The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-02-21

sorrowfully at the great gray fellow, II
don't like to leave you behind a mite.
Not but you'd be perfectly safe over to
Mafthy Flagg's-it amt that. But
seems so selfish, me going travelling and
you staying TO home. You are just as
deserving of a good time-Bismarck.
III take you, You're going travelling,
kismarckl'
fYShe got a covered basket and lined 1t
comfortably. Bismarck's lunch she put
up with her own. wrapped as daintily
IN carefully-ironed issue paper. 1t was
getting close to time to staTt-Miss
Sarah called within an hour close-and
she must say good bye to the neigh
boTs. Putting on her shabby little black
bonnet as hurriedly as her excited old
fingers would allow. pinning her shabby
black shawl, locking her shabby little
house-Miss Sarah's world was in a
Nhiri; the very air palpitated with ac-
ton. Only Bismarck, placidly marvel
ing in his comfortable prison. was calm.
She made a second round of doors and
windows, looked last loving time into
all the shabby little rooms and then at
last was ready. There had been room
I'm the valise for the lunch box and the
hand usually reserved for that was free
for Bismarck's heavy basket. Miss
Sarah took it up and, balanced by the
boriously down the sunny, morning
road. But Miss Sarah's soul was unim-
peded-light.
The great day was an unusual hap
pening. Once every year Miss Sarah
travelled" 1t was her red-letter DAY,
TO which she looked forward and upon
which she happily looked back. There
had been, counting this great day,
round dozen of them Miss Sarah was
siXty-seven. She made her gentle.
happy plans for many more traveiings
In the valise were ali her best things
folded with exquisite care. The sleeves
of the best black dress were stuffed
with soft paper. as Miss Sarah had
read was proper for best sleeves. The
niEhtdress Miss Sarah had folded so
painstakinEly had never been might
never be. worm 1t was a sacred night
dress, dedicated to this yearly going
abroad. All the daintiness of lace and
cambria that Miss Sarah's old body
craved to clOthe itself in was concen-
trated in this one sheer and dainty
garment. The consciousness that it was
there in the valise impaired a sense of
luNuriousness and pride-made Miss
sarah walk little straighter possibly.
and hold a little loftily her small gray
head.
At Marthy FIagg's she set down her
burdens and opened the kitchen door
with country familiarity. The family
was just at breakfast,
why, Miss Sarah-whyr'-th last
one due to the bonnet and shawl.
Yes, I've started on my travels I'm
going to ketch the half-past six train
down to the junction. / just stopped
10 say od-bye-no-o. l didn't bring
Bismarck for YOU to see to. Marthv
L. e-r.sr, a.
say something o. the world. Goodbye
fod-bye. Hope you'll have good hay
Nsather. Simeon-hope the hens'll lay
we'll Don't you so to getting all het
up now, MaTthy, fieshy's you be, /
wish you were all going too-good- bye"
The plain. rough faces about the little
kitchen table creased with the humOr
Of the occasion, as they had creased on
eleven previous occasions when Miss
Sarah came to say goodbye. But under
meath the humor was real tenderness.
Marthy Flagg got up heshily and
plodded to the door. Wen be glad to
see you back" she called after the
carefully balanced little old figure dis
pearing down the road. I'VE shall
miss you-niss-you,"
Miss Sarah stopped a moment at all
the houses. making her hurried, excited
farewels and wishing good things to
everybody. At the house next to Mar
thy Flagg's she hoped the baby would
get well before she got back and the
babys mother get a little snatch o.
rest. At the house beyond-that they
wouldn't lose the pindling heifer she'd
heard was taken sick again. Miss
Sarahs path 10 the station of the tiny
branch road was strewn with gentle
good wishes. Some one in Little River
had named Miss Sarah the Wellwisher
and the name chung to her. 1t was not
an empty title, but went, every one
knew, with gentle deeds. But today
Miss Sarah had only time for the
wishes.
Aboard the one car that jerked and
swayed directly behind the engine. Miss
Sarah sank back with long sigh. She
hoped they would not start at once:
she did not want to begin out of
breath. And every moment, being pre-
cious, she longed to prolong
We're going to start in a minute.
Bismarck" she whispered into the bas-
ket. you'll feel the jolt and we'll be
going. I'll open the basket and let you
look out, maybe"
Tt was not a new prospect to Miss
Sarah. She knew all the fields and pas
lures and scattered homes along the
Way-Which was not a long way-tO
the Junction But there were plenty of
new things 10 see-new shingles on old
roofs. newly-planted crops. new little
sunburned children. Miss Sarah
watched the clotheslines and smiled
with pleasure at the discovery of tiny
long clothes on them. She held tightly
i'm her arms the great soft bulk OF Bis
marck and made aloud her delighted
comments. Already the new wine of
youth and change and travel tingled in
her old veins
In less than half an hour the little
train jerked its way into the great
train-shed of the Junction and the real
excitement of the day began. What
wkN before was only the thin soup
i'm heralds the feast. Miss Sarah, va
ise and Bismarck, descended to the
platform in a twitteP of delicious an
ticipation. There was her own particu-
lar vantage point TO secure If possible
the seat that commanded all en-
frances impaTtiaIly and was nearest to
the spot the train announcer usually
selected at which to shout his trains
II was empty Joyously Miss Sarah
bore down upon it. Quite Familiarity
and at her ease she threaded the crowd
Miss Sarah was an experienced trav-
eler.
This especial Junction was the meet
ing point Of two great lines as well
as of several little branches like the