The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1907-04-05
Fire and W alter
BY LOUISE J. STRONG.
Copyright, I9O.. BIZ ?. c. Eastment.


in hot, restless haze, at times bab-
bling ciiIdishly OF mother" - the
mother whose loss three years before
had sent him to the far west to Try to
forget his LONELINESS. The struggle to
master the new conditions attendant
on ranch life had taken him cut of hnn-
self and done him good, and as success
crowned his efforts dreams OF Il home
again. made 50 by the presence OF 4
sweet faced girl wife, lighted his toll.
They were only dreams as yet. for
he held himself humbly and had hest
tated to offer his love until he felt that
his affairs were on q firm basis fnan-
cially, as they would be when his pres
ent abundant crop was harvested.
In lis partial dclirium and hazy wan
dering he mUttcTed noE the long re-
pressed confession. Whispering it eager
ly with fevcrish impatience for the re-
Spouse his heart hoped for.
At length the silence which lay like
the paH Of deSolation upon the lonely
! little shack was broken by heavy foot
steps en- the planks at the door. and a
/ burly. fellow strobe in with noisy
greeting: Hello. Harris! Laid UP,
hey"
| The sick man reused to consciousness
and smiled feebly: How do, Lamson.
! Glad you came in. Yes, I've been laid
up bit-can't remember how long
fever mu.ldles my head" His speech
was broken and dra ggcd thickly.
"-tin't wanting to eat much, l s'pose.
and good thing that is. too, for an old
bach that's got nobody"
! HalTiS WINGED. Mother had been in
/ his sick fancy SO much and with such
: vividness that his bereavement seemed
! but Il few days back With an effort
he replied;
Il want nothing but water. and Slade
brings me Il pailfui mornings, when
I he doesn't forget. rs he did today" He
gestured toward The empty bucket on
the chair beside the bed, but the visitor
| did not notice it--nOr the longing in
the fever red eyes and the cracked lips
doctor. OF course:' he >intimated
briskIy.
no; Shade wouldn't so for him, and
/ no one clse's been in
"Slade wouldn't 90! TIa, ha. Guess
not much, You don't get the old
ground hog that far from his hole back
of the lIilI. Every body's buster than
in sheep shearing time, you know, har-
vesting their grain. Reason no ones
! been along, l reckon I'm through in
| fine shape. / tell You. and Eve prom
ised myself and gang to Snyder for Il
week. And, man. you'd ought to be
looking after yours. It's spelling fast,
| noticed He laughed at the startled
expression that widened the hollow
! eyes. Forgot it. had you: We'll you
! want to see 10 it right away. | must
mosey. I'm out on Il sweet GRAND.
! Got my new house done. It's Il beaut,
| too, and furnished tiptOp. And now the
cage is ready I'm going up to settle
the date Of taking home my bird Liz
zie'S fought shy. but she'll pull steady
when were tied all right la. har'
Lizzie Harris repeated vaguely,
his voice hesitating and troubled.
Sure, Lizzie Bradley Lamson Kind
O. tidy name. | take il: something like
those swell New Workers.. Ia. har'
He reared EoisterousIy at his fash Of
wit. We'll. hope you'll pull up soon.
So long, lie stamped away. wills
ting. leaving the door open
In the silence that again closed upon
him Harris lay and stared out at the
/ quiveriAg heat waves and little dust
cddies that WhirIed in at times, aggra-
waiting his burning heat and thirst
But lie did not notice them. He was
striving to steady his throbbing brain
and analyZe the torturing inner sense
of pain and loss which now intensified
his bodily distress.
The crOp-the c-r-o-p-that was all
right. 1t was great. He could put up
/ the dainty cottage he had planned SO
often these last months, since the
promise of early summer had shown
such abundant fUlfIlment in the ripen-
ing fields. The crop-the crop. Who
said it was spelling? 1t was all right
He would begin on it today when he
had 4 drink. lie could drink the well
dry. He fHnbled clumsiIy with the
bedding and csSaycd Ia rise. but fell
back ineitly. Il l.ttle foolish smile on
the parchpd lips. His head was so
big He had noti known ones head
could be 50 big and heavy. And the
crop? The crop was all right He
would build the cottage for-fOr Liz
Zie. Lizzie. He cried out hoarsely.
with pang of anguish at the sudden
dull recognition of his loss There was
no Lizzie for him One-none-no
had been. What mattered the crop?
Let it spoil. What mattered anything
now I.iZzie-LiZ-Z-i-e- bird-ca ge-Liz-
zie Brad-Liz? He Scowled impatiently.
He could not get the name right His
head was 50 big. He was so hot
burning
Mother. Where was mother? Was
she in the fiery lake that Elder Wat
son had 50 scared the little boys with?
lie hadn't meant TO he bad boy
mother knew-she would keep him, but
Iafa