Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1911-06-02

panstaking on the part of some one
not entirely acquainted with the Eng
lish tongue. 1t read as follows:
,J These boy are nlne-year old and orphinE.
1cs rathaire are Michel Iafa yette who
Rork In Holcomb. She's big camp in Sier-
"a Madre. These boy have billet in en-
in, ItS9ppe 70 go to see hes fathaire. Be
1 1tiio ana SHOVE heem along, sill vous plat
Hes name is Jean Guillot Lafayette.
ana Jean Guillot, a pathetic little
ngure, worn by long journeying in
'teerage, second-class railway coaches
ana dumping stages. bore ample
marks that the instructions had been
literally followed and that he had I'M
uersone much Showing along He
was the last to alight from the inte-
rior of the old Concord when. with
shrilhng brake and loud Gathering
halt 1t stopped before the Gold Dig
ger, and he was 80 stiff and sore from
constant jolting that he almost fell
when his wooden sabots struck the
ground. He Strengthened himself up,
drew his grotesquely big cloak around
him, and peered from beneath his
rhapeau with bright, fearless, inquir-
Ing eyes at the group of miners who
surrounded him.
He was curiosity to them, in his
peasant garb which smacked so
strongly of the provinces of far-away
France, and beside, he was the first,
boy to invade this camp high up in
the hills where men wrought for gold.
fought for it and then with equal fer
vor gambled or danced 1t away when
the days work was done.
"A mighty little cuss to come so far
Alone" commented the stage agent as
be looked from the letter of instruc-
ton In his hand to the boy. Amt
none OF US here, l reckon. ever done
40 such travelin'."
Might git him to give lecture"
some one suggested. and others passed
equally facetious remarks; but
through 1t all Jean Guillot Lafayette,
still studying the faces around him,
stood mute.
The sun had set some time before,
painting the top Of solemn Old Baldy's
snow-cap warm red and filling the
summer air Of the dead day with q
singular dangerous quietude. Thus 1t
was that when the stage-agent vented
an exclamation on reading the tag on
the travellers arm it was heard by all.
He stood away from the lad, showed
the brim of his hat back with an awk-
ward gesture, and stared in pertur-
baton at the others of the group.
Good Lordi" he calculated In dis
tress. Good Lord!" while the men
OF the hills looked at him question
Ingly.
"Boya," he said. this little Teller
was sent for"
They shifted on their feet. some of
them taking step or two forward.
Mike Lafayette was his father"
They grew suddenly quiet. And I
expect the reason the boy came is be-
cause his folks in France is all dead.
The tag ssys he's an orphan
And God knows he's one now. for
sure" muttered another.
Anybody here who can talk
French?"
The silence which followed indicat-
ed that no one spoke that vastly for
eign tongue. Spanish would have been
How in the deuce are we to tell
him that his daddy-you all knew him
was killed In q cave-in almost a
week ago?" the stage agent began;
but that din1culty was unexpectedly
overcome by the boy himself, who
spoke for the first time.
"Bet ees to say, monsieur he said
in painstaking English. "Zat l now
have NO fathaire to meet? That he
IL mort? My fathaire Michel Lafay-
cite 10 keeled?"
He had planted himself squarely
before the stage agent, selecting him
as the man In authority. His capot
had been thrown back with one wide
appealing gesture until its two flap
ping ends rested across his shoulders,
exposing his sturdy brown legs and
voluminous breeches of homely drill.
His lips trembled vaguely and his Sc
rious brown eyes threatened q food
of tears.
The agent looked at him with q
world of kindly sympathy. and then
at the others. Jean stared at them
one after another as II demanding an
1XplauSItOu1 6Ad u0Sh AA 800 - 0ASRRSA
his eyes before this brave picture Of
misery.
The boys hands, after one impul-
awe. hating movement toward his
eyes, waved an expressive, open-in-
Rered gesture OF despair, dropped
back to his sides and then clasped
themselves together. He was learn
ing to know and cross palms with
tragedy. and with none to help him
In his battle.
aEet ees, then. that l. Jean Guillot
Lafayette, am sans famille; that !
have Messing = Messing - no one.
Voilai"
There was some bitter. vibrant I'M
dercurrent Of grief IN the plaintiye.
precise drawing of the 81 have NOS
sing no one," that made q mourn
full appeal for sympathy. and with one
impulse the men surged forward and
surrounded him, those who were near
est dropping to knee to bring their
statures on par. The first TO proffer
commission and the one to whom the
orphan turned after one quick com
-r0aAr urM V0pKEQsc CAT