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


tent was being Aanked our OF placc
'y Providence instead OF Lucky Jack,
ana aftcr they Lad securely pegged
the canvas down for her. quiet settled
Tor the night over the fcudal district.
Int morning saw the beginning OF
hosti'itics. that. with brief intermis-
sions. lasted for long. weary months.
Fruit cans were hurled ngains. the
base of one tent nj night and fired
against the other each morning. The
man purpos,ly rcarcd out songs.
hymns, lullabycs. anything that would
keep np dcafcning noise M an hour
wien the woman fcign would have
laid her nrmor of and slept. He
passed unnecessarily near the door
wien 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 bite NJ the foes heels
and openly petted bigger after such
reprisals. Every day the man went
10 the beach with his rocker TO seek
for gold. and tn woman went TO n
restaurant, where she washed dishes,
and in return received -four and salt
and the white-haircd 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 Jack returned
to his tent he found bigger already
there. busily engaged in foraging the
cnemy'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 misnamcd him when
they prefxcd Lucky to his name.
Fastening the tent behind him. he
took up an ax handle and with the in
quisitory. 'l,ite my heels again, will
YEP" he laid the blows on the intruder
thick aud fast. resolved to leave not
(. breath in him, but 10 fling his car
cass over 10 the other tent. The dog,
n his turn. tore wildly from side 10
side Of the tent. now trying 10 dodge
under box that served as 4 table,
now attempting TO close in and get
his teeth into his tormentor. and ~
Inst. thoroughly leaten. he crouchcd
at his ccnQueror's feet with such
pi.eous howls that, like Hubert be
tore Prince Arthur in the tower Of
London. Lucky's pity made him I'M
aide to do the murderous deed he had
Intended. and after some more stern
advice to his now humble foe. the big
NAN sat down and fed him bread
dipped in cold gravy. He even patted
Tie animals head in his restored good
humor. rcmurking as he did so: Il
can't strike a woman, no matter how
a-grawa'in' she is. but. thank Gawd, !
Lin take il out o. the dog"
'Nas YOU n lickin' my mans
dawg?" Jack jumped to his feet as
this question was pronounced to him
through 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
',rn npparition. and he said deceit
fully:
Don't you see I'm fcedin' him.
Fought l hcerd i'm cryin'." sus-
Iiciously.
"Sonny. hc--hc was laughin' at
what | was riyin' i'm"
BE yo tryin' to burn IVES tent?"
Well. no. kid. not unless swearin'
Mt IL till the air is full o birthstone
might set il blazir'; but if that 'ud
do il it 'ud burned before this" Then
.here was pause in which the child
watched the dog hungrily: then, with
a hopeless little sigh: "Wish cud a
lad part o. Bilger's bra-a-id."
Great Hammer, baby. are you hun
CIV nuff to eat with dawg? Here,
wait till | get you some cookies an
coffee"
The child munched the cookies in
silence. then he said: "Mam says
your hardened sinner. claim
Jumper. m mighty tough ole
rooster. Am your"
"No," growled the host, adding,
with rising anger, "an' your mans
worse than anything she can call me-
Then. as the hoy was leaning CON
fdingly against his knee, he said:
.i;u you're nice boy"
Another long pause. and then. as
though he were :.cciting a lesson. the
little fellow drawled out: "Wait till
ELL Rrier. my pap. comes; he'll show
You"
"All right. kid; but IL it's anything
about your mother he's goin' to show
me 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
crs: why don't he Gomez"
"Can't; he's got too much dirt 10
dig"
"Uh-huh! thought so: got claim
somewhere else an workin' it. while
his wife holds this one" The boy had
wormed purple little fist into the
miners hand. and he now observed:
"Your hands warm, amt IL? Nights
when I'm awful cold nam holds my
hands 'gainst he.' buzom to git EN-
warm, an cries cause she's so cold she
cnin't Git me warm"