The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-06-20

yell be ready 10 come In all right, ever
on the smallest lay. soon's yc know
secms odd. don't -rcf~ciiveiy --"bui
je-t thu smell O that supper was al
that saved your life. on. don't mind
tcliIn now" al The inquiry Ia Brent'
eyes. ''loag y 10 come In this cave
an Dikhes there heard ~ speak bout
cxplorin' n. That left but one thing
Tor us 10 do. We was hid up there with
our guns p'lnted. an We was guln' q
give ye ten minutes TO pack mp an git
II ye didn't. an from what Dikker said
we knowed ye wouldn't, we was goin'
10 shoot. There wouldn't be nothiq
else we could do earnestly,
"weli. bad my gun p'iutsd en-
mouth open to boiler when got Z full
smell o. them ham an eggs right In my
throat. an waited little to git ona
more smell. with my mouth wide open.
when the onions come up. Lord '
smaekipg hts lips reminiscently. tive
lived scventy years. sn' never had
another second like that In all my life.
Jest laid my gun down an stuck my
nose out furs ] could; then ! felt
'shamed an looked round But DIX.
kers nose an Sans nose was both
stickin' out Jest the same. That I'm
ished us. We couldn't a. stayed up
there another minute for oil the gold
In these mougtaips, It's been tsl
weeks - ten whole weeks = since we
swallered our last bit o. pork. an In all
that time we amt had Z thing but
roots billed to chaw on"
Ten weeks exclaimed Brent In
amazement "Why, man ali~e. once
lived on them two days and thought
I'd starve. Why didn't one Of you g.
out after provislonsT
"Dassent." lnconicaliy. ''They's teo
many prospectors round watchin'. They
can tell from the size Of mans eyes
what he's found We have a spot
where we can pick up gold with our
fingers, an we'd ruther starve than
take chances. But reckon we four
can git II all out In month. an y9u
can have an eighth share from now on.
An'-oh, yes. my pame's Moses. thirty.
nine years prospectin' an never struck
II rich TIL now. Who might you beT
my names Brent Harlan. ten years
prospectin', but going home soon now"
A week later they were gathered
around the campfire. II was after sup
hoA MI IL In N
but now the pipes were laid aside. and
they were gazing into the fire. Pros.
pecting days we're nearly over for
them.
Into eyes that had grown hard with
gold seeking were coming new express
sions OF tenderness and Joy. But the
face Of Moses was grave.
Thirty mine years Of prospectin'," be
said at last, breaking the silence, "an'
now at seventy ready to quit. with not
a kith or kin or friend In the world
save you three to look glad. 'Taint
goln' to he 40 blame fine as thought.
you've all got somebody" he went
on presently. II can see II In your
eyes an In the way you smile to your
selves. I've never had nobody In oil
my life, not one. The fust thing ! re-
member was bein' an orphan an fight
In for my grub Now I'm goln' to ask
you to sheer your homes with me for
half hour or 30. I've been watchin' you
an thinkin' 1t over. Well be sayin'
goodby In few weeks an mebbe won't
ever see each other ag'in. Won't you
sheer your wives an babies with me
for little whilei You've got letters
an photographs, an ye can tell me
what they do an say an how they
look. It'll be something for me to think
about arter we separate"
II don't mind" said Dikksr. He drew
a package from bis pocket, worn and
soiled by much handling and took
from It the photograph Of middle
aged womaa, which he passed across
to Moses Then he read his letters
through, one by one. slowly.
We've been married thirty two
years." he said as he finished, "an'
there's only jest we two. But Llzzy's
the best woman on Gods earth. was
! carder lr cotton mill, an Lizzy
worked In the weave shop. She works
IN the weave shop now. It'll be great
thing for me to go back with money
enough to set her UP 10 she won't have
10 work another blessed day In nll her
life"
sI've got a whole passle." said Sam
In answer TO Moses inqulring look.
There's seven children. an the last
letter said the baby was goin' to be
married. She want but eleven when
I left home. All the other children are
married an got families. an I have
4 whole lot O brothers an sisters with
families. I reckon they're all poor
too. They used to be. Lord. Lord.
won't It be fun to take enough money
home to vet 'em all up." with big,
breezy laugh. "But wait til ye heas
their letters" and be drew huge pack.
age from his pocket which he opened
proudly.
When they were all read Moses turn
ed 10 Brent
"what thing 'tis to have folks" b.
said wistfully. II don't zee how any
body can leave 'em an come TO place
Ike this, s'pose you've got some
body tooy'
yes" Brent answered. Il have the
dearest old mother in the world"
He selected several letters from n
number which he drew from bis pock
OF and read them through slowly. The
last paragraph ran: "And now. dear
boy, take the best care you can OF
yourself aud don't worry about me. I
have kept up the farm and paid on
500 on the $1,000 mortgage. II Isn't
much In ten years. suppose. but It's
something, and have kept up all the
expenses. Next year hope b DO bet
ter. ! wish you were near enough for
me to look after your stockings aud
things. Itll he nice when we're to-
gether again. won't III But don't come
till you're ready. saw Alice last
week. and she's looking we'll"
"who's Alicer' asked Moses sympa-
thettcaily. Your wifeY'
NO. not yet" Brent answered soft
IL. He hesifated q little, but the hook