The copper country evening news., 1898-01-06

The way bill called for lone burro,"
and the clerk looked all over the car for
what he could not find-one bureau
while he inveighed against "those wes-
terners who can't spell correctly" He
found instead one of those queer little
fellows just like Sod With commend
able promptness he made out and for
warded TO the general freight agent an
IS, .. and ID. - report, which read:
Zone bureau short, one jackass over"
No one claimed the burro that Mr.
Willitts found in the car, and he was left
to run at will around the railroad yards
Ben made friends with the homeless
and friendless fellow, and soon they be-
came SO attached to each other that Mr..
Willitts put up the little stable on the
lot adjoining his home, and, so to speak,
gave the keys to the waif, whom he
christened Sod because of the manner in
which he came to Burroughs Pass.
Sod had no bad habits, unless you
count chronic laziness bad habit, and
as that was in accordance with his ma
ture it would have been pretty difficult
to make case against him. Like Old
Dog Tray, "he was gentle, he was kind, "
aud was never known to show temper.
One summer day little after the
noon hour Mr.. Willitts came hurrying
down from his mine, which was about
half mile up the hill from the Willitts
cottage. The hat he carried in his hands
was filled with pieces of dark gray rock.
Hurrying through the cottage yard, he
called
'Mary! Mary Come herer'
Mrs. Willitts at once appeared in the
door and anxiously inquired:
why, Henry, what's the matter?"
81 think I've struck it at last, my
girl, If this doesn't run 80 to the ton,
/ miss my guess. I'm going to take the
/ 80 down to Black Hawk to have the
stuff assayed. I'll be back ON the 40,
Providence permitting. Where's Benz"
Here am, daddy!'c cried little Ben
as he came running around the corner
of the cottage.
"Give your dad kiss, my boy. Pm
off for the city to find out whether
you're to have that cart and harness for
Sod. If what I've got in this old hat
turns out as l think it will, you'll get
cart with silver hubs and harness with
gold buckles. Take care of yourself.
Dad will be back for supper. Goodby,
Mary"
He rushed off down the slope toward
the station just as Sod came loafing
around the corner of the house and,
strolling up TO Ben, who was watching
l l. g. ,..l& l. hn
boys straw hat in his teeth and began
to chew away at it. Ben rescued his hat,
thing he had often to do, for Sod had
fondness for yellow straw hats, and
the two, the boy and the burro, re-
turned leisurely to their pile of sand in
the back yard, while Mrs. Willitts
went indoors to resume her household
duties.
Benny, Bennyw
1t was close on to O'Clock, and Mrs.
Willitts, who had been busy in the
house since her husband went to the
train, was now out in the yard calling
her boy. She had not seen him for more
than two hours, and now she was some
what anxious at not receiving the usual
prompt and CHEEKY reply to her calls.
She searched for him all over the prem
ises and then, not meeting with the de-
sired result, called upon her neighbors.
None could give her information, but
Mrs. Wilson suggested the railway sta
tion. To this point the now thoroughly
excited mother hurried, only to be told
by the clerk in charge during her hus.
bands absence that Ben had not been
there that day Now almost frantic, her
mother heart swelling almost to burst
ing, Mrs. Willitts hurried from place to
place, weeping and wringing her hands.
Her excitement became contagious,
and every one who could leave his af.
fairs for time turned out to hunt for
the boy they all loved. Men hurried
each way for two or three miles on the
railway track, dreading what they might
find, as heavy freight train had passed
south at o'clock. But not sign could
be found. The search was kept up with
out rest and with continually recruit
ed force, and it seemed that every pos
sible place had been visited.
Henry Oh, my Henry This will
break his hearth cried Mary Willitts,
who, worn out with exertion and sor-
rowing, sat on the floor of her now des-
olate little parlor, rocking to and fro in
her anguish.
The 8 40 had just whistled for Bur
roughs Pass, and the triumphant voice
of mans powerful handmaiden sounded
as the shrieking of a thousand enraged
fiends in the ears of the poor woman
who knew that her boys father was on
that train, all unconscious of the blow
that was soon to descend upon him.
She had not long to wait. AS Henry
stepped from the train he was met by
kind friends, who told the dread news,
but with expressions of hope that the
boy would soon be found. Hurrying
with all possible speed, he ascended the
slope, and soon had his sorrowing wife
in his arms
"Have you searched everywherea" he