The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-08-23
ON A COLD TRAIL.
IChicago Tribune.]

hand allghted from Western train
three days ago at the Union depot on
Canal street. Her complexion was
brown, her cheeks were high and pro-
jecting, and her hair was Jet bl X. She
was plainly dressed, and probably the
most expensive article of attire she
wore was her large, brown
vanished straw hat surrounded by o
purple feather. AS she looked around
the station wonderingly, and her little
boy at her side clung half frightened to
her dress, it was easy to see she was
stranger to Chicago. Approaching one
of the men around the depot, she asked
several questions, shook her head
gravely once or twice, and then with
downward head, as if she were in tears,
led her boy slowly up the stairway to
Canal street, where she stood for few
minutes gazing aiternatelysto all points
of the compass.
THAT seems to be kind of hard
case" said the depot-hand whom she
had been questioning. "She has come
with her boy all the way from Pawnee
City, Neb., and if it hadn't been for the
kindness of the other passengers on the
cars she would have been dropped
somewhere on the road long before she
reached Chicago, because she started
without money or ticket, and, I dare
say, for that matter the pair
hadn't morsel of grub be-
tween them. You see, this is
how it is. She is a half-breed In
dian, and married q white mana la
borer on the railroad: When the mans
job was finished he deserted her and
her child and left her penniless. She
learned from some of the other labor
ers that he had gone off to Chicago,
and without knowing anything about
Chicago, except that it was a pretty big
village somewhere in tho east, she
silently went home, dressed herself and
her boy, and boarded the first train to
this city.
1.-THE conductor was telling me all
about her. When he asked her for her
ticket she looked scared and said she
hadn't any, but if he wouldn't take her
along to Chicago she and the boy
would just step out and walk-walk,
mind you, to Chicago from Nebraska
Well, this kind of staggered the con-
ductor, who began to question her. She
sad she was going to find her husband,
whose name was Thomas, and that she
didn't expect there would be any diff
ficulty in finding him, as he would
| probably be working among the other
laborers on the new track at Chicago.
You see, she thought Chicago was some
| village where the railroad was going to
| be laid for the first time. Well, the
conductor, kind-hearted fellow,
didn't like to turn her off
the cars and he went among the
other passengers and told them how
the squaw, as he called her, was going
to take walk to the village of Chi
cago' to find her husband, who had
skipped out and left her alone with a
boy. The word was passed around and
in half an hour Mrs. Thomas had not
on'y her fare paid, but few dollars
over to get her food on the trip and still
leave her some money to get along with
in Chicago for day or SO anyhow. For
two days she sat in the car, speaking to
nobody and staring blank in front of
her, and it wasn't until the third that
she ventured to ask the conductorif she
wasn't going out of her way and
mightnt have passed Mr.. Thomas on
the road. There goes the 'squaw' and
'papoose' now, along side the fence up
there" concluded the depot-man, "and
I expect they'll have time of it before
they chance upon Mr.. Thomas in the
streets of Chicago"
The same night the guests of small
hotel on South Canal street were
thrown into CONSERVATION by singular
awakenings, and at breakfast next
morning they exchanged stories about
their experiences towards the witching
hour of midnight. One said that he
was sound asleep in bed when he found
himself grabbed by the feet. By the
dim light he thought he beheld giant.
tugging at the bedclothes and heard a
sepulchral voice saying: you are my
husband; you come with me-" An.
other said that in his room there were
three fellows sleeping, when all of a
sudden they were awakened by being
pushed and hauled about. They
sat up simultaneously and asked,
"What in thunder is the mat
ter?" and a voce replied,
(which of you mans is my husband ?"
All in turn condemned the specter
roundly for it's intrusion, and it glided
away with kind of grunt; but few
seconds afterwards they heard series
of yells, and the clerk of the hotel came
tearing down the corridor with wild
looking woman at his heels. He was in
his night clothes. She caught him by
the hair and he yelled again. She
pulled him under the kerosene light
He begged wildly for mercy. Gazing
steadily into his face for few mo-
ments she pushed him away from
her with gesture of disgust
and sad, "You amt no the mar
want" By this time the whole
hotel had been aroused, and crowd O
half dressed people came out of theil
rooms into the halls to see what tn,
matter was. The tall woman with phe
nomenal strides swept past them all un
til she came opposite out-built, mid
dle-sized man with shaggy black whis
kers and pair of Canton cottol
drawers, who was standing in one o
the doorways. Clutching him frantic
ally around the neck, and then sliding
down to the ground until she caugh
him by the knees, she called out: "Oh
. Thomas, got you'll I knowed I'd ge
you, Thomas oh, Thomas, DOM 'tneve
leave your poor wife and baby no NOR,
your poor baby, Thomas-your poo
little baby, Thomas!'
In the meanwhile the man addressed
as Mr.. Thomas recovered from his frs
astonishment. gave whistle, and thel
! ! said in tone of the most ineffable dis
gust, Wal, I'll be doggoned! Shoe