El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-05
Timothy Howell.

gray. fire lighted kitchen that had once
echoed to the tread of many young
feet The youngest of a large family
and the only boy. he bad been pctted and
INDUCED until he grew unconsciously
selfish, overbearing and ut last miser
~ that one after another his sisters gave
up their happy pride in him and, with
wondering sorrow, left him to himself.
and Timothy was left alone in the old
house. with the wide. green acres of the
best farm in Seahill stretching about
him.
He only hired men in the busy season.
y deaf old woman who never asked for
wages kept his house and grumbled at
the short allowance of everything doled
out for food.
The old servant had gone ont. and he
had To get his supper off slice of ham
that hung up in the shed.
In a cottage down under the HILL whc' q
the lights winked and blinked through
the dead branches. woman sat sewing
busiiy. and three bright faced girls mes
tied close about the fire, talking in low
tones.
Its n shame for little mother to stay
in the house so much" said Clara, the
eldest. delicate girl of IL.
Yes, and you, too" said Nellie. the
baby of the family. a ruddy girl of 10.
The fact is" said Hattie, II am tired
of sitting here and trying to be Il doll
baby and wait to grow up. 1 intend to
go up to Farmer Howelrs and borrow
his horse and sleigh for tomorrow"
''Oh. girls girls. do not be rude" said
Clara softly.
But l am going" insisted Hattie res
olutely, "and L only tell you that you be
quiet here and not let mamma make
herself uneasy about me- 1 do not know
where to find the old ogre all day, but
at night there is Il faint CLEAN of candle
light from his den. and l am going for
him there"
She walked very fast up the long hill.
and the color came fresh and bright into
her cheeks. but she was little timid for
all that and wished her visit was well
over.
She knew it would be useless to go to
the front door, she went around to the
back porch and knocked family, but re-
ceived no answer.
y louder knock had the same result.
and then, listening doubtfully and Won
dering what she should do next, she
heard a low groan from the shed. Again
n low groan echoed on the night. and
Hattie went straight to the shed, trying
to think she was not afraid.
Help. help called the heavy voice of
a man.
"Who is there" asked Hattie.
''Oh. for heavens sake bring me
light here, whoever you are, and help me
out. have fallen and hurt my knee and
cannot walk"
The girl hurried to the kitchen, took
the candle and went back to the shed,
holding one hand up to keep the fierce
wind from blowing out the flame that
bent and rose and sent the candle sway
ing in n very threatening way.
There lay Farmer Howell huddled in
q helpless heap the floor of the shed,
with an ugly cash in his knee. from
which the blood was dripping. He was
indeed frightful looking object. But
Hattie was not easily dismayed.
She tried with all her sturdy young
strength TO lift the great man to his feet.
but failed again and again. An old
sleigh stood close by, into which he man
aged to drag himself with difficulty
''Sit very still, please" said Hattie.
with sort of desperate resolve, and
then she took up the sleigh shafts in her
plump hands and pulled with all her
strength.
"Oh. ohI' groaned Farmer Howell.
Condemnation. What do you mean to
do to me, girl:'
1t did not take many such pulls TO
bring the sleigh out upon the smoothly
trodden snow, and then it slipped easier
The man groancd heavily with every
breath. but Hattic's mind was made up,
and she trudged down the gradual
descent of the long hill toward the vii
lagc.
She hesitated for a moment, wondering
IL she had better take him home to her
mother. and then, remembering that il
his injuries were really dangerous he
ought TO see a physician as soon as pos
sible, she marched straight to their old
family doctor, dragging her queer bur-
den. She did not know that the two men
had been enemies for years.
Her brisk rap at the door brought the
doctor himself out into the frosty night
and. pointing to the sleigh, she said:
Here is a patient i have brought you.
an important one, l guess you will think
he is, by the noise he Makes
BY the aid of the doctors arm Mr..
Howell hohbled into the house, and while
his wounds were being dressed he told
how he had climbed up to cut slice off
that pesky ham," and, his foot slipping
on the dasher of the sleigh, down he
came, cutting his knee with the big
butcher knife, spraininS his ankle and
hurting his back.
II am sure | do not know what is to
be done with you tonight. L have no
room for you here, and you are not hit to
be left alone"
And l haven't n shadow of courage"
moancd the farmer.
please put him in the Sleigh" said
Hattie impatiently, and l will take him
up to our house. We have lots of cour-
age there and always room for one
more
Little woman said the doctor, push
ing up his glasses and looking at her,
Il was 60 years old on Christmas day.
For 50 years l have been looking for q
wife-a hclpmate fit for n doctor. Never
saw one before. Take your big, crying
doll home, and / will call and see him to-
morrow. Here, Jim," calling his boy,
Glitch my horse on to that sleigh and