The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-09-20
MARY FENTON'S BETTER SELF.

There We're two tents pitched close to-
gether under two big sugar pines, and a
little to one side four young saplings
had been cut off and rooted over with a
covering made of rough grain sacks
sewn together. Under that, on a couch
made of pine boughS and covered with
two or three patchwork calico quilts,
lay young fellow who looked scarcely
twenty-five or three. coughing as If his
very soul was racked with pain. 1t needed
but glance at his sunken cheeks and
hollow eyes 10 tell her that he was
doomed. She had seen so many such
hopeless cases in Santa Barbara and
San Diego.
Kneeling before a very small fire,
blowing if her life depended upon it.
knelt Kit Her hat was thrown on the
ground. red shawl was pinned across
her shoulders, and she looked like
young dryad as she pulled at the dull
embers. An old woman, with care
a little hard knob, was standing near an
improvised shelf cutting thick pieces of
fat bacon into a frying-pan.
Mary Fenton felt in a flash that she
knew them-"Me and mother and Bill'
and felt In sympathy with them. The
minor cord in life is very fascinating
when it does not vibrate foD ourselves.
Kit saw her at last, and sprang up
hastily, her cheeks afiame from the
eXertion, and her short curls, tossed and
tangled by the evening wind, standing
up like halo about her head. Kit was
hardly more than seventeen, but we'll
developed for her age. showing the eff
feet of mountain air and training.
"Glad to see your' She extended her
hand. grimy with ashes and charred
sticks.
The old woman looked up without any
interest at the arrivall-no light in her
Mother" Kit waved her hand by
way Of introduction, in the direction of
the frying-pan.
The old woman grimly nodded
bill" Her voice softened as she
stepped near the couch. The man
looked up with a CLEAN Of interest as
Mary Fenton came forward and offered
him the fruit
Thanks" He spoke in a fretfuI
voice, broken by coughing. I'm pow
erful tired of bacon. Them cherries
look cool"
Kits hands hung nstlessly by her
side. A look of distress crept into her
soft eyes. Il know, Bill. it's powerful
hard. The bacon is salt and hard; but
it's all 1 can do just now. May be to-
morrow" her face brightened-''I'm
going to get some lilies for Miss Fen
ton. and they'll let me have a little beef
just for you. at the hotel"
With a shrug of fretful Impotence
the man turned his face away from
them, and lay silently munching the
fruit.
your brother is quite ill.," Miss Fen
ton said as Kit accompanied her across
the road.
My brother! Why, it's Bnlr' Kit
looked up into her face with surprise,
and then said in explanation: Il for
sOt-everybOdy knew about us in Ore
gon. Bill and 1 are sweethearts-have
been since we were little kids. We are
reaW
herself up, with a comical aim of dig
nifty, when Bill gets WELL Her voice
faltered. Miss Mary-mayn't L call
you that? ! heard the old lady at the
hotel say your name, and l liked IT,
VIII you walk up the road a piece with
me this evening. the way you see Shas-
ia? We see the white mounting at
home. and when a lump comes into my
throat and I feel a bit down. it does me
good TO see il UP there in the sky, look
ing down upon me just as it does at
home. All the time when we were COM
and the white mounting kept following
us, as If 1t was going to take keer of
all Of US" She drew her sleeve across
her eyes, as If to brush away a little
moisture, then pulled the old cigarette
nat down low over her face, giving it
sort Of rough pat. It's one of Bills
old ones" she said I'm a half aside.
1t was growing dusk. The long shad-
ows Of the pines on either side length
ened quite across the road until their
tips were lost in the wild tangle Of aZa-
leas and bracken by the wayside.
The Sacramento kept up a gurgle and
rush just below. which blended in with
the soft coughing Of the pines. Mary
Fenton walked close by Kits side and
waited for her TO speak.
Well, Miss Mary, you are so good to
him, I'll tell you just from the begin
nh 3r,Tr =
the first minute that 1 saw you setting
there in that rocking chair that you
was an angel, and maybe could help
Bill.
Mother and me lived all alone in a
cabin in southern Oregon. Father was
killed when l was born-Spree," she ex-
planned shortly. Mother has always
had sort Of misery since. She's never
happy, even here. She didn't want to
come. Bills folks lived next to US.
bout two miles away. Bits older than
me, but he was always sickly: didn't
like boys; so when 1 was big enough
we played together and BIZ was good
TO me, and 1 used to fight for Bill.
BilPs folks went home to Missouri,
and Bill stayed. He's a wood-chopper
and me and Bill we've always loved
each other Me and mother faru1ed orr
ground ourselves and we've always been
dirt poor; but me and Bill was always
happy. You see, Miss Mary If folks
have got each other in thu world.
they've got all that's wanted Then
Bill took cold last winter-had a fever.
/ took him home and nursed him. He
was pretty bad. 1t was a hard winter.
wet. and 1 thought II never would stop.
Bill got punier and punier. Mother said
1t was the way Of the Lord, because I
was so set on Bill; but. Miss Mary, 1
knowed better
They reached the view Of Shasta, and
walked to a little spot away from the
road. Kit picked out a smooth log
folded Miss Fenton's shawl over it, and
made her sit down, while she stood fac
ing the great white mountain
1T kept on raining, and 1 rode TO the
Doctors, ten miles from our cabin, and
he said to bring Bill here where the air
was dryer. and give him a chance. 50 /
didn't wait, but hitched up TO our little
wagon and we came. 1t has rained
here. but 1t amt going to any more,
and he will get well; L know it," Her
voice grew more cheerful with hove.
She stood silent for a moment, with
face uplifted In thought, and then, no
ticing the stars beginning to come out
one by one, above Shasta, she said
why. Miss Mary. Its getting cold
You'll have a chill. We must be going
home"
All the way back Kit chatted cheer.
fully, telling little stories of her home
all entwined with anecdotes OF Bill and
full Of his praises.
AS they neared the camp the same
hacking cough broke the stiffness Of the
night. Kit started as IL Il hurt her
81 shouldn't have left him. Walt a
moment. Miss Mary, 1 must give him
his medicine, then I'll see you home"
Miss Fenton declined her offer as II
rrtl~v Oh. n 20 81.