Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-05-27

&sfS>x> sJ - Qe0I1nC0. dl0 CO1e
was rough and
heavy and reached almost to hts feet.
He wore black SLOUGH hat which was
bound down over the ears and com
verted into q shape resembling an old-
fashioned poke bonnet by q red WOODEN
nubia which was wound round his head
and tied under his chin. He had q
bushy, red beard. deep sunken blue eyes
and heavy red eyebrows. The little
girl was dark and thin and wiry. Her
garb was a symphony In quakerish
gray. There was q gray hood with q
three inch fril that stood out around
her eager face like semicircular forth
fication, gray cloak. gray mittens.
gray stockings and gray cloth over
shoes. She sat very close beside the
man. and every little while she looked
up at those portions Of Ills face that
were visible through the nubia, the
hat and the coat collar, and laid her
little hand on his and stroked 1t at
fectionately.
They did not speak for several min
utes. Silence, with the exception Of
the rat-a-tat-tat of frozen shoes against
the cold. wet floor Of the car, seemed
to be the rule against which none but
the conductor dared infringe as he now
and then called out the names of the
interesting streets. At length the
man removed one of his gloves, unbut-
toned his coat and took from the In
side pocket letter which was creased
and soiled from being read and re-fold-
ed many times.
what time did she say she would
be here?" he asked, as he handed the
letter to the little girl. :Look again.
Rachel" 0 ST
"At half-past A." she said. after hav-.
ing applied herself to the written sheet
for minute or two.
"Are you sure? wish you'd read
that part aloud again. my dear. don't
want to make any mistake"
"I will be at Polk street depot at
4:a0 Saturday afternoon" she read
in a shrill, sharp voice, that tfembled
with the excitement she had tried in
vain to repress.
''It must be nearly that time now,
amt it?" he asked. anxiously. .s,
The little girl turned round and
looked at the dial Of a large clock that
had been placed in the window Of a
drug store they were passing then.
"No," she, said; its only g.. We've
got lots of time"
She gave him the letter again, but
he did not put it back in his pocket.
There was another short silence. Pres
emily he leaned toward her and said
in subdued voice, that was evidently
meant for her ear alone:
Read it through. won't you, Rachel?
I can't hardly believe it. It seems too
good to be true. Sometimes think I
must be dreamin'. Let me hear again
what she says, my dear"
The little girl looked round the
crowded car half fearfully as though
doubling the propriety Of publishing
to a score Of unsympathetic strangers
the contents of letter which had been
laughed over and cried over and
held sacred by her young heart, but
everybody being suddenly intent on
their own affairs she decided that the
act which savored SO strongly Of sac
rilege was permissible, and nesting
closer to the old mans side she COM
menced to read:
"'My dear, dear Jason, I'm -
He drew his ungloved hand quickly
across his eyes.
"Are you sure that's right?" he inter-
rupted. did she say just that? Did
she call me Dear Jason?'"
Yes, here it is-'My dear, dear ia
son; I'm coming home to YOU"
Coming home to you," he repeated.
"She's coming home to me-
This resolution is not sudden, Ja-
son. l have been thinking Of It for a
I,s|I. W