The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1877-04-19
Johns Promise.

Sumner was q mushroom city
which had sprung up on the banks OF
a ravine that cut through the west
ern bluffs of the Missouri. In thick
eft Of oak saplings, high up on one side
of one of those bluffs, stood hastily
built house, sided with rough, upright
cottonwood boards, rusty stOvepipe
sticking through the roof; small
window, curtained by q scOllOp-edged
newspaper, and 6 white door taken
from 8 sUnken steamboat whose nice
Iy finished panels cOntrasted strange
ly with its surroundings, completing
the exterior.
One pleasant May evening, just as
the shrill whistle OF a steamboat was
echoed along the hills, this door was
opened by pleasant young woman,
who was followed by crying child.
"Oh, Sammy, quit Jour noise
that's psppy's little man see that
great boat way yOnder," lifting HIM
up; "don't 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
path but the mother called "Wait
q bit, and Eammy'll 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 the clay bank, she reached
| the river Just as the steamer wss
| leaving the wharf. The snoTting 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,
saving "There, there, honsy-d0n't
be afeared, be psppy's man, now"
|. The tide waves of the receding boat
sank lower and lower on the sand
1.-THE gay crowds that leaned over the
guard grew indistinct, and she peered
more and more eagerly in among the
tall cottonwood trees of heSopposite
shore. At length four men came out
Of the woods, and, entering q skin,
started across the river. She watched
the skiff anxiously, for it frequently
disappeared between the waves which
were raised by the strong south
winds.
-Four rough looking men, in red
wooleu shirts-fOF umbermen did
not pretend to wear coats, except in
the coldest weather,-jumped out
of the skiff, and with boisterous
laughter and rude jests, entered the
mill. Presently one of them spied
! - = h1F Coufnn
boisterOusiv "HOcrSy for you
Nancy Whatever brought yOu'un
down 'ere this time of evenin'
Mighty fine doin's, when you ought
be 10 home gettin' your old man q
bite o. supper Reckon you had as
well get back right quick, now !" DE
snatched the baby from her and
tossed him on his shoulder, shouting,
"Hoorah for psppy's man Peartesl
boy in this 'ere town Mighty proud
to see his pap % Poor Nancy! HeI
husband was drunk again.
Size hurried up street, pinning her
deep sun bonnet more closely about
her face, that the psssers might not
see the tears that would come. He
had kept sober so long that she hop
ed he would come home sober again
She had anticipated so much pleasure
at meeting him after his weeks SO
sence. How often she had thought
of it those long, lonely nights, when
she had only her child aud her
thoughts for company.
1t took but few minutes to pu
supper on the table. Then she sal
down on the door steps to watch fol
her husband, worrying all the timI
lest he let something happen to sam
nv. When at last he came tht
effects of the liquor were wearing of
and he ate his supper and smoked his
pipe in sullen silence. She couldn'
eat a mouthful, but she dared not lei
the tears come, for she knew that j
would make him angry. So she feC
lSammy, laying her face on his littlt
head once in awhile, to force back tn
= choking lump that kept rising in he
throat. Then she hRstened to rock
him to sleep, lest his fretfulnes'
should disturb his father.
The first peep OF dawn found he
$ busiIy preparing breakfast, for sh
knew that John wanted an early
start. The sound of the coffee mil
woke him from his heavy sleep, an
he Law quietly watching her by tn
light of the dim lamp as she moveC
T quickly back and forth from table q
stove, from thence to the little row o
N shelves in lieu of cupboard, settin
NJ on the dishes, watching the bacon
and taking the crisp eorn-dOdger fror
the oven.
"She is a dear, good wife," though
n he "What q bad scOundrel was
noake her feel so badly ~
He knew that lie had been rough
her the night before. He vishe
that be could remember what
=. said, OF course, ne never got dea
drunk, but be wished that he coul
forever let whisky alone
His breakfast was just to his liking
and his wife as cheerful as if he ws
the best man in the world. d
y wanted to say something pleasant
break the awkward silence, but b
did not know how to begin. He hs
an uncomfortable feeling that
ought to beg her pardon but being
man, Of course he begun by saying
--- "You was right peart about yol
breakfast this morning, Nancy"
"Oh, 1 allowed most likely you
:, want to get of sOOn," she Rnswere
"Yes Jones wants US there ag'i
-- sunup. It's only fifty-log raft reel
80 on we can get it down to LeaveI
- worth ag'in the night train start
- and III get right on, and be back
n Atchison sfOre day. DON'T catch n
foolin' away another day arou nd th
=. old fort ~
N "Oh, John I'm so proud psi
$50, - paused abruptly, for his eyes drOop'
So. with a look of conscious sham
--- WHAT mood was he in Would it {
$3.50 to speak then ? He had showed bsC
n, from the table, and there was q S
1890 rious. far away look in his eyes, b
M nothing sulIen or fOrbidding.
She went around and dropped
----- her knees beside him, slipped h
N arms about his neck, saying:
---. "Oh, John, I wish you'd promi
-,,, - me you'd never drink any mo
a. whisky"
"That's most zoo hard on q fellow
1ai as but I will promise not to-not
' drink too much aR'in," he answere
Ins "But I am afraid that wouldn't
any good"
"YOu talk like you thought hadr
sense enough to stop when I've 6
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