The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-03-31

he went out.
Its my 'pointment," he muttered to
himself. as he hurried across the prairie
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 v%enturing to break the seal.
"Yes, it's from the g%ov'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 mail.
It's a good thing l toll the squire ter
mention bout Lige, an'-the twin.
But let's see what he sez."
He read as follows:
STATE OF K
Executive Department.
Governors Office,
January IL, 1S9-.
'Mr. Solomon Holt, Benton's Post Office,
K--My Dear Sir: Yours of January 3
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 hat the SAM will be filed and
carefully considered with other applica-
tions. Yours very truly,
y. L. BRINGTON,
Private Secretary"
The letter fell from Solomon's hand,
while a look of deep disappointment
came over his face.
"'Tain't the %'p'intment after ALL" he
muttered, then relapsed into silence.
The disappointment was a sever one
to him, but he did not lose hope. He re-
read the letter many times, studying
its every word. How cold and formal it
all seemed. 1t was not even written by
the governor himself as he would have
wished. Perhaps the governor had lot
seen his application at all. He could
hardly believe hat such a formal note
would lave 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.
II Kent b'lieve he'd nave SIGH a letter
Lige."
Three days later the squire returned
from the capital and came over to Soils
cabin.
81 didn't have time to write after
learning of the appointment" SAID the
squire, land as l was coming home ]
thought it best to wait till l got here
and come over and see you in person."
Sol nodded.
"Im a thousand times obleeged ter
ye," he said. Il 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 it?" said Sol, his
face growing a shade paler.
mo; you didn't get it after all. 1t
was given to Bill Shucker, who lives
ever on Soap creek"
Solomon Holt sat as if s%tupefied, 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.
eyes"
"You toll him about Lige?"
Eyes"
"An'-an' the twin?"
Eyes; but there were so many appli-
cants for Office"
81 reckon he never knowed Lige,"
said Sol, in a sort of hopeless, detected
way, as if speaking to himself. mo,
he couldn't a-knowed Lige."
He sat there gazing gloomily into the
fire long after the squire had taken his
departure. The darkness deepened
around him; the fire died out and the
cabin grew bitterly cold. Still he sat
m~otionless, his chin resting in his
hands. He was thinking of-well, no
matter; his lot had been a 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 udyS ldtSf SouHc VI Ine nelSH-
bors came to the cabin, to find him in a
dying condition. Pneumonia, the doc
tor said. He had but a short time to
1--we, that was the verdict of all who
looked into his pinched and wasted
face.
They gathered about him as the end
drew near. He lay as if he were already
dead, save when he would murmur
some incoherent sentences.
eyes, the gov'norll know Lige," he
said, in a faint whisper, his mind wan
dering. Tell him - I'm his twin
brother"
He lay silent for a long time, his
breath coming family. Presently he
smoke again.