The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1918-01-02

Well, n merry Christmas, Pal-o'-mine
and here's hoping you and mommie and
I will be eating turkey together at the
Wolverine when next Christmas comes
Nummy-numi Wouldn't that taste good.
though?
full TO BILLY LOUISE
Phoebe put that letter on the mantel
over the fireplace the day after Christ
mas.
Billy Louise refrained from expect
ing any reply until after New Years;
then she began to look for letter,
and when the days passed and brought
her no word her moods changed often
err than the weather.
Wards literary efforts along about
that time consisted of cutting notches
In the window sill beside his bunk.
On the day when the stage driver
gave Billy Louise's letter to Phoebe
Ward cut a deeper, wider notch, think
ing that day was Christmas. Under
the notch he scratched Il word with
the point of his knife. 1t had four
letters, and it told eloquently of the
state of mind he was in.
The letter gathered dust upon the
mantel down at the Wolverine. When
the postmark was more than two
weeks old another letter came, and
Phoebe laid it on the first one with
fingers that trembled little. Phoebe
had letter of her own that day. Both
were thin. and the addresses were more
scrawly than usual Phoebe's Indian
instinct warned her that something
was amiss.
This was Wards letter:
oh, God. Ward. NOMINEES dead. She
died last night. | thought she was asleep
till the nurse came In at 5 o'clock. I'm
all alone and l don't know what to do.
wish you could come, but II you don't get
this right away, III see you at the ranch.
I'm coming home as soon as / can. Oh.
Ward, hate life and everything.
BILLY LOUISE.
Please Ward. stay at the ranch till /
come | want to see you. l feel as II
you're the only friend I've got left, now
mommie's gone. She looked so peaceful
when they took her away-and so strange.
| didn't belong to her any more. felt
M IL / didn't know her at all-and there
Is such an awful gap In my life-maybe
you'll understand. You always do.
The day that letter was written
Ward drew plan of the house he
meant to build some day, with wide
porch on the front, where hammock
would swing comfortably.
He had no presentiment of Billy's
need of him. which was just as well,
since he was absolutely powerless to
help her.
Billy Louise. having arrived unex-
pectedly on the stage. pulled on her
fur lined mittens and put her chilled
hands before the swapping blaze In the
fireplace Her eyes were tired and
sunken. and her mouth dropped pitt
fully at the corners, but aside from
that she did not seem much changed
from the girl who had left the ranch
two months and more before.
"I1l take cup OF tea, Phoebe, but
I'm not n bit hungry" she said. 81
you been, Phoebe?"
I'VE been fine. We been so sorry
for you
Never mind that now, Phoebe. I'd
rather not talk about 1t. Has anybody
been here latelyT'
Charlie Fox. he come las week
mebby week before las Marthy. she
got rheumatis in her knee. Charlie.
he say she been pretty bad one night.
/ guess she's better now. tol l wash
for her II he brings me clo'es, but he
says he wash them clo'es hisself.
guess Charlie pretty good to that old
lady He's awful p'lite. that Teller is. 81
"Yes, he is. III 20 up and see her
when get rested little. feel tired
to death somehow. Has Ward been
around lately?"
Ward. he amt been here for long
time guess mebbe it's been six
weeks I amt seen him. Las time be
was here he wrote that letter. He
amt come no more"
Billy Louise in the last few months
had tried to picture herself alone. with
mommie gone Her Imagination was
too alive and saw too clearly the posi-
bilities for her never to have dweit