Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-05-12
CHAPTER v.


when 1 couldn't see him. Said twas
bib home an we'd better leave. Tol'
him l was sick (rumatiz) an couldn't
stir. Said he was sorry an come over
near us. Toll him l was an OF man
goin' west with small boy. Stopped
in the rain. Got sick. Out O. purvi-
sions. Bout ready t die Didn't know
what t do. Started t. strike match,
an the man said: Don't make no
light, cos 1 don't want to hev ye see
my face. Never let nobody see my
face. Said he never went out less twas
dark night until folks was abed.
Said we looked like good folks. scairt
me little cos we couldn't see a thing.
Also he said: Don't be 'fraid Of me.
Do what can fer ye'"
remember the man crossed the
creaking floor and sat down near u
after he had parleyed with Uncle Eb
awhile in whispers. Young as 1 was,
1 keep vivid impression Of that night,
and, aided by the diary Of Uncle Eb,
have made a record Of what was said
that is in the main accurate.
"Do you know where you are? he
inquired presently, whispering as he
had done before.
1--WE no idee." said Uncle Eb.
"Well, down the hill is Paradise val
ley, in the township O. Faraway," he
continued. Its the end O. Paradise
road an purity country. Been settled
long time, an the farms are big an
prosperous-kind Nv land o. plenty.
That big house at the foot O. the hill
is Dave Brower's. He's the richest
man in the valley"
Glow do you happen t. be livin' here,
If We don't min tellin' met" Uncle Eb
asked.
Crazy said he. "'Fraid o every
Body, an everybody's 'fraid o. me.
Lived a good long time in this way.
Winters I go into the big woods. Got
a camp in a big cave, an when I'm
there I see little daylight. Here in
the clearin' I'm only up in the night
time. Thet's how I've come to see so
well in the dark. It's give me cats
eyes,"
Don't We git lonesome7" Uncle Eb
asked.
"Awful-sometimes," he answered
with sad sigh, IAN it seems good t.
talk with somebody besides myself. I
get enough to eat generally. There are
deer in the woods an cows In the fields,
ye know, an potatoes an corn an ber-
ries an apples an all tibet kind o thing.
Then I've got my traps in the woods,
where ketch patridges an squirrels
an coons an all the meat I need. I've
got place in the thick timber do
my cookin'-all I want t dom the
middle Of the night. Sometimes I
come here an spend a day in the garnet
II I'm caught In a storm or II happen
to stay little too late in the valley.
Once in great while meet man
somewhere in the open, but he always
gifts away quick as he can. Guess they
think Pm ghost-dunno what think
O. them"
Our host went on talking as IL he
were glad to tell the secrets Of his
heart to some creature of his own kind.
have often wondered at his frank
ness, but there was fatherly tender
ness, remember, in the voice Of Uncle
lib, and I Judge 1t tempted his conf
dence. Probably the love Of compan-
ionship can never be so dead in a man
but that the voice Of kindness may call
1t back to life again.
It'll bring you bite t. eat before
mornin'," he said presently as he rose
to go. "Let me feel O. your ham, mis-
ter"
Uncle Eb gave him his hand and
thanked him.
! "Feels good. First I've he'd hold Of In
long time" he whispered. whats
the day o. the month";"
1.-THE 25th."
II must remember. Where did you
come fromf"
Uncle Eb told him, briefly, the story
Of our going west.
Guess you'd never do me no harm,
would ye?" the man asked.
mot Bit" Uncle Eb answered.
| Then he babe us goodby, crossed the
creaking floor and went away in the
darkness.
"Sing'lar characterr' Uncle Eb NUT
4 tered.
was getting drowsy, and that wal
the last I heard. In the morning we
found small pail Of milk sitting nea,
us, roasted partridge. two fried 6st
and some boiled potatoes. 1t was
more than enough to carry us through
the day, with a fair allowance fol
/, Fred. Uncle Eb was bit better, blu,
!, very lame at that, and kept to his bed
the greater part of the day. The time
went slow with me, remember. Uncle
Eb was not cheerful and told me blu,
one story, and that had no life in It
At dusk he let me go out in the road
to- play awhile with Fred and thu
wagon, but came to the door and called
us in shortly. I went to bed In {
rather unhappy frame Of mind. Thu
dog reused me by barking In the mid
familiar whisper Of the stranger.
"Sh-h-h! Be still, dog" he wills
pered. But was up to my ears II
sleep and went under shortly, so hav,
no knowledge of what passed thai
night. Uncle Eb tells in his diary thai
he had talk with him lasting more
than an hour, but goes no further ant
never seemed willing to talk mucl
about that interview or others tina
followed it.
4 only know the man had brough
more milk and fish and fowl for Us
We stayed another day in the oil
house, that went like the last, and tn
night man came again to see Uncle Eb
The NEXT morning my cononaninn wa