The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-24

SAY. sergeant, there's a woman here
induiring for Josh Brown. She SAYS
she's his sister, and she seemed so
pleased TO think she was going to see
him that somehow 1 couldn't tell her
he is dead. You'll have 10. I'm going
10 bring her up here to see you"
The sergeant rose from his seat in
agitation. "Oh, don't" he cried. 4
don't want TO see her. / couldn't
please DON'T" But the man had gone
and the sergeant sat weakly down
again.
In a moment there was another step
and there was ushered into the room a
woman, an old woman, with gray hair
parted neatly beneath her black bonnet
and a tired. anxious face. The SER
geant rose. and she smiled. looking up
at him.
"Oh!" she cried, holding out both her.
hands. Its been almost twenty years
since I've seen you, Joshua"
8 The sergeant hgeted nervously.
won't you sit DOWN."
She sat down on the edge of Josh's
little bed. The dim, brown eyes we're
shining placidly on him and the thin
lips were quivering with emotion.
The sergeant cleared his throat. y
want to tell you he began, and then
he paused. Did he want 10 tell her?
She took the long black pin out OF her
plaid shawl and let il slip back from
her narrow shoulders. Il can't stay
but but a minute" she said. But it's
so warm in here"
oh" apOlogiZed the sergeant, I'D
oughter have asked you 10 take off
your things"
That's all right. Why haven't you
written to me Oftener, Joshua? I'm
your sister, amt 1? If it wasn't that
the children had such queer notions.
maybe we'd see and hear about each
other oftener. I tell 'em they'd oughter
be proud TO have an uncle that was a
soldier. But I don't know" She
sighed a little. "They don't seem TO
want me 70 write nor nothin'.
'dtts some your fault. too" she went
ON. Il guess it's been as much as three
months since I've heard from YOU: but
mebbe l didn't get your last letter
cause we've been mOvin'. Sometimes
II kinder seems as if were forgettin'
each other, but we amt, are we? You
don't feel hurt. do you, Joshua? ?" She
beamed up into the sergeants face. and
he shook his head violently; he could
not trust himself to reply.
You see, they're maxim a little visit
10 the city and they brought me with
en-; Ii Was real good of 'em. 1 haven't
>
just run away from them and came out
here" She chuckled softly. II expect
they'd be pretty provoked if they know
where I'd gone, but I don't think I've
got TO tell EN-. de you?"
The gentle stream of her talk trickled
away and the sergeant realized that
she awaited an aswer.
Got TO tell?' he repeated vaguely.
"No. ma'am." he shouted. with unex-
peeted emphasis, you haven't got TO
tell a thing"
She laughed at his vehemence. "Weu
] mustn't stay any longer or they'll be
woTryin' about me. But don't care. I
felt as II ! couldn't go home until
say you and how you was situated.
Amt it pleasant here?"
She choked a moment and there were
tears in her eyes. I'm so glad to see
you've got such pleasant room. and
everything so nice. I guess I can go
home now and die in peace. / don't feel
as II ! was long for this world. Some
times I've worried about you, KNOWN
you didn't have much; there's plenty
where / am'-she was fastening her
shawl nOW-"but / don't know but
that it's as pleasant to be in a home
where you car be kinder independent
as TO be in a house where you can't.
But there, she added hastily. Il
amt complaining, we re TWO old folks
and our day is over. and I spose we'd
Oughter make the best of il. There, l
mustn't stop another minute. You are
happy. amt YOU, Joshua ?"
'Oh, yes, Of COURSE" cried the SER
geant. arOusing himself: he had been
thinking how pleased Josh would have
been with this visit. 1T was so good of
YOU to come and see me-"
DO you know il seems 10 me you've
changed a good deal Joshua; but nay