The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-11-23

A Sudden Envy 81 Thls xss.. F,..-
Came Over Daylight
q living without working Too -
They didn't have 20 pay neeA -,.s
Hillard. the cvner. dspenass C ..
income from tae clay-ps, HIIlars n.
well oE and had big ranches ass -
yards down On the Cat C tie r.asx
The briekyard paid ten cents : "a.
yard for the clay. As for The rsss e a.
ranch. the land was good IA pnsAs.
where IL was cleared like tie ia.
table garden and the vineyard. hst D.
rest Of IL was too much up-.na ao..
You're not o farmer" DAyaxss
said.
The young man laughed .aa :,
his head
"No: I'm a telegraph operator ~
the wife and decided 10 ,ale a ,w>
years vacation. and here ~
are. But the times about W IL
going back into the ofaoe tkls i.n
after I get the grapes of"
AS Daylight listened. there cane 70
him a sudden envy of this yoarE Sc
low living right in the midsi o, al
this which Daylight had trsvsass
through the last few hours
What In thunder are you golrg
back to the telegraph Office for Be
demanded.
The young man smiled with q osf,
tain wiatfulness.
Because We can't get ahead here
:" Che hesitated an iusiaatl.
"and because there are added Ell
penses coming The rent, small as Il
is, counts; and besides, I'm not strong
enough 10 effectually farm the place
II I owned It, or If I were & real
husky like you. I'd ASH nothing better
Nor would the wife" Again the vlst.
full smile lowered on bis face "iou
see. we're country born. and after
bucking with cities for q few years.
we kind of feel We like the country
best We've planned TO get ahead.
though. and then some day veil bay
a patch OF land and stay with II"
Daylight could not persuade him.
self to keep TO the Travelled roads
that day, and another cut across ooan'
try to Glen Ellen brought him upon
canyon that so blocked his way that
he was glad 10 follow a friendly cos
path. This led him 10 q small frame
cabin. The doors and windows were
open, and a cat was nursing litter
OF kittens In the doorway. but no oae
seemed at home. He descended ths
trail that evidently crossed the can,
yon. Part way down. he met an o'd
man coming up through the sunset
In his hand he carried pail c. foainy
| milk. He wore no hat. and In his
face, framed with snow-white hair and
beard, was the rudy glow and con
tent OF the passing summer DAY.
Daylight thought that he had never
seen SO contented looking being
How old are you, daddy" he que''
led.
"Eighty-four." was the reply. yes
Stree. eighty-four. and spryer thsn
| most"
"You must a. taken good care o.
yourself" Daylight suggested.
II don't know about that. ! am :
loafed none. walked across lhs
plains with an OK team and ut inIans
In 81, and / was q family man WE
seven youngsters. ! reckon ! vas
old then as you are now. or pre-"
nigh on to it."
Don't you find II lonely here!
The old man shifted the pail Of LILA
and reflected.
That all depends" he said oFsear
arly. 81 amt never been lonely
cept when the old wife died go
fellers are lonely in q crowd. ana I.
one of them. That's the only uh'
I'm lonely, Is when ! go TO ss
But don't go no more, thank 'Os
most TO death. This Is good enoI a,.
for, me. I've been right here In .A
valley since '54-one CT the hrs'
tiers after the Spaniards.
The old man chuckled. and Ia
light rode on, singulariy at peace "a
himself and all the world IL SEE
that the old contentment OF tra
camp he had known on the tu
had come back to him. He couio 7,
shake from his eyes the picture a
the old pioneer coming up tne
through the sunset light He was "a.
tainly going some for eightyicul
thought of following his exahp' h,x
tered Daylight's mind. but tse ths
game of San Francisco Vetoeo
idea.