Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-06-02

the nuddled shacKs OF the junction I
the silent desert beyond. Regular
from the corner came the snore of tn
sleeping Haywood In sympathy wit
this somnolence, Mr. Sharp yawned.
What's the fellows name?" he IL
uired
Stubs. was the answer. 'Henr.
Stubs. Hes from Gsesnsbarg, IndE
ana"
Mr.. Sharp crossed his fat legs, and
then, &c g he had done * merely /;
prove that the trick was still in his
repertoire, uncrossed them again.
Seems to me l wouldn't go very
far" he remarked facetiously, to find
a man with a name like Stubs"
The boys eyes flashed.
You would if you was mel" be
cried I'D go through hell fire to
come face to face with Stubbs Oh,
I'm lookin' for Stubs, all right. l
want to talk to him. want to say:
There's a little woman back in In
diana d like mighty well to see you,
Henry Stubs. There's a little wom-
an who's been waitin'-waitin all
these long years, with never a word to
cheer her, or a dollar to tighten the
burden of running that scrawly,
played-out farm
He stood up. His cheeks were
afame
yes, reckon I'm Iool1in for Stubs.
I'm lookin for him to tell him how,
every night for fifteen years, when
the six thirty-five train from the West
has whistled round the bend, she's
gone to the door and shaded her eyes
with her handler hand that's skin
ny and ugly, slavin' for the kids he
left behind And / don't need to tell
him, guess, how, every night for fif-
teen years, she's gone back to her
work with a sigh, settin' her hopes
.wenty-fOur hours ahead to the next |
nights train. Yes, sir; want to see
Stubbs. l want to ask him where he's
)een these fifteen years"
Mr. Sharp blinked in awed wonder
n the face of this outburst.
Whats Stubs to your" he in
uired. with his first display of in
crest
He's my father" said the boy, in
lower tone He sat down again.
I'm Bill-Im the Oldest boy. Five
ears old / was when he came out
ere on a get-rich-quick gamble, and
ince that day, almost, I've had to
Ike his place on the farm They
reach about honorin' your father; but
hen l think about the load on that
oman's heart these fifteen years ]
'uld strange him on sight"
oh, no." put in Mr.. Sharp pacific
ly. "Oh, no. now"
But wouldn't" the boy went
- for her sake. She wants him.
ortgaged the farm, she did, and sent
e out here to find him. She's wait
.. And now the moneys gone, and
got to go back-without him. l
low how it'n be- The train from the
est II whistle, and she'll wait in the
or-for US. And I'll come down the
Miller road and up the lane past i
2 crooked beech. III come-alone." t
His voice broke, and he turned hast t
back to the window Mr.. Sharp 4
He'd out very dirty handkerchief
4 passed it lightly over his fore ii
ad.
Stubs" he unused thoughtfully. n
uhbs, of Indiana. don't recall the
ne" IL
1t wouldn't be by name you'd re- cl
mber him." the boy said. He'd h
nge that. Trust him Always got m
his nerves, that name did No name tt
a dreamer, nohow" I'll
Dreamer queried Mr.. Sharp. q
Dreamer" repeated the boy bitter al
That's what Henry Stubs was.
It was what sent him driftin' clear
here. away from a woman a mil
times too good for him. Read
ks, he did His hands was too to
tie for a farm-his soul was too DO
i-toned" wi
is voice rose in scorn. III
started his fool ways when he was nc,
by. They talk about it yet in III
Read lynn books, and 9i'
ended he was a knight, or some 0oi
g. Carved himself a shield and a
r, and every night, when work
over, he used to get on my grand CIV
sr's old white farmhouse and ride e'
d town for the folks to laugh at. ~
IRE laughin yet-in Greensburg oui