The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1911-12-21


made merry among their own. II
the afternoon the chief warder ap
preached the convict in the blu'
cap with the number b SOC on hii
jacket, with a message from the
governor. He was wanted at the
receiving office.
p SOC strobe along beside the
warder indifferently, 1t did not
occur to him to wonder at the
unusual summons. 1t could only
mean some fresh punishment~tt did
MT matter. But they had arrived
at the receiving office. A little
child was standing there beside a
calm-'aced sister of charity. The
convict stared at them both in
dull wonder. But at the sound
Of the childs voice he started yio-
lently.
Merry Christmas, daddy" it
said shyly in his ear. The slender
little figure crossed to him and
slipped a small brown hand into
his hand. won't you say Merry
Christmas back daddy? It was
such a piece of work to get here.
| guess you'd never think how hard
it was to get an order to come. 1t
wa sthe sister who did it. You
see, she promised mother to bring
me. Mothers dead"
For a moment it was silent in
the dismal room. The governor
turned away to gaze out of the
window. and the warder's rough
face softened. Then the childish
voice began again:
"She tried to wait, daddy
guess you'd never think how hard
she tried. But when she knew
she couldn't she got everything
'eady 'for you, and told me TO wait
instead. I'm waiting now, daddy
is Ionesome-you'd never think
low lonesome 1t is. But | keep
COUNTING the days Off Every night
cross one out. Daddy, s'pOse you
only a hundred an
ighty-seven left. There won't be
e but a hundred and eighty-six
Onight, after I've crossed out.
lother always kept country, !
here used to be thousands of days :
nee You can begin to expect
hen there's only hundred an :
Ighty-six When it's only one
ay left-my, think of that,
addy Mother used to. An l b
now just what I'm going to do +
len-just exactly. Mother an =
used TO practice together,I guess +
Du'd never guess how many times.
ne told me just how | was to tidy
. the kitchen an put he kettle
/ ready to boil, an be sure to
member the chair you always
ted to sit in-an' the Uranium.
daddy, mother an | used to
,pe so 1t would be in bloom that
~. An the supper-mother show
me how to make mullins, you
low, an broil the steak an
I the cups and plates on tidy.
lere wasn't anything mother did
It show me about, when she found
e couldn't wait. She said for
2 to put on her white apron and
'etch up tall, an smile. | guess
I'D never think how much we
acticed. The last time mother
ed little, but that was bel
use she was so tired / cried
}. 1t was that night mother
I'd. Its very lonesome now,
ddy, but I'm waiting. You'll n,
me right home, won't you doddy? 4;
at was why she wanted the sis 81
to bring me-to make sure" his
The great hard fingers had closed
)und the small brown ones. m
The tears were trailing over the Ia
Ugh cheeks of b 606. The sis NJ
IS calm face was broken into ba
es of weeping.
I'm most IL now, daddy. You
lstnt mind how little l AMI MS
4 stretch up tall. An you'll tn
Ugh to see how / can keep house ca
you. There's a woman on the SIX
I'd floor helps me when l for b.
how mother said to do. I've ~
hundred and eighty-six days of
re to practice in, daddy. Dad tn
won't you say Merry Christmas 5 1
Il he said it no one heard but
child. He caught her to him
| buried his face in her soft ms
r. The sound of his sobbing sal
med to flll the room. COS
vi. a.f,
The new year came and grew tn,
familiar terms with the world. wo
ing crept into the lanes and Il
ned them green, and even the un
$ eli gray-coated convicts at the
ir quarrying drew in the warm
et breaths and, i'm this way. re-