Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-09-30

even from beyond old Virg1nia-the old
English loyalty and obedience to the head
Of the family. It is to be sincerely re-
GREETED that this has so entirely persisted
from among us now.
The two young men held their heads 81
lently for moment; then CHANGING at each
other, they came forward
eyes; put her in three piles here on the
table by the bed, al Hez he'll turn his
back an I'il touch one pile with the pint Of
my jackknifc that Pat gave rne to peel my
toenails with When | set we'll next week,
an he'll say, 'WLose""
The poor fellow was tied in u knot cough
ing for time, and then he seemed to take
up some broken thread of conversation
with those remote and multitudinous blue
acquaintance down yonder beyond the
foot pole till the dust was divided. Then
he turned his hollow eyes and looked on
the glittering little heaps, and he smiled
to see that nearly all the big pieces were
heaped on the biggest heap. And he was
glad, for that would go to little Hez-little
Hez, who had worked night and day ali
the time that he lay there in the corner
talking to his toes. Sim, the other broth
er, was good, but he had a beard on his
chin and he had a baby at home, too, but
this boy was Benjamin.
''Turn your back, Hez; whose?"
"Brother Zeke's.''
It was minute or two before Zeke cotld
see straight enough to touch another pile
with any precision. But when it was all
divided they came up smiling and proppcd
him in bed.
.sSay, Her," he said as he took the larg-
est piece in his pile in his slim, blue fingers.
'.say, want you to take this and buy Sis
pirote. Oh, WON'T she cavort to hear il
screcch and scream and cuss!"
He tossed the nugget into his young
brothers heap, and then after tying up
and untying himself he took another piece,
and tossing it into the other brothers heap
he said: Say, you get her another plrote.
Boys, get her three pirotes when you get
to tho isthmus. One might die, and then
the other one would be lonesomclike. Yes.
one might die. That happens sometimes !"
He pushed his gold all over and away
from him, and then with the big blade Il
the jackknife he divided it in two and
made them put it into their long bIckskin
bags as they stood there before him.
IAN now you git; you git tonight; an
you git now. Provisions short, an l need
tonight! There! Goodby."
One hand to each in long, hard clasp,
and as they hurried out-for their hearts
were full and they would not weep, these
men of old, in the presence of anybody
they heard q piping, CHEEKY voice calling
after them, Say, don't forget the pirotes
for Sis, boys"
I tried to read some more to him right
10 fol 70 I,
about Sis and the ''pirotes,'' and was right
in the midst of the struggle between Simon
and John, where the streets of Jerusalem
were running blood, when he suddenly
turned his head and said slowly, Say, how
much more is they of that fightin, an when
will you come to where Josephus had that
trouble with Potiphar's wife?"
I closed the book and tucked up his
feet, telling him as did so that would
have to ask the librarian about it.
''That's right; an say, you bring Frank
Campbell with you tomorrow. / feel kind
O. low, now that the boys is gone, an want
to git some speerits to pull me up like
Yes; goodbye
Frank Campbell laughed that queer,
quiet laugh OF his as we went in there the
next afternoon, for those feet, as if they
must surely be going somewhere, had
pushed away out and out and out; and
the mans face was entirely under the
blankets. Campbell tiptoed up and began
to tickle his foot little as he laughed and
laughed that low, quiet laugh Of his, for
he did not want to startle him. But sud
denly he let his right hand fall, and with
his left lifted his hat and let it hang low
down by his side as he said softly to him
self, looking at the poor tired feet, "Going
home" Joaquin Miller in San Francisco
Call.