The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-10-31
JOHNS PROMISE.

/
that cut through the western bluffs of
the Missouri. In thicket of oak sap
ings, 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 stove-pipe sticking through
the roof small window, curtained by
a scalloped-edge newspaper, and white
door taken from a sunken steamboat,
whose nicely-fnished panels contrasted
strangely with its surroundings, COM
pleting 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
followed by crying child.
go Sammy, quit your noise that s
pappy's little man see the great big
boat way yonder - lifting him up :
"dont 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 tod
died down the path but the mother
called, "Wait bit, and nanny IL
pack Sammy ;" and tying on pink sun
bonnet, she took him in her arms and
started down the steep, crooked path.
1t was picturesque scene that lay
before her. The sunlight, sitting
through the trees that covered the wes-
tern hills, glinted the windows here
and there and reached, 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
pretentious Gothic dwelling on the
northern 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 long, white train of Denver
bound freight-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
as the steamer was leaving the wharf.
The snorting of the engine aud the
| shouting of the deck-hands, together
with the putting of the mill near by,
was too much for baby-bravery, and
Sammy's lips beganl to quiver. Catch
| ing him in her arms, his mother sat
down on saw-log, saying, There,
there, honey, don't be afeared, be pap
py'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 cot
tOnwood trees on the opposite shore. At
length four men came out of the woods,
and entering a skif, started across the
river. She watched the skif anxiously,
for it frequently disappeared between
the waves which were raised by the
strong south wind. such winds belong
ing as Proverbially to Kansas springs,
as whooping-cough to children, or gapes
to chickens.
Four rough-looking men, in red
wooden shirts, for lumbermen did not
pretend to wear coats, except in the
cOldest weather, jumped out of the skiff, |
and with boisterous laughter and rude
iests, entered the mill. Presently one |
of them spied her and came toward her,
saying boisterously, "Hoorah for you,
Nancy Whatever brought you'ns |
down ERE this time of evenin'? Mighty |
fine doins, when you oughter be to
home gettin' your old man bite O. sup |
per 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 pap
py's nan Peertest boy in this ere
town Mighty proud to see his pap!"
Poor Nancy Her husban was drunk
again.
She hurried up the street, pinning her
deep sunbonnet more closely about her
face, that the passers might not see the
tears that would come. He had kept So
ber so long that she had hoped he would
come home sober again. She had an
ticipated go 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 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
SOM thing happen to Sammy. When at
last he came, the effects of the liquor
were wearing off, and he ate his supper
ami smoked his pipe in sullen silence.
She could not eat 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 a while, to force
back the Choking lump that kept rising
in her throat. Then she hastened to
rock him asleep, lest his fretfuiness dis
turb his father.
The first peep of dawn found her bu-
silly 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 watch
ing her by the light of the dim grease
lamp, as she moved quietly back and
forth from table to stove; from thence
to the little row of shelves, in lieu of
cupboard, setting on the dishes, watch
ing the bacon, and taking the crisp
corn-dodger from the oven. "She is
dear, good wife," though he "What
scoundrel l 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. OF course he never got dead
drunk, but he wished that he could let
whisky alone.
His breakfast was just to his liking,
and his wife as cheerful as if he was the
best man in the world He wanted to
say something pleasant to break the
awkward silence, but he did not know
how TO begin. He had an uncomforta-
BILE feeling that he ought to beg her
pardon, but being man, of course he
did not considescend to that at length
he began by saying: "You was right
peert about your breakfast this morn
ing, Nancy"
40 allowed most likely you'd want
to get off soon, ;" she answered.
Sc Yes, Jones wants us there ag'in'
sun-up. It's only fifty-log raft; reckon
we can get it down to Leavenworth
ag'in' the night train starts, and I'll get
right on, and be back to Atchison afore
day Don't catch me foolin' away an
other day round that old fort. "
80 John I'm so proud" she paused :