The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1909-11-20
The LITTLE GRAVE.

They take nmbles together. share
condolences aud popcorn impartiaily.
and every place thnt daddy goes Is
Becky sure To ~. seeing the sights OF
the streets. taxing excursions into mys-
terious regions and regarding with
wonder and amazement the gorgeous
and highly rolored circus posters on
the barns.
How warm II was that Sunday when
daddy called a halt for blvouac I'M
der the generous shade OF the stately
elm way out the Taylor mill road. IL
was In August. ana the air was heavy.
The locust ana the cricket and the
peeyish rain crow were holding con-
certs OF dissonaDce. and drowsiness
was In the neighborhood. Here and
there and everywhere ran Becky.
plucking the blossoms from weeds ana
the bloom from the clover. binding the
plumes or the blue grass into garlands
and browning daddy with them. while
In unbroken talk and laugh his pure.
fresh voice played an obligato sweeter
than flute could give. Suddenly the
stood looking up the pike. motioniess.
erect and rigid as statue. his hands
clasped and between them his little
wooden dog.
Down the road three people were
slowly walking with the stride. the
manner. the dress and that indefinable
something that belongs 10 the noun
taineers and 10 them alone. First
came n man OF about thirty-five. tall.
erect. spare and alert his broad SLOUGH
hat OF some color originally no doubt
shading. but not concealing. eyes that
had looked from birth on mist and
mountain and tangled paths and
mighty nature everywhere. They were
stern eyes. yet kindly. true TO the
hand that pulled the trigger and never
missed the revenuer on his hunt for
moonshine stills and fees. Behind him
was woman. his wife. full ten years
younger. clad In faded calico, her sun
bonnet thrown back 10 her forehead.
the strings between her lips: pale OF
countenance. high OF forehead. eyes OF
blue and step as graceful and as light
as the dear OF her native mountains.
Then came little girl. bareheaded.
barefooted. shy as a fawn, with eyes
OF the hawk and hair the color OF the
winter sun.
They sat down on the edge OF the
road just below daddy. who could see.
but not be seen. and the woman sigh.
ed, then, throwing back her bonnet.
looked listlessly round her until her
eyes rested on Becky. For moment
there passed lingeringly over her face
the evidence OF the pain that comes
only from remembrance Of the dead.
Then. rising, she stretched out her
arms 20 Becky. who. half startled.
partly poised himself on one foot and
shot a glance In the direction or daddy.
AS a fash the mountaineer was on his
feet. one arm outstretched across the
woman's breast as though 10 warn her
back. But the woman's heart knew
better Softly stepping forward and
with her arms outstretched, with shin
ing tears raining down her cheeks and
q smile OF heartbreaking sadness, she
stood In front OF Becky and. falling on
her knees. clasped him 10 her breast
and kissed him again and again, while
he. half frightened az drst and gently
striving TO dIsengage himself at last
gave tear for tear and. kissing her.
broke from her embrace and ran TO
daddy with quivering lips and eyes all
dimmed.
"Hit wuz we uns' one little boy she
are a.thInkin' Of" said the mountain
eer In the slow and grave speech OF
his people. placing one long. brown
and nervous hand on the woman's
shoulder. "She keeps a-thlnkin' OF him
all the day long. an ~ And he look
ed into the face OF his wife. whose
body swayed and rocked after the
fashion OF women In grief. and silence
came upon us all. and no one broke IL
Tor time.
"He were jis' risin' OF three year"
continued the man slowly. An then
he died an were buried on Tygart. M
Mandy lowed she couldn't stay no
longer an little Alvin gone. An 40
wen Mandy's sister-her Z lives nigh
shelbyville. Ia Indianny sent word ez
how she'd be- mighty glad 10 comfort
Mandy. wy. she-that's Mandy WIZ
all for goin'. an so we uns packed up
an - But there came choking IN
his voice. and he turned away and
looked across the valley In the direc-
ton OF his mountain home.
And still the woman kneeled In the
tall grass and moaned and swayed her
body and looked not on her little
daughter. but on Becky. with that IN
utternble agony OF affection mother
bears within her breast for her dead.
And hei God bless him again aud
make us all even rs little children.
watering our dry and cankered hearts
unto the freshness and beauty OF the
hearts OF the little ones.
What strange intelligence from the
heart Of the GRIEF stricken mother
through her dimming eyes told Becky
the story Of the little grave on TygRrty
With the fearless love OF childhood he