The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-11-09
He Who Listened.
AZ MARY -KING EMOnY.

He sat by the roadside his elbows
on his knees, his face IN his hands,
gazing at the sunlit hills before him.
The afternoon was hot. and he was
tired and hungry. He had walked
many miles since morning, and the
dirty face beneath the torn hat-brim
was streaked and smeared with perspi-
ration. II was a careworn, hopeless
face; a face upon which want and pri-
vation had left their marks, face
which childish pleasures had hurried
by; but in the eyes there was an ex-
preston OF defiance. mingled with un-
certainty.
Before him the sandy road stretched
southward; behind him rose the rug
ged hills, with their scanty covering
OF stunted oak and pine trees and
meagre sprinkling Of scattered houses.
Moving uneasily. he glanced anx-
iously over his shoulder at the clay
daubed house in the clearing, half
way up the hill behind him; then his
eyes wandered back TO the hills again.
II dunno what ter do" be mutteisd.
at last 1T were bad afore Nanny
went away, but cts worse since Liza
Snow an tn new baby come. Yesti-
day her knocked me over, an tn day
afore Dad beat me. an now ! got tn
chance I'm a-goin'."
His hand elinched and the shrill.
childish voice had a defiant ring. The
sun was sinking in the west. flooding
the hills with gold. while from some
where out OF the pines came the tinkle
OF COW bell. The boy ahuddered.
i dun tn best / knowed fur youns.
Nanny" he whispered; but fur lit
tie Tidy Ann"
His voice ended In sob, and tears
trickled unheeded down the dirty lit
tie face. The hills. the houses and
the trees faded away. lie saw again
the room In the house on the hill be-
hind him. with its few battered cook
ing utensils. its splint-bottomed
chairs and worn deal table. Lying on
bed in the corner was woman, her
eyes bright with a feyerish light. her
wasted face turned toward the window.
through which she watched the setting
sun.
Joe she said al last. wearily
turning her head I'm a-goin Home
ternight an ! wants yer to promise
afore so thet yerll take care O. lit
tie Tidy Ann ] dun the best I could
fur ye," she continued brokenly,
though, Cord knows twan't much.
Yer dad won't care when I'm gone,
and more'n like he'll take ter beatin'
ye, when he amt got me" She looked
yearniugly al the child beside her. so
l wants yer ter promise thet yer'll al
lus stan atween him an Tidy; then
ken rest easy"
And. kneeling there hi the gathering
darkness. he gave his promise 70 the
dying woman. That night all was
over. and the clay-daubed house
perehed on the rocky hillside was
filed with the silence which comes
only when life has flown Early the
next day he had helped his father and
some OF the neighbors bury her, IN
IL grove beneath the hill. where the
pines chanted a requiem and the with
cred oak leaves moaned through the
long winter nights For two years he
had been faithful to bis trust; for two
years. and now
Il dunno what Ter do" he sobbed:
II dunno what sg- do" He had lost
sight Of the ugly clay-daubed house
and the familiar hills that morning for
the first time In his life Long before
sunrise he had crept from the house
and followed the road as It wound
around the hills like some great snake
In the purple morning light toward the
distant town. He walked until the
rugged mountains rising above bis
home grew hazy and lndistinet: until
strange scenes and new faces met him
az every turn. Once or twice he had
been given a lift" by some friendly
mountaineer. to whom he boldly
flowed he were a-Eoln ter IN cir
GUS" But when be reached the town.
with its unaccustomed sights and
sounds. he felt alarmed and uncertain
as to what to do. Hesltatlngly he fol-
lowed the hurrying crowd toward the
circus tent; but. as he neared it the
strangeneas OF The scene, the music
and the noise frightened him. Push
ing his way through the crowd he
looked anxiously about for some
means OF escape, when suddenly he
determined to run around to the back
OF the tent. for there all seemed quiet.
Unnotioed and alone he crouched in
the grass until. gaining courage with