. "Old Comfort" was lying across the
| grave, and he was dead and cold-tiea,i oi
Il broken heart. We buried him beside his
boy-our boy-and two hours after his
grave was filled in not man was left at
| Strawberry Hill. NJ. QUAD.