The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1921-12-24
.wer. and % he days Journey began

swer, and 70 the days journey began.
Often. near its end. they came 'ts
some lonely farmhouse. Always Ham
son would stop and 20 TO the door
to ask about the roadA followed b.
little Joe and Bstsey with secret hopes.
One Of these hopes was related to
cookies and maple sugar and buttsrsd
bread and had been ehsFishsd since
an hour Of good fortuns early In the
trip and encouraged ~ sundry good.
hearted women along tie road. A.
ether was the hope Of seeing Q baby
mainly, Il should b said. the heps
q Betsey. Jos,s interest was merely
IN echo Of hers. He regarded babies
with an open mind. - II were. for
the opinions Of his sister stin had
some weight with him. she being .
year and q half older than he. but
babies Invariably disappointed hin.
their capabilities being % restrietsd-
sun, not knowing what might happen,
h always took . look at every baby.
The children were liftsd out Of tie
wagon to stretch their lsgs at sloushs
ard houses. They were sure to b
close behind the lsss Of their father
when he stood at . strangefs door.
Then. the night being near. they were
always invited to put their horses II
the barn and tarry until next morn
ing. This was due in part to the wfss'
ful faces Of the little children fact
unexpected by their parents. What
motherly heart could rssist the silent
appeal Of children's faces o. fall to
understand 1T Those were memorable
NIGHTS for Sarah and jos and Bstoey. In
q letter to her brother he woman said:
you don't know how good It seems
b see q woman and talk 70 her. and
We talked and talked until midnight
after all the rest were asleep. shs
lot me hold the baby In my lap until
II was put to bed How good It felt
to have 4 little warm body In my
arms again and feel It breathingi In
ali my life I never saw Q prettisf
baby. II felt good to be In Q real
house and sleep in = soft, warm bed
and to eat Jelly and cookies and fresh
meat and potatoes and bread and but
ter. Samson played for them and
kept them laughing with hts stories
until bedtime They wouldn't take
q cent and gave % do1sn sggs In .
basket and q piece Of venlson whea
~ went away"
On Q warm, bright day In the san1
country they came to . crude. half
finisAed, frame house at the edge q
Wide clearing. TIE sand lay n
drifts On one s&ds e the road Il
had svidsntly moved In the last win4
A slckly Vegetation covered the dead.
A ragged, barsfooted nan and three
scfawny. il-ciad children stood IN he
dsssyard. II was nooatime. 4 nsa-
grsl dog. with Q bit Of the hound b
hin, came bounding and barkins -
ward the wasoa and pitched upoe
Sambo and quickly got tie worst q
Il. Sambo, after mucA sIpsrienee
In sslf-dsfsnss. had learned that ths
best way out Of sacA trouble was b
ssiss leg and hang On. This b
diA. The mongrsl began to yeap. 1Am-
500 lifted both dogs by the backs d
their neeks, broke the hold Of sambe
and tossed aside the monSrsl, whs
ran away whining.
sThat reminded me Of q bull that
tackled . man over in Vermont" b
said. "Ths man had club In hia
hand. He lodged and grabbed the
bulls tail and beat him all over tn
lot. As the bull roared, the man hol.
Tered: I'D like to know who began
this fuss anyway"
The stranger laughed.
sIs that your houser Samson said.
The man stepped nearer and an
swered In q low. confidential tons'
'Say, mister. this 70 . combinaioe
poorhouss and idiot asylum. l an
the idiot. These are the poor.
He pointed to the children.
.You don't tain me an idiot" saSe
Samson.