Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-08


was not changed and hung in silky
beautiful waves almost to his Shout
ders. Tomorrow she would take the
ragged edge off his collar and put
new band round his hat. She did not
interrupt him. but she wondered how
it was that he sat to write so intently
after his long, weary walk. He was
not tired now. His pen hurried quick
ly and restlessly over the paper, and
his eye was bright. Presently En-
raised her hand to her breast, where
lay the letter yesterday had brought
her. Soon she had forgotten him as
entirely as he had forgotten ner. Each
was in his own world with his own.
He was writing to Lyndall. He would
tell her all he had seen, all he had
done. thought were nothing worth re-
lating. He seemed to have come back
to her and to be. talking to her now
he sat there in the old house:
"And then got to tine next town,
and my horse was tired, SO could go
mo farther and looked for work. A
shopkeeper agreed to hire me as
salesman He made me sign a promise
to remain six months. and lie gave me
little empty room at the back Of the
store to sleep in. had still lS of my
own. and when you have just come
from the country f3 seems n great deal.
when had been in the shop three
days. l wanted TO go away again A
clerk in n shop has the lowest work
to do of all people. Il is much better 10
break stones. You have the blue sky
above you and only tie stones to bend
to. asked my master TO let me- 20,
and offered to give him my - and
the bag OF mealies ! had bought with
the other pound. but he would not.
II found out afterward he WAS only
giving me half aSmuch as he gave to
the others. That was why had Il
fear when | looked at the other clerks
that would at last hecome like them.
All day they were bowing and snirk
! ing to the women who came in. Smil-
| ing. when all they wanted was to get
their money from them, They used TO
| run and fetch the dresses and ribbons
to show them. and they seemed to me
!, like worms With oilon There was one
/ respectable thing in that .;tore-it was
the Kntiii. storelnan. His work was
1 TO load and unload. and he never need
ed TO smile except When he liked. and
! he never told lies
/ The other clerks gave me the name
Of Old Salvation. but there .as one
i person liked very much. He was
I clerk in another store He often went
Y past the door,. Iietseen,pd to ,mn not
Hike others. His face was bright and
/ fresh, like little chld's. When lie
i came 10 the shop. | felt / liked him.
/ One day ! saw a book in his pocket,
and that made me feel near him. l
asked him he was fond Of reading,
and he said yes, when there was moth
ing else to do. The next day lie came
! to me and asked me if did not feel
/ lonely He never saw me going out
i with the other fellows. He would
come and see me that evening. he said.
You've got rumnly place here he
said.
''You see, there was nothing in it but
packing cases for furniture and 1t was
rather empty. While | was putting the
4 food on the box he looked at my books.
He read their names out aloud-'Ele-
mentary Physiology. First Principles
"'Golly. he SAID. I've got lot of
dry stuff like that at home got for
Sunday school prizes. but only keep
them to light my pipe with now They
come in handy for that Then he ask
! ed me if had ever read book called
the Black Eyed Creole That is the
style for me- he said-.there where the
fellow takes the niger girl by the arm
and the other fellow cuts of. That's
what like
But what he said after that don't
remember. only it made me feel as If
We're having bad dream. and |
wanted to be far away.
After he was gone my little room
/ got back to its old look. loved it So
/ was so glad to get into it ut night
and it seemed to be reproaching me fol
bringing, him there. The next day be
took the gray mare. On Thursday he
did not bring her back. and on Friday
found the saddle and bride standing
at my door.
"In the afternoon he looked into the
shop and called out: Hope you got
your saddle, Farber Your bag OF
bones kicked out six miles from this
Ill send You couple Of shillings to-
morrow. though the old hide WASH,
worth it. Good morning.
But sprang over the counter and
got him by his throat. My father was
so gentle with her. He never would
ride her up hill. and now this fellow
had murdered her. asked him where
he had killed her. and shook him till
he slipped out of my hand. He stood
IN the door grinning.
1t didn't take much to kill that bas
of bones. whose master sleeps in {
packing case and waits till his compa
ny's finished to eat on the plate
Shouldn't wonder If you fed her or
sugar bags, he said. And If you thinl
! I've jumped her you'd better go ant
look yourself. You'll find her along the
road by the 'aas-vogels" that are eat
ing her.