The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-04-16

in the direction of his little cabin. 1t
was getting dark when he reached
home. He replenished the smoldering
fire, lighted a small kerosene lamp.
then seating himself in one of the low
splint-bottomed chairs. he drew the let
ter from his pocket. He gazed at it
for some time in fond anticipation be-
fore venturing to break the seal.
YES, it's from the gov'nor," he said,
as he opened the missive and spread it
out under the rays of the lamp. ~
reckon he thought he'd give me a SUI
prise by sendin' the 'pointment by mall
It's a good thing toll the squire ter
mention bout Lige, an'-the twin.
But let's see what he seq"
He read as follows:
STATE OF k,
Executive Department.
Governors Office,
January II. 1se-.
Mr.. Solomon Holt, Benton's Post Office,
K-.-My Dear Sir: Yours of January
received. We note your application for po-
sition as one of the guards at the peniten-
tiary. In reply. the governor directs me
to say that the same Will be filed and
carefully considered with other applica-
tons. Yours very truly,
u. L. BRINGTON,
Private Secretary"
The letter fell from Solomon's hand,
while look of deep disappointment
came over his face.
'Tain't the ointment after all" he
muttered, then relapsed into silence.
The disappointment was a severe one
TO him, but he did not lose hope. Here
read the letter many times, studying
its every word. How cold and formal Il
all seemed. 1t was not even written BY
the governor himself as he would have
wished. Perhaps the governor had not
seen his application at all. He could
hardly believe that such a formal note
would have been written TO him had the
truth been known. Perhaps he would
hear from the governor later on.
"The gov'nor don't know nothin'
bout this, like as not" he muttered.
81 kent b'lieve he'd have SIGH letter
as that writ ter the twin brother Nv
Lige."
Three days later the squire returned
AAOAA lAC "a plldi anu cdiie OfcT 10 Dol )
cabin.
Il didn't have time to write after
learning of the appointment" said the
squire, 'and as / was coming home
thought it best to wait till l got here
and come over and see you in person."
Sol nodded.
"I'm a thousand times obleeged ter
ye," he said. II reckon I'll halter be
goin' ter the capital fore long"
The squire shook his head.
"I'm sorry it turned out the way It
did; but you didn't get the appoint
ment."
What! didn't git ito" said Sol, his
face growing a shade paler.
"No; you didn't get it after all. 1t
was given to Bill Shucker, who lives
over on Soap creek"
Solomon Holt sat as if stupefed, gaz-
ing into the smoldering fire. 1t was
several moments before he could find
voice to speak.
"Ye seed the gov'nor in person ~ he
asked at length.
YES"
you toll him about Lige?"
Yes
"An'-an' the twin?"
Yes; but there were so many appli-
rants for Office"
Il reckon he never knowai Lige."
said Sol, in sort of hopeless. detected
way, as if speaking to himself. NO,
he couldn't a-knowed Lige.''
He sat there gazing gloomily into the
fire long after the squire had taken his
departure. The darkness Leepened
around him; the fire died out and the
cabin grew bitterly cold. Still he sat
motionless, his chin resting in his
hands. He was thinking of-well, no
matter; his lot had been hard one; his
life had been "a fierce struggle with pow
erty and want-yes, want. He had not
always had even the necessaries of life.
If he had got the appointment he ex-
pected he might have got along; but
now
He shivered like one with a chill, and
rising, he CROPPED his way to his cold,
hard bed.
Three days later some of the neigh
bors came to the cabin, to find him in a
dying condition. Pneumonia. the doc
Tor said. He had but a short time to
live, that was the verdict of all who
looked into his pinched and wasted
Is e.
the exfthered about him as the end
8 ance of We lay as if he were already
e everywhere,sn he would murmur
aItooptber denans,ll know Lige." he
'D'A uee"s-,er, his mind wan