Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-07-12
legs showed that she had suffered less

! legs showed that she had suffered less
| than her companion.
How is it now?" he answered, anx
| iously. for she was still rubbing the
towsy golden curls which covered the
back OF her head.
kiss it and make it WE'LL" she said
with perfect gravity, showing the in.
jured part up to him. That's what
mother used to do. Where's mothera'
Mothers gone. / guess you'll see
her before long"
"Gone, eh!' said the little girl.
| :'Funny, she didn't say good-by; she
most always did if she was just goin
over to auntie's-for tea, and now she's
been away for three days. Say, it's
| awful dry, amt it? Amt there no
water nor nothing to eat?"
mo, there amt nothing, dearie
You'll just need to be patient awhile,
and then you'll be all right. Put your
head up agin me like that, and then
you'll feel better. 1t amt easy to talk
when your lips is like leather, but 1
guess, I'd best let you know how the
cards lie. What's that you've got?"
pretty things! fine things" cried
the little girl enthusiastically, holding
up two glittering fragments of mica.
when we goes back to home I'll give
them to Brother Bob"
You'll see prettier things than them
soon," said the man, confidently. "You
just wait bit. l was going to tell
you, thougb-you remember when we
left the river?''
''Oh, yes"
"Well. we reckoned we'd strike an
other river soon, dye see? But there
was somethin' wrong; compasses, or
map, or somethin', and it didn't turn
up. Water ran out. Just except lit:
tie drop for the likes of you and
and
land you couldn't wash yourself in
terrupted his companion gravely, star
ing up at his grimy visage.
mo, nor drink. And Mr.. Bender, he
was the first to go, and then Indian
Pete, and then Mrs. McGregor, and
then Johnny Homes, and then, dearie,
your mother"
''Then mothers a deader, too," cried
the little girl, dropping her face in her
pinafore and sobbing bitterly.
''Yes, they all went except you and
chance of water in this direction, so l
heaved you over my shoulder and we
tramped it together. It don't seem
as though we've improved matters.
There's an almighty small chance for
us now!'
"Do you mean that we are going to
die, too?" asked the child, checking
her sobs, and raising her tcar-stained
face.
81 guess that's about the size of it. -
"Why didn't you say so before?' she
said, laughing gleefully. You gave
me such a fright. Why, of course, now
as long as VIC die well be with mother
again"
Yes, you will, dearie.'
"And you, too. I'll tell her how aw-
full good you've been. Ill bet she
meets us at the door of Heaven with a
big pitcher of water, and 4 lot of buck
wheat cakes, hot, and toasted on both
sides, like Bob and me was fond of.
How long will it be first"
II don't know-not very long" The
mans eyes were fixed upon the north
ern horizon. In the blue vault of the
heaven there appeared three little
specks which increased in size every
moment, SO rapidly did they approach.
They speedily resolved themselves into
three large brown birds, which circled
over the heads of the two wanderers,
and then settled upon some rocks
which overlooked them. They were
buzzards, the vultures Of the west,
whose coming is the forerunner of
death.
Cocks and hens!' cried the little
girl, gleefully, pointing at their ILL
omened forms. and clapping her hands
to make them rise. Say, did God
make this country?"
I'm course He did," said her COM
panion, rather startled by this unex-
pected question.
'He made the country down in Illi-
nois, and He made the Missouri" the
little girl continued. II guess some
body else made the country in these
parts. It's not nearly so well done.
They forgot the water and the trees"
What would We think of offering up
prayer?" the man asked, diffidently.
ut amt night yet" she answered.
"It don't matter. 1t amt quite reg
ular, but He won't mind that, you bet.
You say over them ones that you used
to say every night in the wagon when
we was on the plains"
"Why don't you say some YOURSELF"
the child asked, with wondering eyes.
Il disremember them" he answered.
Il hain't said none since l was half
the height O. that gun. 1 guess it's
never too late. You say them out, and