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Iv53
DAKOTA CITY HERALD
JOHN H. REAM, Publisher.
DAKOTA CITY. NEBRASKA
ELIMINATING 8PACE.
Of devices for o elimination ot
ipaco tlicro Is no end. Thcro enn bo
nono, until the pooplo stop progress
Ing. Occasionally n project is pro
posed of more than usual daring. The
particular prlzo for which tho com
mercial world la now striving is tho
trado of South America, says the
Cleveland Plain Dealer. North Amer
ica and Europe each want the bulk
of it. The natural ndvahtago which
this continent possesses has so far
boon more than balanced by Eurc
wia aggressiveness. And now Eu
rope proposes to ettt la two tho tlmo
dlstanco that separates her from the
object of her commercial longing. It
la flgurod that tiro days nro long
enough to transport European goods
to South American consumers. To
establish such a schcdulo Involves en
gineering and llnanctal difficulties
which may, of course, finally prove
its impossibility. By rcllablo parties
tho "Ibero-Afro-Amerlcan railway Is
proposed, first, to cross Spain to
Gibraltar, where ferry boats will
transport trains to tho African coast;
thence run to Bathhurst, tho nearest
point to South Amorlca. Prom Bath
hurst lo Pernambuco, Brazil, is but a
throe-day run for fast steamers. Tho
cost of carrying out this project,
daring as it seems, would be but a
rnoro fraction of what the United
Statos nlono is paying for the Pana
ma canal. And a half dozen Euro
pean nations would bo benefited by
It It scomB by no monns impossible
An unusually peculiar damago suit
has Just been decided in New York
by which tho widow of a flro chief
has been awarded $25,000 for tho loss
of his llfo In a furnlturo establish
ment Are. Tho chief fell through nn
open well halo in tho building into n
cellar half filled with water and was
drowned before ho could bo rescued.
The open well holo wis In violation
of a city ordinance This suit, with
Its largo damages, will holp to cm
phaslzo the highly important fact that
such ordldances aro Intended to pro
Tent Jnxt flitch accidents, nnd that dis
regard of them leads to criminal and
civic liability when a llfo Is lost.
There are many ordinances of tho
kind held lightly in regard until a
fatal accident shocks tho authorities
Into enforcement.
Since it has been docided to cstab
llsh municipal baths for the million
at Coney Island, other and ever mora
asobltiouo plans for its improvement
have been formulated. Those lncludo
a continuous walk and drive along
the entlro five miles of Its water
front, and a new bulkhead lino, which
has been authorized by government
engineers. A contract has been lot
for a rip-rap wall, forty feet thick
at its base and twenty feet at the
top, surmounted by a concrete walk.
This will protect tho island from
tboso periodic invnsions by tho At
lantic which havo froquontr boon
quite destructive. All of which is
expected to attract a higher nverago
of patronago than tho resort has bith
irto enjoyed.
The barbers of Annapolis jave ap
pealed to tho secretary of tho navy
to compel tho musicians in the Acad
emy band who havo opened barber
shops "on tho side" to abandon com
petition with local tonsorlal artists.
From the consumer's point of view
there may bo poor expectation of get
ting a velvet shave from tho hand
that hammers the bass drem, al
though this is offset by tho prospoct
of an export massage from the nim-ble-flngered
flutist. Possibly the bar
br, per bo, n?"r force the lame by
carrying the war i.o Africa, form t,
-land of Umir own anil aeronado tsa
commandant at unwon d tours.
Alfred Qiraudet, pro'essor of oper
atic expression at the 'Paris Conserva
toire, says that ho knows there must
be good voices somewhere In the
United States, but that three-quarters
of the Americans who apply for in
struction In singing are terribly
OMiJ!capped by never having studied
piano-playing. If tho gifted French
aaan's statement increases the num
ber of young Americans who tako les
Bona on the piano, he will Incur the
resentment of folks who live next
door.
A certain minister of the Gospel
balling from New Zealand advocates
a plan to tattoo the chins of married
-women to distinguish them from their
-unmarried sisters. If a mark were
'tattooed for every murrlago, some of
our society queens would resomblo
picture galleries.
A 25-oent piece was recontly taken
from tho foot of an elephant In the
New York Zoo, where it had boen bo
curely bidden till the croaturo's dis
comfort over Its Ill-gotten wealth be
came apparent. Tho animals must
be catching graft from the humans.
