Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-09-01

turred to him that the same energy ex- |
pended In any legitimate wage earning In /
hustry might easily have carried him TO
bis goal and enabled him TO make home |
and send for the wife and child 10 whom |
be had been so loyal In purpose, but had |
20 miserably failed In deed.
snow you know why Cont want my |
name to go down In your book. You know
why I've never exchanged q needless word
with man or woman till you came up the
trail today. I've lived so long alone with
the rocks and trees and the bare facts Of
pature that I've almost forgotten the ways
of civilized speech, but think I've made
you understand. DO you want my namet"
The girl hesitated In indecision and doubt.
"You don't knowt No more do l. Do
you see that face In the rocks across the
gulchsn
He led her to an opening ON the hillside
and pointed across the chasm down whose
bed the mountain stream ieaped.
In the Jagged outlines OF great cliff
that overhung the gulch the girl easily
discerned a massive, sphinxlike profile.
when you live alone In the mountains"
said Grizzly Jim, .'you get TO depending on
signs and omens. You can't help IL. When
the sun touches that cliff, a little past
noon, some days the face smiles. sometimes
1t frowns. Well watch it today. II the
face smiles I'll write In your book"
The mists had long since aown back to
the sen, and the sun rode high I'm the
heavens Only this portion Of the gulch
remained in the shadow, shut of by the
crags that rose above 1t. Slowly the sun
light crept past the rocky barriers. A Hood
of sunlight bathed the dark niche. The
/ ripple OF the water below sounded like a
chime Of bells; a burst Of bird song thrilled
al A - tt..l.s ft.s
sculptured face, and benign smile lin
gered there for moment; then the fea-
lures relapsed into their customary calm.
II Grizzly Jim reached out trembling
hand for the book and pencil.
II The census marshal slipped over to her
horse and examined her saddle girths, for
her business there was finished and the
steep trail was slippery of descent. The
miner wrote slowly and awkwardly, closely
scrutinizing the fine print at the head Of
each column before he made the entry be-
meath. When he had finished he returned
the book and pencil to the marshal with
grave courtesy. She could not resist a
feeling Of absurd solemnity rs she received
1t. She had meant to show a proper deli.
cacy by closing IL without looking into It,
but her woman's curiosity overmastered
her, and she took one quick glance at the
name, which was boldly and plainly writ
ten.
Her face crimsoned.
"It Is not true" she said Indignantly.
"James Godfrey Peyton died while cross
ing the plains in l849. Miriam Peyton Is
: my mother"
) The effect of this intelligence was like q
J stupendous blow. The old man pressed his
! hands TO his temples, while he made an ef
: fort to span the cruel gap OF years.
; "Miriam-my little Miriam's childp'
His smoldering eyes devoured her with
5 the hunger Of a starving soul.
= Her cold unbelief was beyond his power
/ to combat. That which had been his
e strength became his weakness. The secret
' so closely guarded for nearly half century
4 unnamed him when 1t was laid bare. III,
4 sat down at the foot Of the oak, buryinI
4 his face in his hands.
A Impelled TO an instant faith in his truti
n the girl knelt humbly beside him. gen
e tie hand stroked his gray hair, a fresl
r young face was pressed against his wrin
/ kled cheek
v "They are both here. only few mile
4 away. Come with me. Come home today.
n He didn't answer for many minutes
!. Then he said slowly.
IAN old, weather beaten wreck; ragged
d penniless. can't do 1t. I'd better live Ol
here. You'll keep it from them. can trus
k you"
K But even as he protested the longing II
e his face, the anxiety with which he await
e ed her reply, were painful TO see.
n I'VE are all poor, but we will join hand
m and work and make our way" said th,
v girl bravely. "And listen: She--my grand
g mother-is no longer young and pretty
n She Is a feeble, faded, lonely little OLE
a woman. She has mourned you all thes,
3 years. It would be like opening the gate
' of paradise for her."
/. In the edge of the valley that broadenes
e out below the mouth OF the gulch, where
D prosperous mountain village had been bull
upon the ruins of the old mining camp
q there stood shabby cottage, powered Il
: honeysuckle and roses. The tiny almon,
n orchard at the rear was In bloom, and tn
n pink petals futtered down and drifte'
L over the ground. Two women wake,
70 slowly back and forth along the narro,
[e path, bordered with sweet scented carns
'. tions that led from the house to the gate
= One was plump and matronly, the othe
N old and slight and frail. leaning heavfl
B. upon the younger woman.
mi Its past time for her to come. II ISM
right, Miriam, to let that child race abou
Of may happen to her."
"a Don't worry, mother. I'D trust her any
where. Every one respects her." returne
IN the younger woman, with mothers prou
y confidence.
II know Pm old fashioned in my idea,
.d Miriam, but / can't feel easy. A youn
girl like that oughtn't to go around tn
~ country doing a mans work. II her fathe
Of only hadn't gone to the bad or her grand
r, father had lived"---
,e Always the same unavaillng strif
Is against the inevitable. The daughter pu
| her arm around her waist.
st Let us go In. It's growing chilly"
'. "Hushi There's some one coming mp th
ID road. She has come. Some one IL wit
ne her" said the old lady.
"a The twilight was kind to Grizzly jim
or IL smooshed out the wrinkles ON his fac,
,e dyed hair and beard, mended his tattere
ID clothing and brought out the massiv
strength OF his great frame-presentin
a him as he really was. q handsome, sta
Iy wart man, still In the vigor Of his prime
ID The slight woman on Miriam's arm peere'
=. wistfully at him. then she trembled an
ae swayed. He spoke one word, and gla
n ery quayered ON the night silence.
nj The old miner forgot his poverty an
ii rags. Thanksgiving was In his heart as h
/ folded her In his arms His voice broke a
"a he tried to speak.
e. 1--WE struck IL rich At last" said Grizzl
/ Jim.--Flora Haines Loughead In Washing
4 tom Star