The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-11-06
Uhe Gribuue.
JOHNS PROMISE,

Missouri. In thicket of oak saplings,
high up on the side of Gee of those bluffs
s:ood hastily bull, house, sided with
rough, upright. cottonwood boards-as
are many of its western peighbors-a
rusty stove-pipe sticking through the
roof, . small window, curtained By q
scalloped edge newspaper, and white
door taken from a Eunken steamboat,
whose nicely finished panels contras;ed
strangely with the surroundings complet-
ing the exterior.
One pleasant May evening, just as the
shrill whistle of 4 steamboat echoed
among the hills, this door was opened by
q pleasant young woman, who was fol-
lowed by crying child.
"Oh. Sammy. quit your noise that's
pappy's little man; see the great big
boa. way yonder;' lifting him up, don
you see? look right sharp now, close
ag in the bank Does Sammy want to
go down town and see the big boat, and
see pappy ?"
The willing feet toddled down the
patti; but the mother called:
Wait bit and nanny IL pack
Sammy" and tying on pink sun-bon.
net, she took him in her arms and start
ed down the steep, crooked path.
1t was picturesque scene that lay be
fore her. The sunlight, sitting through
the trees that covered the western hills,
Tinted the windows here and there aud
cached like golden bar, just across the
top of the forest on the low eastern
shore. Scattered through the hollow
and up the sides of the bluffs. were divers
houses. from the pretenrous Gothic
yelling on the northern hill and the
brick business houses down street. to log
cabins oud cottonwood shaniies while
the road that wound up the bed of the
ravine was lined with long, white train
of Denver-bound frieght-wagons.
She reached the steep main street to
find it filed with wagons that had been
turned cross-wise of the street, to rest
the teams. But edging her way close to
the clay bank, she reached the river just
rs the steamer was leaving the wharf.
The snorting Of Il e engine and the shout
ing o. the deck-hands. together with the
putting of the mill near by. was too much
for baby bravery, and Sammy's lips
began to qniver. Catching him in her
arms, his mother sat down on a saw log,
saying. There. there, honey. do not be
afeared, be pappy's man, now
The tide.waves of the receding boat
sank lower and lower on the sand the
gay crowd that leaned over the guards
grew indistinct, and she peered more and
more eagerly in among the tail cotton
wood trees on the opposite shore A,
length four men came out of the woods.
and entering q skif, started across the
river. She watched the skiff anxiouSly.
for it frequently disappeared between the
waves which were raised by the strong
south winds-such winds belonging as
proverbially to Kansas springs, as whoop-
ing cough to children. or gapes to
chickens.
Four rough looking men, in red woole n
shirts-for lumbermen did not pretend 10
wear coats, except in the oldest wealth :
er-jumped out of the skiff, and with
boisterous laughter and rude jests, enter
ed the mill. Presently one of them spied
her and came towards her, saying bois
terously
"Hoorah for you, Nancy Whatever
brought you down ere this time of even
in Mighty fine doins, when you Dug ht-
er be to home getting your old man
bite o supper! Packed that young I'm
down. too. I'll bet! Reckon you'd as
we'll get back, right quick. nowl''
He snatched the baby from her and
tossed him on his shoulder. shoughting.
Hoorah for rappy's man! Peertest
boy in this ere town. Mighty proud to
see his papl"
Poor Nancy her husband was drunk
again.
She hurried up the street, pinning her
deep suD-bonnet more closely about her
face, that the passers might not see the
tears that would come. He had kept
sober SO long that she had hoped he
She had anticipated so much pleasure on
meeting him, after his weeks absence.
How often she had thought of it in those
long, lonely nights, when she had onl,
her child and her thoughts for her CON-
pany.
1t took but few minutes to put sun
per on the table. She sat down on the
doorstep to watch for her husband, wor-
rying all the time lest he let something
happen to Sammy When at last he
came, the effects of the liquor were wear
ing of. and he ate his supper and smoked
his pipe in sullen silence. She could
not eat mouthful, but she dared nor
let the tears come, for she knew that il
would make him angry. So she fed little
laying her head on his head
once In a while, to force back the chok. |
ing lump that kept rising in her throat.
Then she FASTENED to rock him asleep,
lest his fretfulness might disturb his
father.
The first peep of dawn found her busi-
ly preparing breakfast, for she knew tina,
John wanted an early start. The sound
Of the cofee-mill woke him from his
heavy sleep. and he lay quietly watching
her by the light of the dim grease lamp,
IS she moved quickly back and forth
from table to stove; from thence 10 the /
little row of shelves. in lieu of cupboard
setting on the dishes. watching the bacon,
and taking the crisp corn dodger from
oven.
She is dear good Wife" thought
he; what a scout drel l was to make
her feel so badly"
He knew that he hal been rough to