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About University of Oregon monthly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1897-???? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1902)
* Ù S IY E R èlT Y 0<F OREGON T O M B O Y 115 Fred. It -has. been 'twelve .years sin,ce?4.- left* Chicago and my f a m i l ^ l ^ ^ , that’s a long time-.;' But 141-say this mu$h,T did noi H B W -family -without meanse, «1- gave- them > all ,1 had. It. was enotttMfo©/ I. used Rework a t handling ®res;in.a reducer and reffne&y.* ' Since I left Chicago 4 ’ve .been, all through thia ’ WesterM country. I like it,-and. I’ll come hack.’ << But your-.children! ” b exclaimed. H d looked at me -straight and steadily, and said/ ap-tf’h e had ¿skedW him self the« implied' question* and answered it ma,ny t times: “ Maybe they'll’ask me to stay, and-think they want me' there; but tt-wouldhtt de> They’llh a v e their affairs add I’ll | m in$t «No, iW cpm e back here.’'’ And the ©Id'man. kept his word, early in March -he returned. We khesy fce meant tp stay. ¿¿There was in his4ape a look- of urn alterphlfe decision. W hatever the cause-of his tong absence and this final separation from his 'family, evidently the grievance was irreparable." Immediately he set about gathering supplies th; .take out to the mines. He went about his >work cheerfully, even eagerly! but when all was ready, the tost box packed and nailed-,: h,è lingetudlnd waited ano'ther day,.and;yet.another, and another, What was he watting-for?' For the snow tp-creep a little, farther up the "mountain side? F or buds to swell? For the larks to take up their fullspring carpi?, ; Perhaps. It was th e last evening he w-as.-yith Us. Mother' and 1 .sat at a table reading, and he.mused before,the fire-place, g D oypu want to pee something pretty? ” he said, turning- and plUpkihg me 'by the sleeve. He drew from hi§ ppcket a pho-s tograph antf-gav^jt into my hands', it was the .picture a little- girt in a white pinafore, a miniature,.of swpèt, trustful childhood^ “ That’s'm y jtttje granddaughter,” he. explained “ Isn’t Sfyp pretty? “ A regular rose-flower.” “ I wóqdef that you coufd leave her,’^ -v e n tu red . “ Sure enough, L did come pretty near staying, .in spite of all.. The little thing spemed to take such a-notion to ,me. S he’d .sit on m yknee by th e hour, and put her little arms around me. But thè' child, h eart-^ th at’s i t^ s h e wouldn't always keep that.
