Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1899-05-12
he little colored maid that ske. was so

the little colored maid that sLe was so
happy she was afraid she should die.
AS soon as he went home, the trooper
| told Aneta, he would be mustered out,
and then he would send for her, and she
should come to his hacienda and be mis-
| tress of houseful of servants and OF a
ranch that was like a little kingdom.
Aneta liked to hear about the range,
and about the wild flowers. but when he
began to talk about the money she
said:
20, 81, 81, 81. I know. Now, sir, tell
me, if you will, please, about you.
Where were you born? How old do you
really be? Have you brother OF Sis
ter? No? Were you good little boy
when you were small? Have you the
picture of you, yourself, in the long
dress? No? 1t is too bad! like to see
you-all ways-when a baby and when
boy, as all ways. And do you love the
music like me? lido! 81. That is good.
Every thing is good in these days"
But one day the troopers were ordered
home.
Aneta's trooper had to go with the
rest.
Aneta pinned knot Of jessalnine on
his coat, and made him go into the little
oratory with her and kneel before the
little altar.
But when the great troopship was
gone, she went into the little oratory
and staid on her knees half the night.
The first steamer brought Ancta a
letter from her trooper.
It was kind letter, full Of affection.
but there wassomething in it that made
Aneta's heart grow cold.
It made her feel as she did when he
laughed so much and made his gray
eyes look like cold steel, with the moon
glittering on them.
''When will you be free?" she wrote.
"When shall we be married."
The trooper wrote back long letter,
full of his fine ranch and his money and
the beautiful home he was preparing
for Aneta.
| II do not care about the ranch" she
said, cor about the fine home. want
to be with YOU"
On Christmas day she wrote him that
she would kill herself if he did not write
to her.
"They are laughing at me here" she
said. 'They are telling me that you
were joking with me, that you never
cared for me. If do not hear from you
in four weeks time I shall kill myself"
Just two weeks ago Aneta Ovideo re-
ceived an answer to her letters. Jim
Jenkins is dead,' said the letter. ''He
died week ago. He spoke your name
with his last BREATH
81 am so glad" she said. II am so
glad. Now, I shall see him soon again."
And every day she throws the knot of
jessamine into the sea, for the charm
must be worked for twice seven days
before she will know surely how long
she will have to live.
Henry Harmon lives out in Indian
territory.
1t was he who wrote Aneta and told
her that her sweetheart was dead.
In all his letter Henry Harmon wrote
just one sentence of truth, and that was
that Jim jenkins was dead. All the rest
was lie.
Jim jenkins was not ranch owner
He had no home prepared for Aneta.
He was a cowboy in the same outfit
with Henry Harmon. He did not die
| with Aneta's name on his lips. He did
not love her. i,
:, He,showed her poor little letters to the
cowboys on the ranch and made fun Of
them.
He roared with laughter when he read
the one in which Aneta told him that
she would kill herself unless she heard
from him.
He died very suddenly that very
night, and left an unfinished letter to
Aneta.
II never cared a cent for you," the let
ter read. Give been having fun all the
time. But now I'm getting tired of it.
The boys are making fuss about your
writing SO often, and wish you'd stop"
Henry Harmon, cowboy, X L outfit,
read the letter aloud to the 'boys" who
had heard Jim jenkins read the other
ones aloud.
The ''boys" did not laugh at the joke.
They sat still.
"Fellers," said Arizona Ike, tie head
of the outfit, 'this amt no time fer the
truth, let's keep on alyin'."
So Henry Harmon wrote the lying
letter to Aneta Ovdeo, and poor little,
soft-eyed girl will die happy for his
pains.-N. Y. Journal.