The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1873-11-06
: JOHNS PROMISE.

:; sumner was mushroom city which
had sprung up on the banks of ravine
that cut through the western bluffs of the
Missouri. In thicket of oak saplings,
high up on the side of one of those bluffs,
stood hastily-built house, sided with
rough, upright, cottonwood boards, as are
many Of its western neighbors-a rusty
stovepipe sticking through the roof; a
small window, curtained by a scalloped.
edged newspaper, and white door taken
from a sunken steamboat, whose nicely
finished panels contrasted strangely with
its surroundings, completed the exterior.
One pleasant May evening, just as the
shrill whistle of steamboat echoed
among the hills, this door was opened by
pleasant young woman, who was follow
ed by crying child.
"Oh, Sammy, quit your noise; that's
paPpx's little man; see the great big boat
way yonder;'' lifting him up "don't you
see? look right sharp now, close ag'in the
bank. Does Sammy want to 20 down
town and see the big boat, and see nan.
py" The willing feet toddled down the
path: but the mother called: "Wait bit,
and mammy'll pack Sammy" and tying
on apink sun.bonnet, she took him in her
arms, and started down the steep, crooked
path.
1t was a picturesque scene that Law be-
fore her. The sunlight, sitting through
the trees that covered the western hills,
glinted the windows here and there, and
reached, like golden bar, just across the
top of the low eastern shore. Scattered
through the hollows and up the sides of
the bluffs were divers houses, from the
preter tious gothic dwelling on the north
ern hill and the brick business houses
down street, to log cabins and cottonwood
shanties; while the road that wound up
the bed Of the ravine was lined with a
long, white train of Denver-bound freight
wagons.
She reached the steep main street to
find it filled with wagons that had been
turned crosswise of the street, to rest the
teams. But edging her way close to the
clay bank, she reached the river Just as
the steamer was leaving the wharf: The
snorting of the engine and the shouting
Of the deck.hands, together with the
putting of the mill near BY, was too much
for baby bravery, and Sammy's lip began
to culver. Catching him in her arms, his
mother sat down on a saw-log, There,
there, honey, don't 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 tall cotton
wood trees on the opposite shore. At
length four men came out of the woods,
and entering skiff, 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 wool
len shirts-for lumbermen did not pretend
to wear cOats-eXcept in the coolest
weather-jumpsd out of the skif, and
with boisterous lau yhter and rude tests,
entered the mill. Presently one of them
spied her and came toward her, saving
boisterously, "Hoorah for you, Nancy!
Whatever brought you 'uns down ERE
this time of evenin'? Mighty fine doins,
when you oughter be to home gettin' your
old man bite o. supper! Packed that
young'un 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, shouting, "Hoorah
for pappy's man! Peertest boy in this
ERE town! Mighty proud to see his pap!"
Poor Nancy! Her husband was drunk
again.
She hurried up the street, pinning her
deep sun-bonnet more closely about her
face, that the passers might not see the
tears that would come He had kept So
Der SO long that she had hoped he would
come hsme sober again. She had antici-
pated 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 only her child and
her thoughts for company!
1t took but few minutes to put supper
on the table. Then she sat down on the
doorstep to watch for her husband, worry
ing all the time lest he let something hap
pen to Sammy. When at last he came
the effects of the liquor were wearing of.
and he ate his supper and smoked his pipe
in sullen silence. She could not eat a
mouthful, but she dared not let the tears
come, for fear it would make him angry.
So she fed Sammy. laying her face on his
little head once in awhile, to force back
the choking lump that kept rising in her
throat. Then she hastened to rock him
asleep, lest his fretfGlness disturb his
father. - <EEt. s-.!.rE -
The first peep of dawn found her busily
preparing breakfast, for she. knew that
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,
as she moved quickly back and forth from
table to stove; from thence to the little
row of shelves, in lieu of a cupboard, set.
ting on the dishes, watching the bacon,
and taking the crisp corn. dodger from the
oven. "She is q dear, good wife, !" thought
he; "what scoundrel was to make her
feel SO badly" He knew that he had
been rough to her the night before. He
wished that he could remember what he
said. Ofcourse he never got dead drunk
but he wished that he ever could let whis.
ky alone.
His break fast WAC iust IN hia l;kipo