Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-06-07


poor little sick gal, an surrendered
what we had come thar for, I jest
leaked at that Teller settIn' thar an I
Imagined he was me, an felt like a
bloody wolf ready to spring down on
pore leetle helpless lamb"
Them was jest my feelin's, Joe"
Jim replied. Somehow the way
that leetle gal pleaded with that
scamp teched my heart awful deep,
an her talk bout her old home took
me right back to my boyhood days,
when / was as young an Innocent as
her. / could jest see my old home
with it's shady bluegrass pasture,
an it's red clover meaders, an the lit
tie branches Of clear water, an all
that. But, palmer than all, Joe, l
could see an'old couple settin' on the
long.porch in the shade of the big To-
Gust trees, one of 'em gray-haired
man, and the other gray-haired
woman, but both of 'em as kind an
lovin' as a father an mother could
be. An, Joe, when I see my old
mothers face, jest as it used to look,
AN remembered what / came here
for, 'peared like l jest wanted to sink
right slap down into the ground an
never see daylight ag'in. / had a
good mother, II thar ever was one,
an she never dreamed that I'd ever
come to be a thief"
Joe was silent save for the sound
that was like q long, low sigh. He
kso l. to Il
turned his head away, and for almost
a minute stood perfectly still. FL
na!ly he said:
Jim, I've got a long way from my
home an its early teachin's, but 1
amt got away from my mother. Now
I'm goin' to lead different life. We
amt stole nothing yet, an it amt
too late to turn back. I'm goin' to be
an honest man, an that little gal has
saved me. God bless her"
A moment later they entered the
cabin and asked permission to remain
till morning.
" You see," Jim said 20 the set
tier, "the robber might come back,
an If he does you'll need somebody
to protect you"
Eyes" the settler replied, "an'
I'm glad to have two honest men like
you in the house."
Jim and Joe exchanged a sheepish
glance, but ventured to make no re-
ply.
At an early hour the next morning
the settler harnessed his team and
prepared to begin the long eastward
journey. Jim and Joe helped him to
arrange bed in the wagon, and when
all was ready Jim brought the little
girl in his arms and placed her on it.
He handled her almost as tenderly as
a mother would, and after laying her
down saw that she was perfectly COM
Portable. Then he stood for O mo-
ment, hesitating and undecided, cast
ing yearning looks at the child's face.
Finally he said, little pleadingly:
Sissy, If you don't mind it too
much l wish you would kiss me Jest
once.
II don't mind it at all, the child
said," putting up her arms and lips,
"'cause like you. You save the
money for us so we can 60 home, an
you're honest an good too, amt
your"
Jim flushed scarlet, and for an in
slant cast his eyes down. But di-
rectly he looked boldly up, and with
his eyes on the girls face, replied:
Yes, sissy, am an honest man,
thanks to you, an I'll always be one,
too"
Joe stepped forward, and without
word stopped for kiss. There
were tears in his eyes when he raised
his head and, turning about, walked
back and stood leaning against the
cabin door.
A few minutes later the wagon
rolled away across the broad, level
prairie. From the rear of the wagon,
where there was a small opening in
the cover, childish face, thin and
sharp, peered out at the lonely
mound, the old cabin and the two
men who stood there with their eyes
to the east. After a while the
face faded away in the distance; and
then q little white handkerchief fut-
tered in the soft, balmy breeze of the
beautiful autumn morning. At last
that, too, passed out of view, and
only the old wagon, like speck on
the horizon, could be seen.
With sigh Jim turned to his COM
panion.
Joe," he said, ~ thank God
that she never knew what we come
here for"
Me, too" Joe agreed. "But
she's saved us, JIM"
g Yes, she's saved us. ~ Leslie's