The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-07-12


"Yep. Ill promise not to tell on
yor while your Twin If youll swear
your criss cross you'll lie an say
wnsn't here II your asst"
That night Jack made up bundle
Of fur robes and blankets. muttcring
I'll the while: "She orter freeze; good
nnir for err" Nevertheless. he gladly
welcomed Charlie the next time he
made his new friend stolen visit, and
",h the boy on his knee he asked
What did your man say about the
bundle she found at her door this
mcrning?"
MAN? Oh, first her says it's a won.
Ger ole Lucky Jack hadn't seen 'ein
an stole EN-: an then she begins to
cry an Ineels down an says suthin'
bout Him as has 'membered the wild
der an the fatherless"
"Why. you amt fatheress- you've
got a father. amt you?"
"Yep. but he CANT come with all
that dirt o. his'n to dig"
And now IL fell out that every little
while Mrs. Bricr found food. furs and
even money at her door that her IN
known benefactor placed there and
then fled before she could get a
glimpse Mt him.
Say. Lucky" Charley said one day,
"them hairin's all gone, an liked 'em
awfully."
"Thc herring? Oh. yes: well I'd
brought you some more, but I'm allus
afraid your mann will watch" And
watch she did. and one night. seeing
Jack Gas she be,ieved) in the very act
of stealing parcel that had been gem
erously left for her, she caught up her
gun, and that she fired without aim
was perhaps the reason she brought
down her nan with bullet in the
breast The sound of shooting brought
the men from the saloon and little
Charlie from his bed.
This man was stealing stealing
things from my tent door" cried Mrs.
Hrier, wrnging her hands in an
agony of excitement.
'Oh. nanny. he wasn't. nc wasn't.
Twas him that brought all the things
TO usthe blankets an everything,"
Charlie was wild with grief. and
bigger licked the white face OF the
man whose blood was crimsoning the
snow where he lay: but he turned his
head and whispered: "Oh. Charlie,
you promised not to tell"
IL didn't tell-not while you's
livn'." sobbed the child. "but look at
the blccd-oh, Lucky. you's dead
now. sure"
"No. no, he isn't dead. He mustn't
die, Men, carry him into my tent,
where | can take care of him.
won't let him die"
And she was as good as her word.
Never had man more faithful and
devoted nurse. For the first time
since childhood the big, rough fe!
low knew the soothing touch of a
woman's hand: and her patient sweet
ness aud little schemes to amuse and
interest him. when in the days of
convalesccnce he began 10 chafe at
his inactivity. were n source of end
less wonder to him. And as he
watched the quickmoving little fig
urc and studied the brave. bright face
Of his quondam foe. he realized that
though his lung had healed and was
as sound as ever, his heart had got
wound from which il must ache
while he lived. SO he steadfastly re-
fused Mrs Briefs offer that he should
take half the claim, and insisted that
he would return to Tacoma.
'But you are doing well here; why
do you go away?" the nurse asked
for the twentieth time.
Driven to the wall. he replied:
"Well. because-oh, hang il. I've
used up all my excuses-here's the
truth: | love you, Molle. ! just
long TO work for you, to keep care
and trouble away from you. And |
could do il. if-darn Bricr, anyway!
Oh, | don't mean that, but, Mollie, l
want to take you in my arms"
"Then why don't you, Johnnie?"
She asked, demurely.
"Great st. Benedict, What'd Bill
Brier say when he comes?" he gasped.
"IIe went say anything. poor man.
she was laughing and crying both
tocether-"'cause he'll never come.
lie died when he came back after us:
hut ives all packed up to come, and
he said we could hold his claim: so,
after he was buried we come on-an'
AN thought you'd be scared to
stay on the claim if you thought my
man was comm. Why-thcre-yo
great. big silly man-don't! Charlie'll
see you"
And when Charlie did put in an ap.
pcarance Jack privately inquired:
"What'd you say your pap was dig.
gin for. youngster?'
"'Cause. IL he were comm, as nam.
my said. he had ter dig dirt, an lot
o. il: / seed i'm. an is box is buried
under a nawful heap o it."
Jack-comprehensively-"Oh.' then
tcnderly, Did you know your mother
was goin' TO have me now?"
"Yep. l hecrd you fixin' IL up
Radford Review.
An ESSAY On Habit.