The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-12-21

udu Sucu hnlNefy -suuhy npeli as IL
might be goin' to have a stroke of pal
sy. Either of 'em is likely enough;
might one or both on 'em carry me of
any time" concluded Uncle Joachim.
"Oh, hope not" replied Jack, con-
soIatory, but alarmed, as he followed
Content to the sunny portico.
A trysting place that portico had
been for many a day. There the house
across the daisy field had just been
planned, and the promise given that
made 1t not "mine," but ours" Room
by room, window by window, it had
been dreamed and talked of, larger
and faifer than il now could be in re-
ality, but that only Jack and Content
knew. Jack was skillful and energet-
ie; he had laid up some five or six
hundred dollars, and that was not all.
You see, Content he had said,
gaily when they talked of it in the
spring time, with the old apple tree
showering its pink blossoms around
them where they stood-'you see,
there is that work for Regan, if it sue
ceeds, and / think it will. 1t is some
sort Of a pumping apparatus. you
know. He had got the idea in his head,
but wasn't workman enough to carry
it out, and SO he came TO me. l dug
into Il until fancied / knew what he
wanted, and improved upon it lit
tie, maybe. I've spent all the time l
could give, evenings and odd hours, Oh
II for nearly five months now, some
times doing and sometimes undoing;
but Regan is to pay me $4,000 if it
works as he expects 1t to. He thinks
| can do it,"
Il think so, too" said Content.
1T viii be something nice for us"
remarked Jack, thoeghtfully. But
we won't say anything to any one
about it yet a while, until we are sure.
There is no need, for we have enough
for a little home, even without that"
Uncle Joachim and Aunt Prissy We're
not very worldly wise. They thought,
or Miss PrIssy did, that love and even
the smallest home promised consider
able material for happiness; and her
eyes twinkled with tears and smiles
behind hcr old spectacles while, in one
breath, she wondered how she was
"ever goin' 20 do without Content"
and in the next II they hadn't better
be huntin' up rags to cut for a carpet
for Contents fioor-against she has
one"
Uncle Joachim was as nearly con-
gratulatory as he knew how TO be, but
deprecatory also.
II don't see why you two shouldn't
stand as good a chance for comfort
as anybody. s'posin' there is any such
thing, which is doubtful" he said.
ANY way, It's risky, very risky; like
as not you won't enjoy yourselves.
Itli be a great ahliction to have Con-
tent leave us. but it'll be a load off my
mind 10 know she's safe out Of the
house. Its a dangerous place to live
IN, this is, keepin' post Office as We
do. Counts of folks robbin' the mails
keep comm all the time, and I've Just
a feelin' that ours III be robbed, too,
some night, and we all murdered in
our beds"
Dear mel I shouldn't think 1t would
be worth while,r exclaimed Aunt
Prissy. unselfishly, scanning the mat
ter ia the light OF speculation. "Our
MALL Why, / don't believe there's
ever moren ten dollars in the whole
ont at one time, and mostly there amt
anything"
.'That don't make no difference,
Prissy-no difference persisted Uncle
Joachim. with doleful shake Of the
head. "You don't know the sight Of
wickedness there is in this world.
tell you there's plenty OF folks that
would do most anything for ten dol
lars.
"Well, well, succumbing TO super
ior wisdom. "Dlaybe it's so; but it does
seem dreadful low wages for any hui
man being to do such work as that
for. / spose there comes some time
for most all of MS. though, when the
Evil One comes along our road and
asks what wen sell ourselves for If
we're wlllin' TO do it at all, / don't
know as it matters much about the
price"
AS the days passed by. and Jacks
''prlze-work," as he laughingly called
It. bade more and more fair TO prove
successful, he and Content conjured
golden plans for the fair little home
kingdom It should bring them-how
they would add to this and beautify
that-talking it over, evening after
evening, in the soft twilight.
Its just about done,' said Jack, one
day, stopping for a moment at the
door. "Regan wants me to take it
down to the old stone quarry and try
II. It's sort Of quiet place, aud
there's always water there, you know;
so l guess III 60 this afternoon"
"Oh, l do hope It will be all right
just what you expect of IT," exclaimed
Content.
IBID 1t good speed, then" he said,
with a hopeful smile, turning away
down the narrow garden path, while
the sweet fact watched him from the
doorway.
The sky was wondrously blue above
his head that day, and the whole earth
fair in the golden sun
lfght Everv fg1stle OF tha lpavps