The Jasper weekly courier., 1873-10-17

ought Ia beg her pardon. but. beinga Inan.
OF course he did not condcScend 10 that
At length he began by saying: y on Was
right pcert about Your breakfast this
morning. Nancy
"Oh, allowed most likely you'd want
Ia get of soon." she answered.
"NeS. Jones wants us there ag'in' sun
up. It's only iifty-log rant; reckon We
can get il down 10 Leavenworth agin' the
night train starts. and I'll get right ON.
and be- back To Atchison afore day. Don't
catch me foolin' away another day round
that old fort
"Oh. John, I'm so proud''-she paused
abruptly. for his eyes dropped with look
Of conscious shame. What mood WAS he
in: Would il do to speak theng lie had
showed back from the table. and there was
serious. far-away look in his eyes. but
nothing sullen or forbiddng. She went
around. and dropping on her knees beside
him, slipped her arms about his neck,
saying "Oh. John. | wish you'd promise
me you'd never drink no more whisky"
That's most too hard on "A fellow; but
I'll promise not to-not drink too much
ag'in." he answered.
but I'm afeared that wouldn't do no
good
You talk like you thought | hadn't
sense enough to stop when I've got
enough. ii try" he exclaimed.
"Oh. John. don't talk So. You know
you promised me that nigh onto a year
ago; but you think you'll just take one
dram. and then just one more. and afore
you know il. it's too much. Ii you'd
only promise now that you'd never taste
nary drop ag'in.'
Still he kept his eyes steadily turned
away from hers.
..Don't you mind now." She went on.
show your mother said one time Il rcck-
on. Nancy. YOU count John mighty
rough chap. but he's all right at the core !;
and don't YOU mind how She used TO pray
for you in them old times Don't YOU
mind the evenin' We heard her praying
down by the old spring. VI she's watch
ing you among the stars. how proud she'd
be to hear you promise. And John"
she continued, dropping her voice To a
whisper. Il pray. TOO. sometimes.
haven't never told you. but I've been feel
ing right serious here OF hate. I've taken
10 rcadin' my Bible. and I've just made up
my mind 10 live better'n | used to: and
pray for you, too, and it seems like God
hears me And she laid her head on
his shoulder 70 hide her tears.
Hi, arms slipped around her. but he
still kept his eyes turned stubbornly
away from hers. At last. LAYING his face
against hers. he spoke earnestly, YES.
Nancy. Ipromise.r
Presently. starting up. he exclaimed.
If | haven't stayed till plum daylight :"
"Oh. John come and kiss baby aforc
yOu 90, he looks 80 sweet. sammy
sammy wake up honey and Mss pappy."
4" Bless his sleepy eyes. Pappy's little
man I'll bring him some candy when
come home ag'in."
All day Nancy went about with snch a
light. CHEEKY heart a. she had not carried
in her bosom for many a day: singing
snatches Of old hymns. and thinking hap
py, hopeful thoughts of him who. all those
long hours. was working his rtldder
against the strong current of the Missouri.
That evening the stars shOne brightly
down upon her. when She knelt by the
little window. and asked Gods blcS sings
on her husband and his good resolutions.
But she was awakened. few hours af-
terward. by "A rush and confusion. a shower
Of glass and hail across her bed !: and
catching her baby in her arms. she sprang
up. frightened and bewildered. II was a
terrible storm; one long to be rcmem-
bered by all who felt it, tcrrors.
The deaiening roar of the wind and
hail almost drowned the loud thun-
der claps. \ binding flash Of light
ming showed the trees almost bent 10 the
ground. and the house rocked TO and fro
like "A cradle. She suddenly felt a new,
strange feeling. a. If she was flying. float
ing through the air. She thought that
she was dizzy. and caught hold of the bed.
\ terrible crash-,he never knew how il
all happened. Her baby's cries aroused
her. The wind and rain chilled her
through. She started TO spring up. but
something held her down. 4 shock of
pain darted over her. and putting out her
hand. she felt great beam lying heavily
across her limbs. Ii seemed a. though Il
was crushing her. Something struck her.
then another. and another. How they
-tung, Oh was her child unsheltered
from that pitileSs storm. His screams
grew louder. Oh, she must reach him
She could see nothing through the thick
darkness. but she knew that he was not far
OIL W hat If lac. too. was fastened. Grip
pied. She stretched her arms: every
movement made her pain more cNcruci-
ating. She strained every nerve: she
could almost reach him. What If lac was
free and could come to hcrs "Oh sam
my, sammy" she called. come To man.
my" The child ceased CRYING. She
heard him move. His warm body touched
her hands that were cropping in the dark
ness. She caught him in her arms aud
Rugged him To her breast. She felt of his
head. his arms. his feet sound and whole.
How thankful she was for that But how
those cruel hail-stones must have brilised
him. The frightened child ceased crying,
and put his arms about her neck. III she
could only find something to cover them
from the storm. She reached around. but
could touch only cold mud.
Oh that terrible pain. She had almost
forgotten it in her anxiety for her child.
II grew more and more intolerablc. II
seemed as though the hail-stones struck
through into her brain. What ii they
killed her. Was She afraid to die. Wis