Books on poultry raiBlng aro said to
bo among tboso most frequentlj call
ed for Jn the Now York Public Li
brary. Tho people who expect to got
rich on chicken farms aro not all lo
cated In this vicinity.
The department of agriculturo hat
Invented a cheap horse food consisting
of cocoanut and peanut meals, Jl
would be more in keeping with tho
time to Invent a cheap substitute for
gasoline.
ic
THE GRAND REUNION
By ROY
Copyright by
1TH seventy years of
llfo, well and cleanly
spent, behind them,
A b n o r and Ezra
were "Lookln' for a
Job." Not whining
ly, or with a hard
luck story, but with
cheerfulness and a childlike trust that,
Inasmuch as their whoio lives had
been honest and true, tho way would
not be found closed In their hour of
need.
And It was this trust that led them
icrosfl ten miles of timber-clad divide
a very long way from home for
them to Mariposa Creek, of which
Hugh McCarthy, their old friend, was
almost solo owner, and in his way a
king. Somewhat out of breath, they
ilowly climbed tho trail to the river
bank whereon McCarthy stood.
McCarthy, a stocky giant with iron
gray hair, waa contentedly watching
the work below. The years had gone
well with him. Time, knowing his
kindly heart, had dealt nothing but
caresses. Tho Ahpallno, whereon for
many years he had neighbored with
the two old partners, had yielded well,
and now for five years this new find
had added wealth and promise.
Twenty men worked In tho cut bo
low, directing great streams of water
that In tho sunlight showed as streaks
of molten silver, smiting with terrific
force tho red banks, uprooting stumps,
tossing boulders, and sending muddy
torrents through sluices which caught
and held the heavy gold.
X voice, ringing with the thin sweet
nass of an aged bell, high pltcbod,
broke In upon McCarthy's reverie:
"Howdy, Hugh! We're lookln' for
a. Job."
Before its echo had begun, another
voice, In equal pitch of plalntlvonoss,
re Iterated: ''Yes, wo'ro lookln' for a
Job."
McCarthy, startled, pivoted on the
heel of his rubber boot, and in aston
ishment looked at tho two old men
who, bearded, dressed, and stntured
allko, had nddrcssod him. His dark
eyes twinkled from beneath his gray
thatch of eyebrows, and his hands
came from bis pockets to grasp theirs,
which they simultaneously proffered.
"Abner and Ezry, aa l'm'llvln'," he
said, bis face melting Into a great
smile; "and lookln' for a Job! Well,
you've got it."'
That was about all that was said.
The partners, llko automatons pulled
by the samo string, took off their
coats, carefully folded and laid thorn
on tho bank. Then they rolled their
shlrtalvfl8 to the elbow, took prodi
gious chews of tobacco, started their
Jaws and white beards to work, and In
Ave mlnutea were "hard at It."
The work waa very old to thorn, be
cause In their thirty-five years of part
nership this had most always been
their lot. True, it was one of tho first
times in all their lives wherein they
had worked for wages and drawn pay
for the toll of their hands. Most men
would have felt, in commencing life
all over again at seventy years, that
fate had dealt harshly, hut not so
with them. To them the bills and
forosto wore home, the good God In
heaven a Yery close friend, and to
work was natural.
In this same simple way they had
always worked, or passed their days
on desert and plain, in the moun
tain's depths or tho forest's shelter;
had fought side by side when In
brave hearts lay their only hope; had
loved tha same woman when lovo
came ta them; had together burled
and Borrowed over her when deaui
Interposed, and now that fortune had
turned her face were glad to be alto
gether in toll, where they could share
each other's weariness.
It isn't for any one to know how
bitterly they must have suffered in
leaving the quiet little cablu on tho
Ahpalln?, with its truck patch, its
flowers, and the little cross on tho
kill beneath which rested their dead.
Even the workedout ground, which
for more than twenty years had held
them to the only home they had ever
known, must havo been very dear,
and the outer world very cold.
Hugh, who better than any one
knew their Joys and sorrows, was
now wealthy, nnd would have gladly
given them dust -nough to pavo with
ease all the remaining days of their
lives; but he understood them too
well for that. Knew that such an of
for would be sturdily declined.
