Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-04-18


but all there were Jim knew as he
made a calcula ton as to when he had
washed them last. The old burea u
that held his black coat and soft black
hat, besides a gaily decked coat with
faded lace collar belonging to the
! kid, was covered with dust. The floor
was very dirty, too, jim thought, al.
} though he never noticed it particularly
before. Some how it didn't seem that
way before EStanita went away, he
thought, half reluctant to dwell Oh the
subject. How she laughed over her
pltiful attempt to give an air of bright
/ ness to the shanty with those pictures!
They were rather pretty, too, Jim
thought, when he had come home tired
from work and found her SO engaged.
Or was it her laughing eyes turned
so lovingly on him and the slight fig
ure with the kid clinging to her skirts
that lent the beauty to his home?
The furniture always looked neat, too,
and the floor was swept, and the
dishes never collected in such a grim
array to greet his homecoming.
A shadow fell on the sunlit floor and
hlotted out Also those bright recollec-
lions of the past. The kid sat down
on the doorstep with rather a hungry
! glance into the room. 1t was late and
the kid looked very lonely and very
| forlorn, hugging his knees and glanc-
ing occasionally up at the grade
where the scrapers and teams were
' of in hn ri,
Big Jim gaZed on the little figure
| with a curious feeling in his breast
The kid was very dirty; that was a
fact and his clothes were very ragged
too. He had long outgroWn and out
worn his shoes and a red knee peeped
out Of one stocking. 1t haG never been
that way when Estanita was here
sure enough. Jim remembered we'll
when the kid used to have a clean
face and his curly black hair. was
we'll brushed on Sunday when Es-
tanita put on him the gay little coat
with the lace collar and his blue cap
His father would stroll hand in hand
with him over to the saWmill where
he would lounge in the sunshine with
the kid would throw chips into Las
BeneciO creek.
Big jim wore pretty good clothes
himself then and he was proud of the
, kid and of EStanita when she was
called the prettieSt woman in the
camp, and dressed as nicely as the
contractors daughter when she had
10 ic,i+ 70 xI,a y
to say 50 at any rate. And in the
evening when she sat in the doorway
, with the kid in her arms calling hin
sweet endearing names in her Owl
soft tongue. Jim laid at full length or
the grass smoking his pipe and was
supremely happy.
Jim aWoke with a start. Nonsense.
She had left him aud he was satisfied
And yet ii he had only listened-Bah'
Jim fercely threw himself out of bed
and breathed in the pure fresh air.
He must get breakfast for the kid
Estanita's baby. He himself could eat
nothing after last night as he knew
by experience. The kid didn't like
salt pork and potatoes jim was out
of patience with the kid. Why didn't
he show a little spirit any more, or
say something? Everything looked so
dull and hopeless out there even in the
brilliant sunshine.
He built a fire and started break
fast to cooking. SOmeWaY he felt a
lepugnance to himself, and to his home
and everything else. He rebelled
against it all in an abstract fashion
as if someone was treating him very
shabbily He would liked to have
been down at Purdys today instead
of going to work down there where
the railroad was slowly cutting into
the rocky hill.
The kid didn't eat much but sat look
ing with those big black eyes out upon
the prospect Of shanties and broken
down machines along the grade. Jim
arose and showed back his plate.
Coming along, sonny?" he asked
half remorsefully of the dirty baby
face before him. The kid had got
down his jacket and started to reply,
when q figure came into the narrow
doorway. \ very tired, dusty looking
figure it was-a man dressed in the
typical fashion of ''greaser" on the
Rio Grande. His thin face wore a
look of weary but eager expectancy
and his great dark eyes so wonder
fully like the kids were fixed on the
boy with sudden joy. He stepped to-
ward the kid with a smothered eX-
clamatio and then turned deferen-
TALLY, but with grave dignity, toward
Big Jim, holding out a bundle. Jim
took it and unwrapped it carefully.
There was a tiny red cape with gilt
buttons and gaudy flowers worked on
the collar. The man drew himself up
rather coldly.
"Estanita gave it, Senior, for her lit
tie one," he said in broken English.
Big Jim threw the bit of color in the
dust and stepped forward threaten
ingly.
well, you can take it back to her
and say ez how Their kid don't need
nothing from her or her hull greaser
family"
T. He stood between the kid and the
fellow, with all his pride and wounded
feelings rising like a cloud before his
mind. The mans dark face flushed
hot with resentment and he gave Jim
a bitter look. Picking up the garment