The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1883-09-30
A Lesson from a Wolf
Chase.

on the day when Kate Wilde became his
bride. He was the envy Of every young man
in the rude western hamlet where the cere-
mony took place, and many were the good
wishes showered on the heads of tho newly
welded pair for their future happiness and
prosperity. Still there were those who not
only insinuated but boosted that the help
mate of her choice was unworthy the woman
be had won. Hates father and mother wero
particularly opposed to the match, and did
all in their power to prevent it, but the girl,
beside her unwayering love, possessed a de-
termined win which, when once aroused, car
ried much before 1t. Rube Wexford was
never accounted a strictly temperate man.
Indeed, there had been times before marriage
whom he was for days under the influence of
| liquor, and Kate had seen him in this state,
and therefore knsw fully the extent OF his
weakness. But the woman loved the man,
and within herself resolved that his reciama-
ton should be her duty. That success must
crown Der efforts she little doubted.
Autumn drifted away, the crops had been
gathered In, and all the indications pointed
to an early and severe winter. Rube's sprees
continued Nc wind was too cold, no snow
too deep to keep him from Washburn's, a
not distant tavern. One evening in the lat
| ter part Of December he took down his leg
gings and gun from the pegs whore they
nunB ano wis prepdIluB " go out- hhto
wcnt>to i'm and said:
.'Rube, you must not leave me tonight.
Give in to me this time and stayat home"
81 am only going for a jaunt," he replied,
'Tn be back soon.n
mo, you are going to Washburn's. To
night you will, you must crafty me. l am
afraid to remain here alone" ag
Afraid r. he answered. Such a thing as
fear was almost unknown to Kate Wilde.
She clasped her arms around his neck,
whispered into his ear, her cheeks flushing
brightly, then sat down into the rocker and
cried as If her heart would break. Rube
stood the gun in a corner, threw aside the
leggings and cried too.
The next morning when the winter sun
beamed upon tho cabin, the little log shelter
held three souls, instead of two. wee
stranger had come in the night, a bright
eyed baby girl. Her weak cry seemed to
move all the better part of tho husbands ma
ture, and his wife looked on with a newborn
conadeuce in her face. After a week, when
Kate WINS able to sit up, Rube went to
relate tho happy event to his grandparents.
It was the first time he had visited them for
ZONE months. Very early In the morning he
staIted, and when the afternoon shadow be-
gan to lengthen Kate looked up eagerly for
his return. It was toward daybreak when
he appeared, his hands and feet almost frozen,
and his senses stupeHed by liquor. The wife's
\ new hopes were destined to be short-lived.
FDshly made promises marked the sorrow,
but day. went by only TO see them unfulflled-
Now, theie was q now torture. Rube had
forx.ksn Washburns, and made his visit to
Pineville instead, where Hates father and
| mother ived. 1t was almost more than the
woman's nature could bear to know that her
parents were tho frequent witnesses of her
1 - 1900 Tl,,. rUu- 4. $500 - Isr-
which she could not and would not long
brook.
Little Kate, the baby, was q month old to
a day when Rube made preparations ono
morning for u trip to Pineville. Kate
looked on silently for a few moments, and
then said:
Where are you goingr'
'Only to Pineyille."
.'What forr'
"To see about some powder and stuff"
That Is untrue, You are going to spend
will come back stupid with liquor. Rube,
listen to me. have TODD all which 1t is pos
nble for me to endure. L have prayed and
sntreated you to abandon q habit which has
disgraced us both. My p~leadings have
brought nothing. l can not and will not
nave our child grow up to know a father who
Is n drunkard. II you refuse to stay at home,
I have said my last say. Go to Pinevi1Ie II
you insist on doing so, but IL you are not hero
sober by sunset l shall go with the baby to
fathers, and In this house l will never set
foot again" @ afiE.
"That's all talk" Rube nswered in a
rough, joking and half serious fashion
"Why, it's fifteen miles to Pinevills,"
mo matter" was the firm rejoinder,-'I
will make tho start If tile child and I freeze
To death by the way" lu.
Look out for wolves" Rube laughed
again There has been half a dozen seen
lately. 1t los been a hard winter for them,
and they're almost starved"
evolves or no wolves" muttered Kate,
am 60"
Rube hung about the house unessily for an
hour or 30, then rugged himself out, leggings,
buffalo coat, gun and all. Kate worked
away and said never a word. He opened the
door, and without looking back remarked:
"rff-be here by sunset" -
'See that you are" was the reply. al
you como here later the house will bs
empty"
Tho wife watched his form across the clear
ing and saw 1t disappear In the heavy timber
which circled the cabin. She turned to bel
household duties, but had no heart for them
Wen she knew Rube Wexford would bresi
his last promise, as he had broken other
beforo IT. II so he must abide by thu result
She was determined.
The day want by at q snail's pace, and thu
afternoon seemed never ending, Kat
fondled the baby, listened to her crow anC
cry, and fed her a dozen times. Then sh'
prepared supper, and sunset came when /
was completed. But IL brought no Rube
Another hour and still be was absent So tn
moments passed until the clock struck 10
The baby was fast asleep. Kate rose from
chair at the cradles side, a look of firm deter
mtnation on her face, and opening the cabiI
door, peered across the clearing. Not q sou
was visible. She closed the door, went to tn
Ghost, and took from It a pair of old-fash
Toned skates whose steel runnsrs CLEANED Il
tho freight. She laid them ready for us
and proceeded to wrap herself as warmly a
possible. Then she bundled the baby in tn
same manner, lifted her tsnderly in her arms
and with the skates slung over her shoulder
started across the clearing. After reaching
the timber she left the beaten path and mad
for the river. 1t was coated heavily with ice
and the strong winds had blown it almost on
tirely free from snow, leaving a nearly makes
surface. Kate laid the baby down for a fev
momcnts While she fastened on her skates
Then she lifted her baby once more an
started for Pineville, fifteen miles away. Tn
moon shone brightly, she wa a wonderful
rapid skatsr, and she know not the slightes
susplnion Of fear.
Rube Wexford sat near the warm fr
whish WA surrounded by dozen men be
ode himself He had been there for hour
listening TO anecdotes of hunter's lives, evel
adding to the general und with some of hi
own experiences, but though his companion
soaxed and persuaded him, they could no
prevail upon him to taste liquor. This wa
something % entirely new that many q lRugl