Now, as he stood on the bank above
and watched them steadily handling
their sluice-forks and dumplug small
er rubbish from the sluices, he was
perplexed. Ho know that the light
est work he had to give was all too
heavy. At seventy the heart may be
young and the toll-worn hands willing,
but youth's store of strength Is gone.
That day witnessed McCarthy's
first falsehood, and he loved the
truth. After he had made an excuse
that they might quit work earlier,
knowing how tired they must be, he
told thorn thoro wasn t room for them
to sleep In the moss-house, so had
cots placed for them In his own cabin.
It wns pretty bold, becauso there were
ten empty bunks. It only proved,
though, that Hugh was planning other
arrangements, and when he planned,
as his foreman once Bald- "Something
always happonod."
After supper thoy nil Bat out In
front of tho cabin, whero, when the
8eeklng Now Fishing Qrounds,
Formerly men of science, Including
Huxley, believed that man was not
industrious enough to depopulate the
sea of fish. Yot It is known that fa
vorite fishing grounds do becomo ex
hausted. Whnlcs abound at present
only becauso kerosene displaced whale
oil and rendered whaling unprofitable.
For a long time tho whale has been
allowed to spout with relntlvo Im
munity. Tho North sea fishery Is fall
ing, and the permanent International
council officially recognizes that It no
longer yields largo fish Man cannot
tt
III
NORTON
:o
r. L. Nation
day's work with the big hydraulics
was done, everything seemed strange
ly quiet. Nono of these three was of
the garrulous kind, so there wasn't
much said. Thoy watched tho stars
come out, heard the men In tho mess
house In roaring chorus sing the samo
old songs of tho border that they
themselves had sung titty years be
tor k, und smoked,
"It's glttln' real late, Hugh," said
Abner, knocking a golden shower
from the end of the bench.
"Yes," piped Ezra's voice In the
samo high treble, 'It's glttln real
late."
McCarthy wanted them to stay
longer. Said he wantod company, but,
us no one had said anything for an
hour, his Ideas of companionship
must nave been of the quiet sort.
"No, Hugh," same Abner's voice in
nnswor. "It's most nlno o'clock, and
we're Just workln' men now."
"Yes, Just workln' men now," came
the echo.
They all arose and turned toward
the cabin door. It was quite dark,
and they couldn't see each other very
plainly, so It was loss ombarasslng
to say things from tho heart. That Is
probably tho reason why Abner, In
his fine old way, said tremulously, as
If offering thanks was very hard
work:
"Hugh, mo and Ezry Is glttln' a
trlflo old, p'haps, to do as much work
as some men. Wo'ro mighty thank
ful to tho Lord and you, and feel
wo must do our share. We decided to
day you'd hotter call us an hour
earlier than the othors, because them
that can't work as fast as some must
work longer."
"Yes, must work longer," repeated
Ezra.
"And we want to toll you, Hugh,
that wo think you're mighty good to
us to try to mako us feci at home,
becauso It's hard to get used to tho
new things when you think so much
of the old."
That was tho time when Ezra didn't
answer, but Hugh heard a big gulp In
tho darkness, and know that these
two old chap wi wiping their eye
when they wont Inside, nil becauso
thoy wore homesick as two boys, and
bubbling over with gratitude for what,
after all, was only a Uttlo kindness
and understanding. Maybe Hugh had
kind of a clutch In his own throat, so
couldn't say anything, but Just kept
quiet.
So they wont to work earlier than
the other mon. This caused a fellow
one of those big, hulking chaps to
poke fun at them. There aren't many
ever saw McCarthy angry, because ho
knows how to keep his temper, but
this fellow had a chance. Hugh had
come along unobserved. There were
llttlo forks of tire In his eyes when
he seized the Joker by the throat and
sho6k him as if he were six Inches
Instead of six feet high.
"Thoy'll hold their Jobs longer than
you," he Bald, aa he dropped the
man In a heap. "You're fired 1 Now
hlkel"
There wore no more Jokos at the
partners' oxponso, and th man wasn't
fired, after all, because Abner and
Ezra talked Hugh out of It. And
pretty soon no one wanted to hurt the
partners' feelings, because to know
them was to love them.
Now, the real secret of their work
ing at all was that Hugh was finding
a way to help them out without ma
king them feel bad. He owned a
claim above, and without any one
knowing what it was for, built on It
the finest cabin that ever went up on
the Mariposa. It's there yet.
