Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-13

It's all alike they be, Six, or sixteen.
err sixty-six." remarked McWha sarcas~
tically, stepping to the door. II don't
want none Of 'em. Ye kin look out for
'er. I'm for the horses
Don't talk out so loud" admonished
the little one. You'll wake daddy. Poo"
daddy's SICK
Poor lamb murmured Johnson. fold
ing her to his great breast with a pang
OF pity. mo, wo won't wake daddy.
Nov, tell me, what's Yer name?"
Daddy called me Rosy-Lilly!' answered
the child. playing with button on John
sons vest. Els he gettin' warmer now?
He was so cold, an he wouldn't speak to
Rosy-Lilly."
.'Rosy-Lilly it be- agreed Johnson.
Now. we jest won't bother daddy, him
bein' so sick! You an nell git supper
The cabin was warm now, and on tiptoe
Johnson and Rosy-Lilly went about their
work. setting the table, 'bilin'" the tel
and frying the bacon. When Red McWha
came in from the barn. and stamped the
snow from his feet, Rosy-Lilly said
Hush laid her finger on her lips and
glanced meaningly at the moveless shape
in the bunk
I'VE mus let i'm sleep. Rosy-Lilly
saws" decreed Johnson with an emphasis
which penetrated McWha's unsympathetic
consciousness and elected non-committal
grunt
For nearly an hour the two men
smoked in silence. their steamlng 1eet
under the stove. their backs turned toward
the long unstirring shape in the big bunk.
At last johnson stood up and shook him
self.
Well" he drawled, Il s'pose we mus
be dom the best we kin fer poor Old joe
We can't leave him here in the house
NO. we can't" answered McWha.
He'd ha'nt it, an us, too, ever after, like
as not. We got to give i'm lumberman' $
shift till the boss kin send an take i'm
back to the settlement for the parson to
do i'm up right an proper"
So they buried poor Joe Godding deep
in the snow under the big elm behind the
cabin; and piled a monument OF cord
wood above him, SO that the foxes and
wild cats could not disturb his lonely
sleep: and surmounted the pile with Il
rude cross to signify its character. Then
with lighter hearts. they went back to the
cabin fire, which seemed to burn more
freely now that the grim presence Of its
former master had been removed.
"Now, what's to be done with the kid
with Rosy-Lilly? They do say in the
settlements as how Joe Godding hain't
kith nor kin in the world. savin an ex-
ceptin' only the kid" began Johnson.
McWha nodded indiferently.
WELL" went on Johnson, I'VE can't do
nawthin' but take her on to the camp.
now, Mebbe the boss'll let the hands
keep her. to kinder clipper up the camp
when things gifts dull. I reckon when the
boys sees her sweet face they'll all be
wantin' to be guardeens to her.
McWha spat accurately into the crack
of the crate. Il amt got no fancy for
young 'uns in camp, but ye kin do ez ye
like. VALLEY Johnson he answered
right now, 1 amt no guardecn, an won't
be to nawthin' that walks in petticoats.
Well tell the kid Johnson went on.
"as how her daddy had to be took away
in the night because he was so sick, an
couldn't speak to nobody, an we was
soin' to take keer O. her till he gifts back.
an that's the truth" he added with a
sudden passion Of tenderness and pity III
his tone.
At this hint Of emotion McWha laughed
sarcastically Then knocking out his pipe
night, and spread his blanket On the floor
beside it. IF We want to make the camp
a baby farm he growled. don't mind
me-
We'll every mothers son o us be
guardeen to her. he declared. Every
man in camp assented noisly, saving only
Red McWha. He, as was expected Of him.
sat back and grinned.
From the first, RosyLilly made herself
at home in the camp. For few days she
fretted after her father but Jimmy
Bracket was ever on hand to divert her
mind with astounding fairy tales. during
the hours when the rest Of the hands
were away chopping and hauling. Hap
PLY, a baby's sorrow is shorter than its
remembrance, and Rosy-Lily soon learned
to repeat her phrase-''Poor daddy had to
go way Off without the auivering lips
and wistful look which made the big
woodsmen's hearts tighten SO painfully
beneath their homespun shirts.
Rosy-Lilly had not been in the camp n
week before McWhas "usliness to her
had aroused even the boss resentment.
and the boss was a just man. OF course.
il was generally recognized that McWhd
was not bound. by any known law or
obligation. to take any notice of the
child. still less to make a fuss over
her. with the rest of the camp. There