Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-05-21
CHAPTER xxII.-continued.


ri was born close to the wilder
ness" she said, "and my mother died
when / was about eight years old.
Then my father took me into the
woods, where / worked at a kind OF
a boarding house for lumbermen. ]
ran away from that when was about
16. l had to-; the reasons l don't
want to tell. I found some people
camping in the woods when I'd been
gone three days and most starved.
They felt pity for me, ! guess, and
took care of me. | stayed at their
camp that, summer, and then they
fetched me home with them and |
was sent to school. Somebody said
something to me there, somebody who
hated me. She had been Fostering
me all the time, and l ran away.
Uncle Jud found me and took care
of me until you came, and that's all !
want to tell. I could tell a lot more,
but | don't ever want those people
to find me or take me back where they
live, and that's why I don't tell where
l came from. Then l felt l was so de-
pendent on them-I was twitted of it
that it's another reason why l ran
away. l wouldn't have stayed with
Uncle Jud more than over night ex-
cept that | had a chance to work and
earn my board"
but wasn't it unkind of you-isn't
it now-not to let these people know
you are alive?" answered Aunt Abby.
"They were certainly good to you"
81 know that they were," returned
Chip, somewhat contritely; but I
couldn't stand being dependent on
them any longer. If they found where
/ was, they'd come and fetch me back;
and I'd feel SO ashamed l couldn't look
'em in the face. I'd rather they'd
think l was dead"
well, perhaps It Is best you do
not" returned Aunt Abby, signing;
''but years of doubt, and not knowing
whether some one we care for is
dead or alive, are hard to bear. And
now that you have told me some Of
your history, / will tell you a lifelong
case of not knowing some ones fate.
Many years ago my sister and myself,
who were born here, became acquaint-
ed with two young men, sailor boys
from Bayport, named Cyrus and Jud-
son Walker. Cyrus became attached
TO me and we were engaged to marry.
1t never came to pass, however, for
the ship that Judson was captain Of,
with Cyrus as first mate, foundered at
sea. All hands took to the two boats.
The one Judson was in was picked up,
but the other was never heard of
afterward. In due time Judson and
my sister Amanda married. He gave
UP a sailors life, and they settled
down where they now live. | waited
many years, vainly hoping for my
sweetheart's return, and finally, realiz.
Capt. Bemis. That all happened SO
long ago that l do not care to count
the years; and yet all through them
has fingered that pitiful thread Of
doubt and uncertainty, that vain hope
that somehow and someway Cyrus
may have escaped death and may re-
ture. I know 1t will never happen.
Il know he is dead; and yet | cannot
put away that faint hope and quite be-
lieve it is SO, and never shall so long
as | live. Now you have left those
who must have cared something for
you in much the same pitiful state
Of doubt, and it is not right"
For n moment something almost
akin to horror flashed over Chip.
And was he called-was he never
II mean this brother, ever heard
from?' she stammered, recovering her.
self in time.
Why, no." answered Aunt Abby,
looking at her curiously, "of course
not. Why, what ails you? You look
as If you'd seen a ghost"
ooh, nothing" returned Chip, now
more composed; "only the story and
how strange 1t was"
It ended the conversation, for Chip,
SO overwhelmed by the food Of posi-
bilities contained in this story, dared
not trust herself longer with Aunt
Abby, and soon escaned to her room.
And now circumstances came troop
ing upon her: the shipwreck, which