It had four rooinB, and fine floors,
and a window in each room. Great
est of all, it had real, beautiful store
furniture, brought in with a hoap of
trouble from the nearest railway sta
tion. But Hugh didn't mind. He
never did things by halves. Ho even
went so far as to have flowers the
old-style kind planted around the
doorway, and was as happy aa a boy
while watching the work.
One afternoon he took Ezra and
Abner up there. Thoy stood around
awkwardly, and admired all this mag
nificence, and kept repeating: "It's a
mighty fine place, a mighty fine place,
and must of cost a pile of dust."
"Boys," Hugh said they were al
waya "boys" together "Boys, here's a
deed for this claim und cabin. It's all
yours. Now we're neighbors again.
Just as we used to bo on the Ahpallno;
so we'll call this claim The Orand
Reunion."
Abnar and Ezra didn't want to take
It, but Hugh explained that probably
the claim wouldn't pay more than day
wages, and tlatrefore the house was
really the only present he was giv
ing thorn. Then they all had supper
togetder, and that ended the partners'
"Job."
As they watched Hugh go down the
trail that night he was so happy he
tried to sing, but ho couldn't sing
much. Hugh was an awful bad
singer!
Then they took th'elr boots off out
sldo. for fear of spoiling tho carpet,
and gingerly went In.
Well, the partners went to work on
their now ground, cut their trenches,
and turned tho water through tho
new pipes and giant which Hugh had
"loaned" them. And they lived In
their now house with all Its store
furnlturo. but thoy really weren't as
go on taking from U.blng grounds,
any moio than ho enn from tho hunt
ing grounds, and expoct nlways to find
plenty. Tho French havo found now
fishing grounds off the west coast of
Africa, tho Arguln Banks. Tho French
colonial governments 1b considering
measures to promoto the flshlug in
dustry on theso unoxhausted grounds.
Inspiration of Natural Beauty.
No one can contomplato tho wonder
ful beauties of nature and doubt that
the creator must havs Intended that
man, made In his own Image and like
happy as they apparently should have
been
They took enro of tho flowers, and
did nil those little chores they had
been In the habit of doing, but the
fact was that when dusk dropped down
and thoy sat togethor on the little
bench they had inado outside tho
door, they didn't havo much to say.
Each oho was homesick for tho old
log cabin away over across tho di
vide the home they had known for
nearly thirty years, nnd for tho little
wooden cross on the hillside.
But thoy wcro so considerate of
each other that noithcr would men
tion tho matter; first because he
didn't want to wound his partnor, and
socond becauso ho didn't want to ap
pear childish or ungrateful. True, the
Mariposa murmured Its way In a
canyon, with tho same kind of trees
on the edges, and big, high, solemn
hills back of It all; but the brook
didn't sing the same songs, and tho
canyon didn't have the samo sky-lino,
and the trees vero different shaped,
and the hills unfamiliar. All nature
seemed to look at them nnd say:
"What aro you two old fellows doing
over here, when you really belong In
Ahpallno gulch?" And for the llfo
of them they couldn't answer.
Again, a big cabin and store fur
nlturo, and a carpet wcro all very
nice much nicer' than n one-roomed
old shack, with a hewn floor and
home-mado furniture and a double
bunk; but with them always was tho
sense of strangeness. They felt 111
at easo with all this, nnd constantly
"THEY'LL HOLD
afraid of breaking "some of the
flxln'o."
Hugh used to come up to see them
quite often. It would be Just about
dusk when they would see something
lumbering up the trail for all the
world like a big black bear, only this
one smoked a pipe. He would sit
down by them on a chair, which thej
always politely brought, and then the
three of tnem would watch the stars
come out.
Sometimes they would sit a whole
hour in ono of these visits without
saying a word. All you would hear
beside tho croon of the Mariposa be
low and the sighing of tho big treen
above, would be the "puff-puff" of the
pipes or the scratching of a match.
Then Hugh would sayi "Good night,
boys," and the two old voices, so
sweetly tuned by fine old age, would
say In unison: "Good night, Hugh.
Lord bless and keep you." Ue sure
thy never forgot that!
Try as he would, McCarthy couldn't
quite mako out what was tho matter
with the two old partners. He knew
there was something that kept them
from being quite as happy as they
once were. So he decided The Grand
Reunion wasn't paying much, after all.
