The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-01-04
EIk kEE.

YIk KEE.
After father died some ten wears arr
4 found that for three wears we ha
been living on credit. | was eighteen
strong and well. but did not know no,
{" work. In the little back room of tn
New York tenement house (by the way
the landlady seized my clothes for on
remit 1 conSide.ed my future. / ha
inherited a great "a tn in relatives, fror
my father. 50 | wrote TO seven. [ re
ceiVed six polite no;es. telling me to O
20 work, and the following letter:
JoTESBoRo, Color tD0-JACHSoY'S RANCH
DEAR NEIL.-l'm your cousin Jack. You
IL her once give me money to come ont Wcs
I've took up LAND, got a comfortable home n
style or trils, but goo Il folks to live with an
healthy grub. I've got the best wife yOu eve
see and seven fine youngsters. The city ain
no place for ii t'icndlcSS girl. Wife wants Vol
TO come She'll be a mother to You. Conn
right Of I'll meet you al Denver. JACK.
Enclosed was check sufficient to de
fray expenses; so | started. Denve
was then only large town and the de
pot a barn-like structure. | got out OF
the cars and stood bewildered among
all the emigrants and their bundles
Some one touched me on the shoulder
a roughly-dressed, broad-shouldered
man with long, blonde beard and BIG
blue eyes.
Are You Nell?" he said.
"1es: and you're Cousin Jack"
Il knew YOU he said, as he led the
way. "by your black clothes an sorrer-
full look, an them big, blue eyes, like
Yer fathers rs two peas. Well Git the
shader outer 'em when we git home.
Yer father was mighty good man.
Bless Yer dear heart. don't let them
tears come. This ere s dry country;
we don't waste no water"
Comforting me in his kind, rough
way, he reached his team, a big, green
wagon. drawn by two Withholding
steeds which l afterward knew to be
hronchos. A fat. blonde boy. about
twelve, held the reins.
That's Ted" said Cousin Jack.
''Ted, this is Miss Nell, yer cousin; give
her a hug Tie fat boy solemnly
sobeyed.
After this he seemed to have special
claim on my affections because he met
me first Jacks wife was Jolly.
plump woman. with brown ewes and
curly hair. Slc always had a baby in
her arms and another at her heels. She
adcred Jack | never knew them to
have a cuarrel. >oon grew to love the
,li;e 4: the ranch. | liked the big, half
finished house, its unt;dyness and COM
forts pleasant. healthy atmosnhere.
l loved the children. the household pets
-Shep. the sagacinus dog; Thad, the
clever cat; the hens and sheep: the
horses Dolly. Dot and Daisy, that did
the blowing and the marketing at Den
Yer. twelve miles away. and were so
gentle and kind we used to ride them
W thout saddle or bride. | learned
that cattle grew fat on the dry-looking
grass and gave the best of milk.
learned to love the broad plains and the
glorious sunsets, and to watch the dis
tant bands of Indians with half fear.
half interest. L helped Cousin Mary.
sewed and cooked. kept the house and
children neat and lifted many burdens
from her weary shoulders. We were so
happy. The children and took long
walks over the plains, and Ted and
took many rides on Dolly and Dot, and
in the long winter evenings | told the
children stories. Occasionally Harry
White came over to visit us from his
ranch five miles away. He lived with
his old mother; he and Jack were dear
friends. Harry needed a wife. Jack
used to say. winking at me.
One day Jack went to Denver for
supplies. He went alone. and coming
home later than usual, Ted and | and
baby Name went out to meet him.
Jack looked sober and guilty, and
seemed i'll at ease. IL he ever drank.
should have thought him intoxicated
In the wagon was queer-shaped heap
under horse-blanket. / was sure it
moved. When we got behind the barn
Jack said, sheepishly. avoiding my eve:
swell. Ted. | calkerlate I've got
su thing in that there Vaughn that 'ul
astonish yer marm."
Little Name pulled the blanket off
the heap; she had been peeping under
it all the while she was i'm the back of
the wagon. There lay human being
Such an object: short and squat,
dressed in a queer blue blouse with
flowing sleeves. wide trousers and queer
wooden shoes. He had small, black
eyes. a shayen poll, from which de-
pended long, thin queue. His cOunte-
nance was battered and bruised, his
clothes torn and bloody.
There was row down to Denver"
said Jack; ''the Christian folks stove in
these ere heathen's winders, tore their
houses down, an killed half on 'em. |
cleared out soon as | could. When |
got half way home heard a noise back
o me, and out crawled this thing. |
was so dumbfounded couldn't speak
He thought L was going ter send him
back, an he fell ter cryin' and jabber-
in in that zap of his, an clingin' onter
my han an kissin' of it. 1t sorter
turned my stomach. told him ter set
down, give him some crackers ter eat,
covered him up an told him he could
live with me. What do you s'pose
marm'll sayP"
''Oh! Cousin jack" l said, "of
course, she will not care. Your home