Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-07-11

hymns. 1uliabyes, anything that would
keep up a deafening noise at an hour
VIXEN the woman feign wouii have
laid her off and slept. He
passed unnecessarily near the door
when he crossed the claim. And
though the woman was not positively
known to hiss the blue-eyed dog on.
she certainly laughed heartily every
time he got a bite at the foe heels
and openly petted Bilger after such
reprisals. Every day the man went
to the beach with his rocker to seek
for gold. and the woman went to a
! restaurant, where she washed dishes,
and in return received -four and salt;
and the white-haired boy, wrapped in
a mans old fur overcoat, often sat
alone for hours, with no one to speak
to but the yellow dog
One day when Lucky lack returned
TO his tent he found bigger already
there, busily engaged in foraging the
enemy's stores. Now, Jacks heels
were sore from the morning onslaught
of his opponents henchman, and
when he found him thus at his mercy,
for the first time he felt that the
boys had not misnamed him when
they prefixed lucky to his name.
Fastening the tent behind him, he
took up an ak handle and with the in
quisitory. "Bite my heels again, will
YEP" he laid the blows on the intruder
thick and fast. resolved to leave not
& breath IN him. but to fling mis- car
caSs over to the other tent. The dog,
in his turn. tore wildly from side to
side Of the tent, now trying to dodge
under a box that served as a table.
now attempting to clos, IN and get
his teeth into his tormentor, and at
last. thoroughly Leaten, he crouched
at his conqueror's feet with such
piteous howls that, like Hubert be-
tore Prince Arthur in the tower of
London. Lucky's pity made him I'M
able to do the murderous deed he had
intended. and after some more stern
ADVICE to his now humble foe, the big
man sat down and fed him bread
dipped in cold gravy. He even patted
the animals head in his restored good
humor. remarking as he did so: Il
can't strike a woman no matter how
a@grawatin' she is. but, thank Gawd, |
lin take it out o. the dog"
"Was you a lickin' my MANS
dawg?" Jack jumped to his feet as
this question was pronounced to him
through a hole in the tent. He
opened the door and the small boy
entered, trailing an old blanket be-
hind him, and repeated his question.
I.ucky's big heart melted at the for
lorn apparition, and he said deceit
fully:
Don't you see I'm d feedin' him?"
Fought I heerd i'm a cryin'," s
piciously.
sonny, he-he was laughin' at
what l was a pivin' i'm"
BE 70 a tryin' to burn we's tent?"
Well, no, kid, not unless sv!earin'
at it till the air is full o. birthstone
might set it blazin'; but if that 'ud
do it it nd burned before this" Then
there was a pause in which the child
watched the dog hungrily; then, with
a hopeless little sigh: "Wish I cud a
had part o Bilger's bra-a-id."
"Great Hammer, baby, are you hun
gry huff to eat with a dawg? Here,
wait till I get you some cookies an
coffee"
The child munched the cookies in
silence, then he said: "Mam says
YOUR a hardened sinner, a claim
Jumper, an a mighty tough ole
rooster. Am you?"
NO" growled the host, adding,
with rising anger, IAN your mam's
worse than anything she can call me-"
Then, as the boy was leaning con
fdingly against his knee, he said:
But you're a nice boy"
Another long pause, and then, as
though he were reciting a lesson, the
little fellow drawled out: "Wait till
Bill Brier. my pap, comes; he'll show
You"
"All right, kid; but if it's anything
about your mother he's goin' to show
ne he needn't take the trouble. I've
seen enough of her already. But, say,
here's only four or five months that
your dad can come safe on the steam
ers; why don't he Gomez"
Cant; he's got too much dirt to
dig"
"Uh-huh! I thought so; got a claim
somewhere else an workin' it, while
his wife holds this one" The boy had
wormed a purple little fist into the
miners hand, and he now observed:
"Your hands warm, amt it? Nights
when I'm awful cold mann holds my
hands 'gainst her buzom to git 'em
warm, an cries cause she's so cold she
CANT git me warm
"Oh, the Devil!" Jack uttered the
ejaculation with such vehemence that
the child looked apprehensively V
his shoulder. "Why don't you put
blankets enough over you to keep you
warm?"
yves on'y got a few, an they's rag
ged."
Well. can't you keep a fire?"
mann SAYS coal is $50 a ton up here.
an if she goes an carries drift wood
for a day she can't work at the roos-
teraint, an then YVES CANT hev AMY
bread tibet day. See?"
"Well!' After Jack had made this
summing up of the situation there
was a silence, during which the sad
voiced urchin crowded boil hands in
10 the hosts warm hand and the dog
licked his boots.
whats your name, little feller?"
Jack asked at last.
Charlie, n yours ana Lucky Jack"
Yes; and now, Charlie, I'm goin' to
bring some things and leave 'em at
your mas teri flap tonight: an I