He asked them one night, and found
It was only doing fairly well. Juut
a little better than day wages.
Salting a claim Is about the mean
est thing a mnn can do In a mining
country. It's a sneak's work. But
Hugh, much as ho hated It, decided
then.1 was hut one way, and that was
to turn "saltor,"
One night when It rained, and the
skies were black, and the big trees
dripping water, a big, burly man in
rubber bootB and rubber cont worked
over the sluice-boxes on Tho Grand
ness, should be equally beautiful,
snys Orison Swott Marden In Success
Magazine,
Beauty of character, charm of man
nerattractlveness and graclousness
of exKesslon, a god-like bearing, are
our birthrights Yot how ugly, stlfr.
coarse and harsh In appearance and
beating tnaiy of us arel No ono can
afford to disregard his good looks or
personal appearance.
But If we wish fv beautify the outer,
we must first beautify tho Inner, for
every thought anuV every motion
shapes the delicate tnjclnsa of ir
Ketinlon. Ho was very methodical,
becauso ho know how It must bo done,
and that lack of caro would show the
partners that something wns wrong.
It took a long time, out there In the
rain nnd the darkness. Ho went from
rlfllo to riffle stooped over until, In
the flashes, ho looked llko a black
bowlder; and whorever ho went the
dust was added In a little thin trail
of gold that crept In a tiny stream
seeking freedom from tho heavy
buckskin "poke" ho carried.
That was only part of his work.
With an Idle shovel he mndo trip nft
er trip distributing dirt nlong tho
string of sluices. After that ho let
the water run very gently, so as to
smooth out all trace. It seemed al
most as though tho Lord was In tho
conspiracy with him, because
through it nil the rain fell so heavily
that it washed away the prints of his
feet; but he felt like h thief. Just the
same.
"It's the first time I ever salted a
claim," ho said to himself, with half a
grin, as he slouched away down the
gulch, his rubber boots singing a llt
tlo "squlch-squich-squlch" with each
step he took.
"But I reckon there's enough pay In
tho boxes now to make Abner and
Ezra contented."
It had been repugnant to him, this
underhanded work, but ho couldn't
give them anything outright.
Tho next evening Hugh made tho
partners a visit, but they didn't havo
anything to say, not having "cleaned
up" tho sluices. In those days It
r .
-' W '
THEIR JOBS LONGER THAN YOU,"
wasn't customary in small pay-dlg-glngs
to lift tho riffles every night.
Civilization hadn't arrived to make
daily clean-ups and locks on windows
and doors necessary.
On the following evenlug McCarthy
was tired, and went to his own cabin
early. Ho waa Just filling his pipe
when he heard a noise at tho door.
He turned round, and there stood Ab
nor and Ezra looking happier than
he had ever seen them. They were
all smiles, and had changed their
clothing to come down, showing it to
be a gala occasion. Had on clean
overalls and clean shirts, ull made of
blue denim and faded to whiteness
by washing In the creek. No stray
spots of clay In their white beards
or on their smooth-shaven cheeks.
"Hugh," said Ezra, "wc got great
news for you." v
"Yes got great news," said Abner.
"Lookle horo," hey said together
exultantly, as though one voice were
speaking, and laid on McCarthy's ta
ble a heavy buckskin bag of still
damp dust.
Hugh tried to look astonished, and
kept saying: "Well, I'm mighty glad
of It mighty glad!" Then, still try
ing to show great surprise, tested its
weight In his hands, and asked: "How
much?"
"A hundred and sixty ounces nigh
on to three thousand dollars' worth,"
the partners yelled Jubilantly, In high
quavers.
"Whe-e-ew!" whistled McCarthy, In
simulated astonishment.
Then the two old men fidgeted a lit
tle, and stood awkwardly, looking at
Hugh and each other. Neither want
ed to speak.
Abuor broko silence. "We brung It
faco for ugliness or beauty. Inhar
monious nnd destructive attitudes ot
mind will wnrp and mar the most
beautiful features.
To Aid the Laundry Girl.
Women workers In laundries are to
be looked after by several clubs
which have decided to co-operate In
an effort to improve the conditions un
der which these girls and women have
to work, says the New York Herald
Mrs. Julian Heath of the League for
Household Economics, who has for
two or three years been Investlcatlar
serfs' sir . r s ; i y tr czr
down becauso wo think It's too much,
Hugh, and ought to belong to you."
