Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-12-14
JOHNS PROMISE.

-
JOHNS PROMISE.
An Incident Of Western Pioneer Life.
Simmer was mushroom city which
had sprung up on the banks of a ra-
vine that cut through the Western
bluffs Of the Missouri. In q thicket
OF oak saplings, high up on the side Of
one of those bluffs, stood hastily
built house, sided with rough. upright
cottonwood boards. a rusty stovepipe
sticking through the roof; small
window. curtained by 9 scollop edged
newspaper and q white door taken
from sunken steamboat, whose nicely
finished PANELS cOntrasted strangely
with its surroundings, completing the
exterior.
One pleasant May evening, just as
the shrill whistle Of a steamboat echo.
ed. among the hills, this door was
opened by = pleasant young woman.
Who was followed by crying child.
"Oh, Sammy, quit your noise; that's
pappy's little man; see the great boat
way yonder; lifting him up; "don't
you see! LOOK right sharp now, close
a'gin' the bank. Does Sammy want to
60 down town and see the big boat,
and see pappy p The willing feet
toddled down the path but the moth
er called swat q bit, and nanny
II pack Sammy; and, tying on a pink
sun. bonnet, she took him in her arms
and started down the steep, crooked
path.
She reached the steep main street to
find it filled with wagons that had been
turned crosswise in the street, to rest
the teams, But, edging her way close
to tho clay bank, she reached the river
just as the steamer was leaving the
wharf. Tie suOrting Of the engine
and the shouting of the deck hands, to.
gether with the putting of the mill
near by, was too much for baby BRAY.
cry, and Sammy's lip begun to culver.
Catching him in her arms, his mother
sat down on a saw log, saying: ''There,
there. honey, don't be afeared, be pap.
py's man, now
The tide waves of the receding boat
sunk lower and lower on the sand +; the
gay crowds 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 a skiff, started
across the river. She watched the
skif anxiously, for it frequently disap-
peared between the waves which were
raised by the strong south wind.
Four rough.looking men, in red
wooden shirts--for lumbermen did not
pretend to wear coats, except in the
coolest weather-jumped out of the
skiff, and, with boisterous laughter
and rude jests, entered the mill. Pres
emily one Of them spied her and came
toward her saying boisterously "Hoo-
rah foc you, Nancy Whatever brought
you'un down ere this time of evenin'!
Mighty fine doin's, 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
well get back right quick. now!' He
snatched the baby from her and tossed
him on his shoulder, shouting: ''Hoo-
rah 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 sober so long that she had
hoped he would come home sober
again. She had anticipated so much
pleasure of meeting him after his
weeks absence. How often she had
thought of it those long lonely nights,
when she had only her child and her
thoughts for company.
It 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 less he let
something happen to Sammy. When
at last he came to, the effects of the
liquor were wearing off, and he ate
his supper and smoked his pipe in sui.
len silence. She could not eat a
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 while to force back the choking
lump that kept rising in her throat.
Then she fastened to rock him to SLEEP
lest his fretfulness should disturb his
father.
The first peep Of dawn found her
busily preparing breakfast, for she
kenw that John wanted an early start.
The sound of the coffee mill woke him
from his heavy sleep, and he lay quiet
~ watching her by the light of the
dim lamp, rs she moved quickly back
and forth from table to stove; from
thence to the little row of shelves, in
lieu of a I cupboard, setting on the
dishes, watching the bacon, and tax
ing the crisp corn dodger from the
oven. "She is a dear, good wife, >
thought he "what a scoundrel was
to make her feel so badly He knew
that he had ben rough to her the night
before. He wished that he could re-
member what he said. OF course he
never got dead drunk, but he wished
that he could for ever let whisky
alone.
His breakfast was just to his liking
and his wife as cheerful as if he wa.
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 uncomfort
able feeling that he ought to beg he1
pardon but, being man, of course
he did not condescend to that. Al
length he began by saying: ''You was
right peart about your breakfast this
morning, Nancy"
"Oh, allowed most likely you'd
want to get off soon," she answered..
Eyes, Jones wants US there ag'in
sunup. It's only a lifty-log raft reck.
on we can get it down to Leavenworth
ag in tho night train starts, and III
get RIGHT on and ha hack In A%o1,,.,r,,,