St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-07-11

w WI Ni' houSVS- llonl llt' DItItll
tIous Gothic dwelling on the northern
NIL and the brick business houses dow
street, to log cabins and COTTONWOOD,
sllanties; while the road that wound III
the bed of the ravine was lined with
long, white train of Denver boun,
freight wagons.
She reached the steep main street t,
find it filled with wagons that had beel
turned cross-wise of the street, to res
the teams. But edging her way clos,
To the clay bank, she reached the rive
Just as the steamer was leaving tn,
wharf. The snorting of the engine anl
the shouting of the deck hands. togeth
er with the putting of the mill near by
was too much for baby-bravery, ant
Sammy's lip began to quiver. Catchin.
iIlm III her arms, his mother sat dow
on Il saW-lOg, saying, There, there
honey, don't he afeard, be pappy's man
now"
The tidr-waves of the reccding boa
sank lower and lower on the sand: the
gay crowd that leaned over the guard.
grew indistinct, and she peered more
and more eagerly in among the tall cot.
tonwood trees on the opposite shore
At length four men came out of the
woods, and entering skitf, started
acrosS the river. She watched the skif
anXiously, for it frequently disappeared
between the waves which were raiseG
by the strong south wind-such wind,
belonging as proverbially to Kansas
springs, as whooping-cough to children
or gapes to chickens.
-Four rough-looking men. in red wool.
len shirtS-tor lumbcrmen did not pre-
tend t" wear coats. except in the cold
est Weather-.jumped out of the skiif
and with boiSterous laughter and rude
iests, entered the mill. Presently one
of them spied her and came toward her
saying hoisterOusly, "Hoorah for YOU
Nancy. Whatever brought you'un,
down ere this time of evenin! Mighty
fine doins, when you oughtcr he ia
home gettin' your old man Il bite % sup
per. Packed that young 'un down. too
I'll betr' He snatchcd the baby from
her and tossed him on his shoulder
shouting. ''IIoolah for pappy's man
PecrtcSt boy i'll this ere town. Mighty
proHd t" see his pap" Poor Nancy
Her husband was drunk again.
She hurried up the street. pinning heI
deep sun bonnet more closely about hcI
face, tina: the pasScrs might not see the
tears that would come. He had kept
sober 50 long that she had hoped he
would come home sober again. She had
anticipated So much pleasure on meet
ing him. after his week 5 absence. How
often she had thought of il in those
long. lonely nights, when she had only
her child and her thoughts for company
1t took but a few minutes to put sup
per on the table. Then she sat down
on the doorstep to watch for her huS-
band. worrying all the time lest he let
something happen to Sammy. When
ut last he came. the effects of the liquol
were wearing off, and he ate his supper
and smoked his pipe i'll Sullen silence.
She could not eat Il mouthful. but she
dared not let the tears come. for she
knew that it would make him angry.
SO she fed Sammy, laying her face ON
his little head once in IL while to force
back the choking lump that kept rising
in her throat. Then she FASTENED to
disturb his father.
The first peep of dawn found her bust
ly preparing breakfast. for she knew
that John wanted an early start. The
sound of the coffee mill woke him from
his heavy sleep. and he lay quietly
watching her by the light of the dim
grease lamp. as S&e moved quickly back
and forth from table to stove; from
thence to the little row of shelves. in
lieu of Il cupboard, setting on the dish
es. watching the bacon, and taking the
crisp corn dodger from the oven. ''Shr
is dear. good wife" thought he: what
IL scoundrcl was to make her feel so
badly He knew that he had been
rough to her the night before. He wish
ed that he could remember what hc
said. OF course he never got dead
drunk. but he wished that he ever could
let whiSlicy alone.
His breakfast was just to his liking.
and his wife as cheerful Us if he WAS the
hest man in the world. He wanted ia
say something pleasant to break the
awkward silence. but he did not know
how To begin. He had an uncomfort
able feeling that he ought to beg hen
pardon, but bcing IL man. of course ht
did not condcscend to do that. Al
length he began by saying. You WAS
right pcert about Your breakfast thi,
morning, Nancy"
..Oh. | allowed most likely you'd want
to get of soon,' she answered.
"IcS, Jones wants us there agin' sun
up. It's only fifty-log raft reckon
we can get it down to Leavcnwortl
ag'in' the night-train starts, and III get
right on, and he back to Atchinson afor,
day. Don't catch me toolin' away an
other day round that old fort"
"Oh, John! I'm so proud"-she paus-
ed abruptly, for his eyes dropped Will
look of conscious shame. What mood
was he III ! Would it do to speak then
He had showed back from the table, ant
there was serious, far-away look il
his eyes, but nothing sullen or forbid
ding. She went around, and dropping
on her knees beside him, slipped hel
arms about his neck, saying: "Oh
John, | wish you'd promise me you't
never drink no more whislley.'
That's most too hard on Il fellow
but I'll promise not tO-nOt to drink too
much ag'in," he answered.
.But I'm afeared that wouldn't do n,
good"
"You talk like you thought l hadn
sense enough to stop when I've go
enough, if try" he exclaimed.
"Oh, John, don't talk so; you know
you promised me that nigh onto a yea
ago; but you think you'll just take ont
dram, and then just one more, and afor,
you.know it, it's too much. If you'd only
promise now that you'd never tast,
nary drop aS'in.'
Still he kept his eyes turned steadily
away from hers.
'DOn't you mind now," she went on
chow your mother said one time, g
reckon, Nancy, you count John might,
rough chap, but he's all right at the