"Yes, belongs to you," said Ezra,
with many shnkes of his whlto beard.
McCarthy refused strenuously, with
out giving them tlmo to reply. Rough
ly told them to "sit down and wait
for grub," and ended by seizing his
old whlto hat and bolting on the ex
cuse that he had to watch his men
clean up.
"Beats the devil," ho muttered, us
ho went over tho trail to tho cut.
"Can't do anything for 'em! Hero I've
gone and turned rooked for the first
tlmo In my llfo to help 'cm, nnd I'll
bo hanged If they don't come luggln'
back all the dust I took up there, and
n few more ounces with It. Humph!"
After supper, when darkness came
and they had smoked, Abner nnd Ezra
cleared their throats.
"Hugh," said Ezra from the dark
ness, quietly but with great determi
nation, "mo and Abnor havo got
somethin' more to say to you. It's
kind of hard work, because we ain't
tho unappreclatlve sort." Ho hesitat
ed, as If seeking words, then hurried
on. "We both knows von'v tlnno
your damdest, and thar ain't been a
night slnco wo camo that we ain't
looked Into each other's eyes, then
got down by them nice new beds, and
said: 'Dear Lord! do watch over that
young feller; because, Lord, excuse us
for remtndln' you of It, but he's been
mighty good to us.' "
McCarthy twisted In his seat while
Abner reiterated the last sentence.
Then Ezra continued:
S&
HE SAID.
"Wheu. you gave The Grand Reun
ion to us, you thought it was Jest a
day-wage claim, and wo was mighty
glad to get It. You see, you didn't
know it was so rich, and wo didn't,
either. Now It's turned out to be wuth
so much more'n you or we thought,
w'v come to give It back, together
with its only big clean-up."
This waR the last blow. McCarthy
didn't usually swear, but this time he
did a fair Job that Is, for a really
religious man. After that he argued,
Told them he didn't think tho claim
was much good, and that all that had
happened was that they had struck a
llttlo pocket.
They almost parted bad friends.
McCarthy angry because they
wouldn't keep the clean-up and the
clnim. nnd they becauso he wouldn't
take it back. And really tho truth of
it was, you see, that neither undor
utoou what tho other wanted most.
Then Hugh got to thinking maybe
he had talked too sharply when he
called them a pair of "cantankerous
old fools," and decided ho would go
up through the darkness, the trail be
ing fairly well worn, and apologize.
As he was coining round the corner
of tho cabin he heard them talking,
and stopped,
"We Jest can't explain," Abner was
saying very gently "But bo don't
know how bad I feel, and how bad I
know you feel, Ezry. This is a wonder
ful cabin, aud It's a mighty rich claim;
but it ain't right for us to keep It,
nnd, besides -besides, It ain't homo,
somehow."
At last McCarthy understood.
"I've falsified, salted a claim, and
now I'm gettln' to be an eavesdrop
per." ho muttered, as ho slipped quiet
ly away in the darkness. "If these
Individual cases among tho laundry
women, has made a statement that
public laundresses were slaves, that
they worked under conditions beyond
description, In many Instances, and
that It was time for women's clubs to
tako up the matter of bettering their
conditions
Tough Old World It This.
Mrs. Crawford You can have all
the bread and butter you want, but no
more cake.
Willie Say, ma, how Is It I caa
never have a second helping of any of
i
two old cussos don't get oiT my mind,
the Lord knows what other sncakln'
sort of a crlmo I'll bo commlttin'
next."
Thelw wei llilt-e leujlt;j one ou
Mnrlposa Crook that night, nnd all
because they wanted to find a way to
mako it easier for each other.
McCarthy found tho "wny. Bright
and early next morning ho was at
their door Thoy were washing the
dishes, Ezra doing tho drying with an
old salt sack, while Abner, with a
plcco of rubber blanket tied round
him for an apron, was loudly splash
ing tho soap and water, and both
were smoking Industriously.
"Well, boys," said McCarthy, care
fully letting his bulk ecttlo down on
a spindly-legged, yollow-plush covered
chair which ho dragged into the
kitchen with him, "I guess you'rs
right. This is a mighty rich claim,
uud no mistake."
He wadded somo freshly cut tobac
co In the palm of his hand, while
both tho partners said: "Yes, Hugh,
it's mighty rich."
