Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-22

and Dick betrothed.
too busy trying to make money" His voice sounded
like bitter arraignment of himself
I'D been away for a month, and when came up
the gulch leadin to the cabin stood in my strrups
and gave yell that she always knew. |
happy to come back arain that l couldn't hold
myself so | spurred my horse until he tore up the
trail, the rocks and boulders fyin back from his
hoofs as if he d thrown EN- Always before when |
called she'd come out to meet me, runnn down the
hill, her face shinn like the gates of Heaven and
her feet dancing little tunes; but this time one
came out but Mischinakwa, the old squaw that
worked on the place: and my heart grew cold and
like somethin' dead inside He paused and
leaned heavily back in his chair his hands clasped
before him.
"Mischinakwa came out to meet me and jumped
off and threw the rens my pony's head he
wouldn't away. She was a right old squaw.
and, like all of em, never showed nothin' in her
face. What's the natter asked and couldn't
speak above a whisper.
80 Missus heap sick she answered. Morn, that
was her buck who worked around the place. gone
for doctor last night. No come back yet
Il up to the cabin door, where there was
lot O flowers which she planted, lookin' at me with
still and quetlike with her eyes closed and Charlie
sitting the floor playin' with her toys. She
jumped up and to throw her tiny around me;
but put her back on the floor and she stood there
with her little mouth puckered up and tears in
her eyes, because she couldn't understand why l
didn't take her up. Her mother had woke and
~ knew could wait knew could wait till
you camel she said, and when got my arms back
of her and held her up she gave great big tired
sigh.
wait for WHAT asked; but l knew the an
swer before she spoke.
"'To say goodby and God bless you DEAR she
whispered, her breathin' faint soft spring wind
against my cheek.
Il tried to think it wasn't So that l hadn't
never done nobody any harm, and aimed to do the
square thing all my life, and that the Lord wouldn't
treat that way when l hadn't done nothin to
deserve it. hadn't been prayin' man; but sat
there with my teeth shut and my eyes burnin like
redhot Goals, and begged God not to take her away
from me, to let her stay just little longer, to
take instead; but it wasn't I'd got
there just in time 1t like she said, she'd been
hOld1n on only to see me once more, and the hight
had taken every ounce of strength she had left.
She got her hand up and kind of patted my cheek
while whispered to her to be brave.
The shadow comm through the cabin
window and everything still Then COON
dove flew down the roof, his feet soundin loud
when he struck. l heard his wings beatn the air.
| felt her give long, long tremulous sigh, and
then she was still-very still Charlie with baby
certainty that something wrong, had crept
up to the foot of the rough old bed and loolin
over it with her eyes wide and scared and the
dried tears on her cheeks. l laid her mother down
out of my for the last time, easy, if afraid
I'd disturb her rest, and looked at her long time
She wasn't there any more; nothing was there but
me, white faced little child and the dove that had
slowly futtered down onto the window ledge and
was mournin' and mournin as if he wanted to tell
us, and the baby, that he knew, and had
to tell her goodby."
HIS voice husky and sounded like a sob
~ bravely suppressed. Charlotte slipped over to
him and dropped into his lap resting her head