Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-10-05

Danish II perversc fancy that this was |
Rinnie--nls Rinnie. as she had leaned |
upon him q fourth Of century before. |
\ ct his Rinnie was moldcring into primal |
dust 800 miles away. under the shadow
of her native mountains,
81 ought to have gone back with her"
sobbed Arizony. "she begged me to go.
She wasn't strong, and this climate
didn't suit her toward the last. But
Burl-he wouldn't agree. | reckon she
told you about Burl. He wouldn't say
yes. and seems like | have to do good
deal as he says. Not that I'm really
afraid of him." Arizony raised her head
in weakly defiant way, but it fell de-
jectedly again. at amt that altogether,
but he overpersuades me somehow. Now
lin all alone-cXcept for Burl'---
"No, child, You have me. I've come
all the way hero TO look after you, to
take You back If you'll go. 1t was your
mothers wish.
"Burl won't let me. know. We're
to be married soon. Mothers death may
put it off. But he'll want me; don't you
forget that
"Do you truly love this mani"
The parson gently raised her face and
looked into her eyes His own We're
grave, tender and solicitors.
YES. | love him. | used to think it
was something else that held me, but
now know it must be love-
How do you know ii, Ari2ony:"
81 can hardly tell you how. Perhaps
it's because he is so masterful. He is so
much of Il man. Every one fears him
and looks mp to him here. always have
to do as he says. If | didn't love him,
why should |; | always used to do as l
pleased-till he came. Oh, mother
mother If YOU We're only here. I'm
very. very unhappy, Parson Tilney."
Cant you-can't You call me father,
Arizony? | know | amt your real ia
Their, butt loved your mother long
afore you was born. Just as she was
passin away, she whispered, Tell Ari-
zony to call you father-ior my sake
She said for her sake, child. or perhaps
! | wouldn't dare ask it Of We,
Father" She said affectionately, then
laying her head upon his shoulder wept
quietly while lie, holding her hand,
spoke soothingly as if to q troubled
child
Presently the wife of Chiclasaw John
came in and greeted tire parson in Il
weak, discouraged way. Burl Yates
and her husband were absent from th'
camp. The poor woman seemed much
divided between sympathy for Arizony
and a desire to impress upon Parson Til
ney due sense Of the hardships Of {
boomers life. Her own especial woe:
she could only account for under hel
general belief that 1.-THE world wa
a-growin wickeder and wickeder, 'spesh
ly in the nation" The parson, however
opined that the good and the bad wer,
pretty well mixed everywhere an ide;
to which Mrs. Chicllasaw John woul,
by no means agree.
Its wuss here than it used to be il
Tlinoy." she averred. II often wish W
was back there, but John, he won't Civ
mp He's "a terrible hand to stick an
hang, John is. and right here were hei
ourselves till we've Hcthin left to site
with 'cept four hands and pair of emp
ty stomachs The Robin and the mul
derin as is done ont here-well, it's ack
over beyont Kickapoo stopped t'othe
night Burl Yates says they hardly lief
'em the clothes to kiver their nakedness
and now here Is Arizony in trouble, an
you too, I'm suro I'm sorry for you both
but that stage rowland alive! was 20
along, parsOn:'
The parson acknowledged that he wa
"along." whereat Mrs. Chic;asaw JON
looked him over curiously as if enleaN
oring to find that statement verified i
some way by the absence of clothes.
They didn't tech or clothes COZ
tinued the minister nor our Shoes ne
Their; consistently they didn't git hut
little of my money had it down III
sock leg, though if the rest had "a don
likewise they might "a made rs all stril
But they didn't seem to spishion me-
And so you was really there Cn.''
asaw Johns wife grew sympathetic 3
once Dear Lord And they rounje
, We up rough, | reckon Well, wei
Keep your seat, Arlzony, I'll get tn
parson bite, You must be hungry a
ter goin through all that. We hain't &c
nuthin much 10 eat, but sech as
IS
She turned away with melanchol
nod. as if regretting the necessity {
such explanations. or that nothing bette
was at hand for a hungry man, and i
preacher too
"Arzony," pleaded the parson, regarC
ing her solicitous!y as she sat gazing OF
absentmindedly over the stragglin
camp to where the reddish brown undul,
ton of distant prairie melted into u ST.,
horizon; "Arizony," said he, II wish 20
would tell me more about this man W
are gon to marry, Has he got any lii
back in Virginnyi'
i don't Know for certain. | rattle
think he has. but out west here we gel
orally don't care AS much where ma
comes from as the way he pans out aftt
we get to know him--see: Burl is a
= right. But-tell me, was my poor mot
er sick long