Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-06-29

weak, piping voice.
wal, it would a. been an accom-
mediation to me If he'd left it here
but since he didn't it can't bt
helped, l reckon. ALI 1 can do ia
to wait till he comes back
There was a momentary pause,
after which the man went on:
How long you reckon your
pap'll be gomez he asked.
Not long now, guess the child
replied. He just goin' TO git some
medicine an come right back
The man made DO answer and g
long silence followed. After awhile
the child looked tlmidly up into
the rough, bearded face, aud speak
ing In eager though trembling
tones, said:
please, mister, you won't take
all of pas money, will your
Il reckon l will,' the man an
swered, unfeelingly. That's jest
what / come here for, an CAL
culate I'll not leave dollar that ]
can get my fingers on. Taint my
way O dOln' business
off you take it all we can'C go
away from here," the child said
sadly, 'ah' the doctor says if we
don't 60 pa an me will both die,
cause pas got tho consumption
an' I've got the fever
That amt nothing to me- the
man replied with cold indifference.
The child put its thin hand oyer
its face and something like a sob
came from it. 1t was almost a
minute before it looked up at the
man again, both eyes full of tears
and lips trembling with suppress
ed emotions.
q do want to go back to our old
hOGe so bad it said, plaintiveIy;
cause | was always we'll there an
it was so pleasant. Every night l
dream about it and Sc g the big,
shady bluegrass pasture an the red
clover meadow an the clear spring
branch that runs down through
the orchard an under the big elm
trees, where | used to have a
swing. / dream 1t all over every
night, an Pm so happy till | wake
upan' find it's just a drea M
The child's words aud tone were
pathetic, out they had no effect on
the man to whom they were ad-
dressed. He appeared oblIyious
to it all.
1T is so lonely out here on the
prairie with nobody but pa an
me, ,'the little voice went on, IAN l
amt never happy like l used to be
back at the old home. I used to cry
every day till pa sold the Old claim
an got the money so we could go
away, cause / dIdu't want to die
an be barred out here, where there
amt nOthia' but prairie, an where
the crickets in the grass make me
feel so lonesome with their cries.
1t amt nice like it Is back at the
old home, where the birds sing,
an where there are flowers an
trees an little branches of clear
water
The child paused for a moment
and looked anxiOusly into the face
of the man, who sat immovable.
Then pleadlngly it continued;
You won't take all of pas mon
ey, will You? 1t won't take much
to take US back home, an If you
knew how much 1 wanted to go,
and how l grleve to think OF my
dying here, you'd let US have that
much. You will let us keep a lit.
tie, won't your
1t amt likely that l will the
man replied with an oath. "It
don't make any difference to me
whether you die here. It's money
| want, and l aln'G apt to let
chance to git it slip through my
fingers on account of any pitiful
stOries.'
AT that moment there came the
sound of horses feet beating OH
the hard earth. The man in the
cabin arose and placed his hand
on his pistol.
1T is pa said the child fearful
".
The man waited with bis eye
fixed on the door. The hOrseman
rode up, dismounted and approach
ed tho cabin. There was the
click of pistol at the window, and
the man IN the cabin looked around
to see head thrust through the
broken sash and a pistol leveled
at his breast. The head and the
pistol we're JOe's.
Throw M your handsp the latter
said, and the man could only obey,
for he was in Joe's power.