The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-24

The young man laughed and shook
his head
NO; I'm a telegraph operator. But
the wife and decided to take a two
years vacation, and here we
are But the times about up. I'm
going back into the Office this fall
after get the grapes or"
As Daylight listened. there came to
him n sudden envy OF this young fel-
low living right In the midst OF all
this which Daylight had travelled
through the last few hours.
What In thunder are you going
back to the telegraph Office for?" he
demanded.
The young man smiled with a GER
tain wistfulness.
Because We can't get ahead here.
:" Che hesitated an instant), ;,
"and because there are added ex-
penses coming. The rent. small as 1t
In. counts: and besides. I'm not strong
enough to effectually farm the place.
II owned 1t. or II were a real
husky like you, I'd ask nothing better.
Nor would the wife" Again the wist-
fnl smile hovered on his face. "You
zee. we're country born. and after
bucking with cities for a few years,
we kind OF Del We like the country
oest. We've planned to get ahead.
though. and then some day we'll buy
patch OF land and stay with IT,"
Daylight could not persuade him.
self TO keep to, the travelled roads
that day. and another cut across coun-
Try to Glen Ellen brought him upon
q canyon that so blocked his way that
he was glad to follow a friendly COW
path. This led him to small frame
cabin. The doors and windows we're
open. and cat was nursing litter
OF kittens In the doorway. but no one
seemed at home. He descended the
trail that evidently crossed the can
Jon. Part way down. he met an old
man coming up through the sunset.
In his hand he carried pail of foamy
milk. He wore no hat, and I'm his
faco. framed with snow-wljte hair and
beard. was the ruddy glow and con-
tent OF the passing summer day.
Daylight thought that he had never
seen SO contented looking a being.
How old are you. daddy?" he quer-
fed.
"Eighty-four." was the reply. "Yes.
Stree. eighty-four. and spryer than
most"
"You must a. taken good care OF
yourself" Daylight suggested.
II don't know about that. / amt
loafed none. walked across the
plains with an OK team and fit Injuns
In 5l. and ] was a family man with
seven youngsters. reckon Il was as
old then as you are now. or pretty
nigh on to H."
Don't you find II lonely here?"
The old man shifted tbe pail of milk
and reflected.
That all depends" he saic oracul-
srly. Il aint never been lore;y ex-
cept when the old wife Cicd. Some
feilers are lonely In crowd. and I'm
one OF them. That's the only time
I'm lonely. Ia when / 20 to Frisco.
But ! don't go no more, thank you
most TO death. This Is good enough
for me. I've been right here in this
valley since '54-one OF tho first set
tiers after the Spsniards.
The old man chuckled. and Day
Hight rode on. singularly at peace S'th
himself and all the world. II seemed
that the old contentme ent OF trail and
camp he had known on the Yukon
had come back to him. He could not
shake from his eyes the picture OF
the old pioneer coming up the trail
through the sunset light. He was cer-
tainly going some for eighty-four. The
thought OF following his example en-
tered Dayights MIND. but the big
game OF San Francisco vetoed the
idea.