New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-07-18
:,lm, ana cvlaently ala NOT near the un-
feeling remark.

And this can keep it company. said
Bagley, producing y handsome pistol.
Skinner drew the slip of paper upon
which the word ego was written.
1.-The little girl can sit before We, and
We can stop at the cabin and give this,
the last Of our hard tack, to the wo-
man. said Bagley.
One of the men came forward with a
flask of whisky, which he asserted would
''straighten out the little chap" Fleet
wood, their only horse, was quickly
saddled and Skinner started on his err
rand.
'.Tcll yer ma to fight her luck few
hours longer, and when supplies come
we'll give ye rousing supper, shouted
Bagley rs they rode away.
When some distance from the hut
Skinner put the girl down, gave her the
biscuit and flask, after drinking halt
its contents, and rsanm6d his journey.
In the evening Flynn and Basley
vent over TO the hut, intending to bring
the woman and her children up to the
camp.
Skinner will get back about eight
o'clock. Iguess the sick boy only wants
little feeding up to make him all
right, = remarked Flynn rs they ap.
preached the hut.
They found the woman seated on the
rough floor with the boy on her lap, and
Maggie, their late visitor, Mt her side
sound asleep. With fearless sobs she
related her sad story About five years
before, or when Freddie was only q few
weeks old, her husband left to join q
party of prospectors who were going to
the Sierra Nevada region, and she had
never heard from or seen him since.
She waited until her funds were nearly
exhausted, then made her way to Sac
ramento. While supporting her child
rem as best she could she learned that
the party had broken camp; her hus-
band had been brought to Sacramento
and placed in a hospital, where he re-
NAMED long time seriously ill with
brain fever. She traced him to the hos
pital only to find that he had gone
away again, no one could tell whittier.
Recently she learned that man an
swering his description and bearing the
same name was working in the Kiwan-
ma mines, and she was on her way
there. He had always been fond hus-
band and father, and she believed he had
searched for her also, but they had
missed each other.
The two men were deeply moved as
they listened to the story of her suffer-
ings, and, after much persuasion, in
duced her to return to camp with them,
promising that one of the miners would
60 the following day to Kiwanna, about
ten miles distant, and make inquiries
concerning the person she supposed was
her husband Without further ceremo-
ny Flynn wrapped the boy in the blank
ct he had brought for the purpose.
Bagley trudged along with Maggie in his
arms.
When the party reached camp it was
past the time set for Skinner's return.
but he had not arrived. A bed of brush
wood covered with a blanket was ar
ranged for the guests, and after they
had lain down the men lighted their
pipes and gathered around the fire,
conversing in low whispers and listening
eagerly for the sound Of the horses foot
steps.
''He oughter bin here long afore
this, y said Bagley, rousing himself from
a brown study. '.Boys, he's scooted. y
The suggestion fell like q bombshell:
no one spoke for moment, then Bagley
resumed:
"He's got your watch, Flynn, my pis-
tol and Fleetfoot. He's gone sure as
shootin'. l saw the devil a shining in
his eyes when he drew the Slip
The others were 10th to accept their
comrades suggestions, but all crept
to their resting places with very heavy
hearts.
1--WE kin live on beans,'' muttered
Bagley, "but what in thunder will boz
come of the woman an the kids?''
In the morning there was considerable
excitement in Eureka Camp. Two of
the men, Bagley and Reed, were miss
ing. After protracted search, the lat
ter was found near q clump of bushes
some distance away in an unconscious
state, having apparently fallen in fit.
They carried him back to camp, laid the
limp form on bramble bed and gazed
at each other in blank dismay.
Call the woman; p'raps she II know
what to do, advised Tom Knowles.
The woman did not wait to be called.
Seeing that something was amiss, she
the group. The next mo-
ment heartrending cry burst from her
lips. Falling upon her knees. she threw
her arms around the sick man and kiss
ed the still. white face in wild, distract
ed way. A slight tremor passed over
Reed sframe. Heopened his eyes, looked
wistfully at the woman bending over
him. Then q CLEAN of intelligence
Illuminated his countenance; he recog-
nized the faithful wife, from whom he
had long been separated, by singular
freak Of fate. For one brief moment
soul met soul. He raised his hand
heavenward, mnrmured family, Cup
there, Maggie" then earned his soubri-
quet of Silent Reed
A solemn Stiffness prevailed around
Eureka camp when Flynn and his COM
rades returned from their unsuccessful
search for Bagley. Tho remainder of
the party were sitting around in dcspon.
dent attitudes, while Mrs. Reed, with the
sick child on her knees and one hand
fondly resting on the dead mans face,
looked the very embodiment of incon-
sOlable grief. Observation-Disclosures
Tom Flynn-how his burly frame shook
with sobs rs the touching death scene
was described to him.
Boys" he said huskily, 1--WE must
face our hard luck like heroes. I have
insisted al along that the Eureka held
q fortune for each Of us, because be-
ieved it. But it cost him struggle
to utter the next words, which were the
cxtinguisbment Of the hope that had en-
abled them to endure privation and
hunger without murmur. s.But, . he
went on, 81 was mistaken. After that
poor creature has grown accustomed to
her sorrow we will bury poor 81 and
pull up STAKES. Wewon' { abandon them,
boys For his sake we must protect
those he loved. =
The others heartily agreed to the last
clause. While arranging their plans for
the future, little Maggie bounded down