The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-17


sheriff Teller an the t'other one a-com-
in here a-fussin hain't no comfort to
me. I'll write a letter to Mary to-mor-
row an tell her to come The house has
got boards on three sides an she can
put curtains on t'other side. I wanted
to wait till it was all built, but it's best
to send for her now, SO / kin give that
Teller his money. Mary has it, COS that's
what we reckoned on. She was goin
to save all she could and come when /
got a house. She'll bring money enough
to fix the whole business, an buy chairs
an dishes an things That's right
Stripey, scamper UP the wall. | know
you're glad as be she's comin'!'
The next day, after hours of toll, Jerry
managed to get the letter written:
dear mary the house is dun all but a.
side an roof an lie fix a roof fore you
kin git here me and stripey wants you
to KUN quick. the little Teller is smart
an he likes you. live out to frutevale
you jest go to pete nelson an he kin sho
you the hous. KUN as soon as old law
tons kin git anuther girl. ime jerry
smith bring every time o mummy with
you. the fellers after 1t
When he had finished reading this
composition to Stripey, he said: 'Pard.
/ kind o. hate to tell folks bout Mary,
but the outside O this has got to have
her name in big letters, an l don't know
how to make 'em. / guess Mr. Burton
would be the best to git to write it, COS
he's such a still man. He's like you,
Stripey; he jest listens an takes it all
in. an his eyes go like yours, but he
don't say nothin'.
When the envelope, properly addressed.
was handed to Jerry. he went home and
showed it to Stripey.
Little feller hain'ta that enough to
make any girl come in a hurry? Jest
look at that name, will you? The first
letter has got a tail like yours, an then
comes the little ones awhile, an then
another long-tailed Teller. Hain't it
Ene?"
1T was the first letter Jerry had ever
written. He read and reread it before
putting it into the envelope; and, when
it was sealed, he held it lovingly in
his hand. turning it over and over and
even tracing each letter in the name
with his finger
Miss Mary Lawton,
Oregon.
He had not written before. because
there had been nothing to tell; but now
he had almost home to offer.
"Pard, we're all right! I met the man
who's been havin' a fit bout what we
owe, an / just up an toIe him that
some O. my folks was a comm in bout
two months, with plenty o. money. He
said that would be time enough, and he
was mighty nice to me after that ask
in how / was gittin on with my build
in, an a lot o. that lingo. Another
time, / guess, he won't be SO quick to
DOIler IOlkS lore ne KNOWS EN-.
Jerry worked harder than ever now,
and, with infinite labor, collected lumber
for the roof 1t seemed to him he would
never get enough for the open side.
But help came in an unexpected way
Mr.. Buell. put new glass in the conServa-
tory and Jerry helped him. For pay,
Mr.. Buell. gave him the old glass.
In the twilights, for weeks after.
Jerry could be seen stumbling up the
hill, carrying the windows. Sometimes
l< faII No.
a gully; often he was obliged to sit and
rest on the wet hillside. At Last he got
all the windows home and finished his
house When it was done, Jerry stood
off to take good look at it, and held
Stripey up that he might see, too.
"Ain't it grand, pard?" Won't Mary be
mighty tickled? She'll come expectin'
to see the house open to the weather.
an here'll be whole glass side a-star-
in at her. Folks hev begun Already to
call it the glass house We're gittin'
way up, little Teller; an jest to think
/ might o. ben poor always, if I hadn' t
come to Californy; an / wouldn't never
he'd you. old pard, either
Jerry'S tramps in the fall rains had
brought on rheumatism; and, the day
after the house was done, he was SO
lame that he did not go down town, but,
for the first time, built a fire in his fire.
place and tried to get warm.
"Stripey," he said, its most time
Mary was a-comin'. She'll know what
to give me for rheumatic. Old Mrs. Law
ton used to hev artea that was good for
it. I'm so sorry I'm so old A man
close on to eighty don't seem much to
smart girl like Mary. It's good
thing you're so spry, little Teller I'll
set round most o. the time an watch
you too" tog
Jerry grew worse. and on Saturday.
when the boys came, they found him
nearly helpless. They ran to tell a
neighbor; he came and persuaded Jerry
that the County Hospital would be the
best place for him. Tie arrangements
were soon made Before going, Jerry
had a talk with Stripey.
Little feller," he said, ''I'll be back in
a week or two. You stay right here,
an don't be scarf at nothin'. I'll leave
the back door open an you kin go in an
out as free as kin be. The boys has
promised to let me know how you're git
tin along. No, little Teller, git off my
shoulder; you can't go with me-"
On the way, Jerry had the neighbor
| stop at Nelson's, to say that any one in
curing for Mr.. Jerry Smith should be
sent to the hospital.
Jerry had to stay at the hospital a
long time. No word ever came from
| Mary. The only thing relieving the mo-
notony was an occasional visit from
the boys. Stripey was well, they said
but would let no one catch him.
The day before Christmas Jerry was
discharged from the hospital. He was
impatient TO get nome, out was ODllged
| to walk slowly AS he turned into the
| home road at Fruitvale, the voices OF
| children singing came floating down
| from Prospect hill. Jerry knew they
were rehearsng for Christmas, and he
| thought: I'D like to see the boys, but
| they haint told me nothin' bout Stripey
| for long time, an must see the little
| Teller first
When Jerry came in sight of his house
| he saw strange men in and around it.
| They were tearing down his house. A
| man in buggy was giving orders: Cart
| off the old rookery for kindling; all ]
want is the land
| Jerry hurried up the hill. wait
| men," he cried, this house is every bit
| mine. Don't touch that door; Mrs. Ma
| honey Civ it to me, an its got the devil
| in it. The boys is singin for Christmas
| now, but you jest wait till they git here
| they'll tell you / came honest by them
boards. You amt a-goin' to tear down
| that glass? Somebody must a-told you
| how / worked to git it here. Why, they
| call this the glass house all over these
| hills, an there haint nothin' kin beat
| it."
The men gave answers, not unkind
ones, but went on with their work
| Jerry hobbIed about in their way; he
| didn't seem able to get out of their
| way Nor did he hear the little rustlins
| in the leaves at his feet. Suddenly