The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-23

passenger stepped from the morning
train which stopped at Dillsboro, and
stood with his hands rammed down
into his pockets. He vas dressed in
the style of a westerner. A wide
brimmed sombrero rested on his head.
and heavy brown moustache orna-
mented his upper lip. For moment
he gazed all around.
ITS not exactly Hike it used TO be,
though il amt much changed either"
he muttered as he picked up his valise
and walked toward little boarding
house a few yards away. 1t was noon,
and the traveller was hungry. Meeting
/ the landlady at the entrance, he gave
her a 50-cens piece and asked the way
to the dining room.
After dinner the stranger spent sew
eral hours in wandering about the VII
LACE. Late in the afternoon he sus-
pended his valise on a stout stan when
| he rested on his shoulder, and set of
I'D the river road afoot. Ever and anon,
| as he tramped along the highway, ne
would stop at some high point anu
gaze away across the hills and valleys.
Just like they used to be, all Just
the same" he would usually mutter as
he turned away and continued MS jour-
ney-
in the road where it turned down the
mountain on the other side toward the
river.
even a change in the road. Wonder II
Mark Hooper lives there yet, ne con-
tinued as he looked towards the caoln
off TO the right
A little further along he turned away
from the road, and walked slowly down
to where the fence crossed the ravine.
Here he seated himself on an old, fast
decaying stump, allowing the stan ana
valise to carelessly slip from his shoul-
der. Then, pushing his somprero pack
upon his head, he locked his nnsers
across his knee. and gazed away
through the opening over the raVine.
1t was almost shutdown, ana tnere were
a few clouds in the sky
Just the same he muttered again,
after a few moments silence; every
thing just like it was. l wonder IL
Nance did
He closed his lips tightly against fur
Their utterance. There seemed to De
sudden breaking loose of something
which had been long tied up IN MS
breast.
At last he arose, and, shouldering his
staff and vaiise, started back to the
road. And just as he turned his back
toward the cabin. Nance came out with
her apron full of vegetables for the
hogs, and came on slowly down the
path toward the fence.
The traveller, who had walked on
without looking backward. had scarce
" disappeared beyond turn in the
road, when his ears.caught the sounds:
"Pig-pig -pig-oo-eh!" as Nance called
the hogs.
Again the staff and valise slipped
from his shoulder; and, with his hands
rammed down into his pockets, he lis
tened while his heart beat heavily
against his breast.
At last he turned about and slowly
retraced his steps. leaving his baggage
where it had fallen in the middle of
the road. He approached within a few
feet of Nance before he stopped. Then,
steadying his voice as well as he could,
he called her name.
Nance suddenly turned about and
gazed upon the tall form of the west
erner Then, bursting into tears. she
dropped her apron, and impulsively
sprang toward him.
''Oh, Zeb.' she cried, through her
tears. II didn't mean it; you know l
didn't. Oh, why did you go away?'
Zeb caught her in his arms, and for
a few moments there was sweet silence.
Nance" said Zeb at last, Il never
could think of loving anybody but you.
But when 1 came back to look after
that gold mine, / didn't expect to find
such a jewel as this waiting for me.
1t appears like 1 am mighty rich all of
a sudden
Amt half as rich as am now, Zeb,
for I've got you back again. and,
reaching up, she took his rough cheeks
between her palms, and kissed him IN
der his big moustache.