The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-23

NOTHING COULD BE PRETTIER TIL
the same with Johnny Dear-his cough
is fightful at night. But Misery's all
right. I've just been to see her"
There's good deal of scarlet fever
around" continued the manager with
quiet concern, "and we can't be too
careful. But l shall take her for lit
tie run down the line tomorrow"
The eyes of Mary sparkled and over
flowed like blue water. Then there
was kiss, little laugh, a shy glance
at the two curious strangers, the blue
pinafore fiuttered away and the colo
guy ended. She was equally attentive
in her care of the others, but the rag
baby "Gloriana," who had found
home in Jim Carriers cabin at the
Ridge, living too far for her visits, was
brought down regularly on Saturday
afternoon to Mary's house by Jim,
tucked in asleep in his saddle bags or
riding CALAMITY before him on the horn
of his saddle. On Sunday there was
dress parade of all the dolls, which
kept Mary in heart for the next weeks
deSolation.
But there came one Saturday and
Sunday when Mary did not appear, and
it was known along the road that she
had been called to San Francisco to
meet an aunt who had just arrived
from 1.-The States" It was a, vacant
Sunday to 1.-The boys" a very hollow
unsanctified Sunday somehow, without
that little figure. But the next Sunday,
and the next, were still worse, and then
it was known that the dreadful aunt
was making much of Mary, and was
sending her to grand school-a con-
vent at Santa Clara-Where it was ru
I'll. i
plished that their own parents did not
know them. But we knew that it was
impossible to our Mary and a letter
which came from her at the end Of the
month and before the convent had
closed upon the blue pinafore, satisfied
us, and was balm to our anxious
hearts. 1t was characteristic of Mary
it was addressed to nobody in particu-
lar-and would, but for the prudence of
the aunt have been entrusted to the
postoff1ce open and undirected. 1t was
a single sheet, handed to us without
word by her father, but as we passed
it from hand to hand we understood it
as if we had heard our lost playfellow's
voice.
''Thess more houses in Frisco than
YOU kim shake a stick at and VIM
mems till you kant rest, but mules and
iackasses amt got no sho, nor black
smiffs shops, witch is not to be seen no
wear. Rapits and Skwirls also bares
and panfers is on-noun and unforgot-
ten on account of the streets and Sum
day skoles. Jim Roper you orter be
very good to Mizzery on a kount OF
my not bein here, and not harten your
hart to her bekos she is top heavy
which is ontroo and simply an imptient
lie-like you alus make. 1 have kim
ary bird wot sings deliteful-but isn't
a yellerhamer sutch as [ know, as you'd
think. Dear Mister Montgomery don't
keep Gulan Amplak to mulch shet up
in office drors; isn't good for his lungs
and chest. And don't you ink his head
mother! you're as bad as the rest.
Johnny Dear, you must be very kind
to your adopted father, and you, Glory
Anna, mus low your kind Jimmy Carter
very mulch for taking you hossback
so often. hav been buzzy ridin twist
with an OFFICER who has killed Injuns
reali I am comm back soon with CRATE
affecshun, so luke out and mind"
But it was three years before she re-
turned, and this was her last and only
letter. The "adopted fathers" of her
children we're faithful, however, and
when the new line was opened and it
was understood that she was to be
nresent with her father at the cere-
mony, they came, with a common un
Outstanding, to the station to meet
their old playmate. They were ranged
along the platform-poor Jack Roper, a
little overweighted with a bundle he
was carrying on his left arm. And then
a young girl in the freshness of
her teens and the spotless purity of
muslin frock that although brief in
skirt, was perfect in fit, faultlessly
booted and gloved, tripped from the
train, and offered delicate hand in
turn to each of her old friends. Moth
ing could be prettier than the smile
on the cheeks that were no longer sun
burnt nothing could be clearer than
the blue eyes lifted frankly to theirs.
And yet as she gracefully turned away
with her father, the faces OF the four
adopted parents were found to be as
red and embarrassed as her own on the
day that Cuba Bill drove up publicly
with Johnny Dear" on the box seat.
You weren't such a FOOL said Jack
Montgomery to Roper, "as to bring
Misery here with you?" 1T was" said
Roper with a constrained laugh--"and
your He had just caught sight of the
head Of a ninepin peeping from the
managers pocket. The men laughed,
and then the four turned silently away.
Mary had indeed come back to
+l,e,7,. but not "the mother of fivep'