Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-03-31

lk>. M II WULuI L
"Ihe grounds yours, Ben."
tired and then went to sleep under
sagebrush and had been overlooked.
There wasn't the least danger in the
world, and his wife was foolish to wor-
ry so about it. He knew better, but it
wouldn't do any good to tell her the
ground was covered with abandoned
shafts from ten to 200 feet deep, into
which the little feet might stray.
He didn't want any supper and, with
out seeing the girls, who were still out,
took q canteen of water and went to
find his boy. From that time till morn
ing the scattered searchers on the hill
and the prospector in his cabin heard
every three or four minutes the big
voice, now near, now far away, now
hopeful now almost a wall, but always
loud and clear: Jack, papa is looking
for YOU" Jack, answer papa" stay
where you are" Jackie, call to papa
Soon everybody caught the idea. Calls
were heard all over the hills but the
loudest and most constant, the one that
never rested, was the cry: "Papa's look
ing for his little boy. Call to papa.
Jack" After daylight, just as the sun
was glistening the snow capped peaks
to the west and transforming each rock
and sagebrush Oh the hills into thing
of beauty, while the canyons ana the
valley to the south were still in shad'
ow, Walker, hatless and bleeding from
many fall, but as tireless as ever,
found himself facing wall tent tnat
he didn't recognize, but somewhere
near his claim, as he reckoned 1t. He
walked toward It, and as he did so
Ben Jones stepped from behind. with
cooked rifle at his shoulder, and
called out: "Stop there, John Walker!
You are trespassing on my ground"
Without Stacking, Walker answered:
81 don't care whose ground I'm on.
I'm looking for my boy. Have you
seen little boy up this wayT
Jones lowered his gun. "Is he yours
Walker"
"Yes; my little three-year-old boys
lost. Have you seen anything of him"
Without word the young miner took
the other by the shoulder and pushed
him into the tent. A glance showed
the child, still sound asleep. with one
chubby hand under the tangled curls
With cry of Jack, my little Jack!
the father had his baby in his arms,
and there were two big miners crying
like women.
Little Jack was as demonStrative as
anybody when he got his eyes open and
found who had him. When he got con-
troll of himself, Walker asked Jones
where he found him. AS the young
man explained the father held his boy
closer.
"How did you get him out Jones"
"Went down and brought him up.
He lodged just above the jump off,"
"Who helped you, Ben"
Nobody. | couldn't wait to go and
wake up couple Of sleepy heads 200
feet away when he was likely to slide
OF any second. could II"
"Did you 20 down that incline and
bring my boy up withou, any rope ON
you, Ben"
"What could 1 do?" was the answer.
"You know the incline. could tell he
was only baby, and If he moved he
was gone"
"Yes, l know the incline. He was
gone il he moved" said Walker, al
most under his breath.
"Well," proceeded Jones, you
wouldn't have sat down and waited for
a rope, now. would you? 1t amt so
awful dangerous"
Walker didn't speak or look at Jones,
but somehow got hold Of his hand and
If it hadn't been big and hard one l
am afraid would have crushed It.
Jones didn't mind, but said apolOgetic-
ally, 81 didn't know he was your kid,
Mr.. Walker"
81 don't care If you didn't" broke
out Walker fiercely. "You knew he
was somebody's. You can't lie to me,
Ben Jones. You know mighty well
how dangerous it was. l tell you, it
takes man to walk into deaths door,"
He jumped from his seat and with the
boy hugged to his breast walked ex-
citedly across the cabin half dozen
times and tried hard to keep from blub-
bering. AS he sat down lie said:
"The grounds yours, Ben"
Fright you are" said Jones prompt
", glad to get on subject where he
could defend himself, "and you can't
give it to me. I'll hold it against you."
"No, you won't, Ben. You don't get
any fight out Of me. The grounds
yours, tell you."
Little Jack was quiet until his father
raised his voice, when he broke In,
"What you scold Uncle Ben for, papa?"
"What is that, Jack" asked his IA
ther.
"Him my Uncle Ben, papa. You
shan't scold my Uncle Ben" And the
little man put his hand protectingly on
"Uncle Ben's" big fist.
It was covered instantly, and Jones
resumed: II reckon the courts would
give you the ground, Mr.. Walker. I'll
tell you what I'll do. I'll let the kid
have 1t. He won't apex me. viii you,
JackT Jack didn't know much about
the apex question, but did know he
was Uncle Ben's friend and to show 1t
| climbed over into his lap.
"No; Jack won't apex you, and no
| body else will. You'll keep the apex,