'Now, we all got to be fair and hon
est with each other, ain't we? Well,
I thought It wn: no good till you
proved It up. If you went away I'd
havo the cabin left, and I'vo come to
buy you out. I'll give you three thou
sand for The Grand Reunion back,
and you keep the last clean-up."
That was "a powerful sight" of
money, and Hugh had to fairly bully
thorn Into taking It. They didn't
want It because thoy didn't think It
fair, although It was enough to maks
thorn Independent, with what little
they could take from tho Ahpallno
and what they had saved, for the rear;
of their lives.
And so tho Mariposa know them no
more, but the partners don't know to
this day that The Grand Reunion has
nover been considered worth working,
and that tho cabin built with such
caro is sealed with cobwebs.
Tho partners made two Uttlo pack
of the things brought with them when
they came, shook hands with and
bade a courteous good-by to ovory
man on Hugh's claim, and laboriously
climbed the other side of tho gulch to
tho crest of the divide, where twenty
men below spied them, and gave a
cheer that sounded out its farewell
above the roar of the waters. Thoy
waved their hands and dlsapepared.
It was night when they camo to
that other little cabin, which from Its
loneliness and desertion greeted them
in unchanged homeliness. Save for
the dust and tho creaking voice of its
stiffened hinges, it was all tho samo
The time-worn stools with their shiny
faces, t!io bunks with their mats of
fir boughs, and tho wheezy little stove
with its long-dead ashos. They groped
for the kindling stick, which was
wheie they had left It those many
months ago; found the candles on the
shelf as of old, and prepared their
evening meal.
Then, when the moon came up
through the same gap in tho hillside,
whero for so many years they had
watched it come before, and stared
at them with a smile of welcome, they
climbed the hill. Climbed up to
wheie the flowers were now running
In unkempt wlldness, and with trem
bling hands patted the wether-beaton
cross above the grave of the only
woman they had ever claimed as their
own.
They looked out across the great
gulch, with Its splendid sentinel trees
silhouetted against the glory of the
night, over the singing stream which
threw silver sparks at tho moon, and
then at tho homely llttlo cabin, with
Its shaft of light streaming through
a long-unused window.
With a great sigh of untold thank
fulness and content they murmured to
each other, and to the night: "It all
looks Jest like it uster. Yes, Jest like
It uster."
They were back with their hills,
their cabin, their flowers, and their
cross, where tho God they know
seemed a little closer than anywhere
else In all the wide, wide world.
Queen Alexandra's Slipper.
The prettiest bedroom slippers la
the world are those designed for Eng
land's queen dowager at her express
command for dearly does she love
comfort In her own apartment. Thesi
slippers are really "mules," as they
have no heels, but rest flat upon the
sole, these soles being very toft and
flexible and lined with uuilled silk.
The front of the mule does not en
tirely cover the toe, but two pointed
flaps of satin come from tho sides of
the sole and meet under a Jeweled
button, thus leaving the toes quite
free as one walks about after one's
bath. Dainty mules like this would
make a charming gift for a friend
about to be married, and they could
be very easily fashioned out of bits
of brocade or satin, a pair of the
tufted soles, which como for knitted
slippers, and a little silk. The edge
might be finished with a narrow silk
cord.
Sheep Fattened on Peas.
Sheep fattened on field peas in Col
orado were marketed at the stock
yards last week by B. F. Larrick ol
Monte Vista, Col. Many will come Is
February.
In the San Luis Valley field peat
grow rapidly and mature early. Manj
thousand ncres of them nre planted
annually. Their use for fattenlni
sheep began In 1900, when 5,000 were
fed, This year nbout 150.000 are on
feed. The pea crop Is a good one.
Kansas City Star.
Municipal Contrasts.
"Tho weather man must bo fond ol
contrasts."
"Why so?"
"To bring along a cold wavo when
we are having such hot times."
tho things I like? Llpplncott's Maga
zine. Take the Game Seriously,
Girls play a strenuous game oi
hockey In Australia. In a recent gams
between the Waratah and Thistli
clubs the casualties were ono flngei
broken and another severely crushed,
an eye blackened and a face Irre
trievably damaged, a knee bruised
and shin cut so badly that tho blood
saturated a boot, several mouths cut
and a number ot shins sliced through
thin pads.
m
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