, 1884-03-01
YIK KEE.

/ =
had been living on credit was 1S,
strong and well, but did not know
how to work. In the little back
room of the New York tenement
house (by the way, our landlady
seized my clothes forour remit con-
sidered my future. l had inherited
great faith in relatives from my
father, so l wrote to seven. / re-
ceived six polite notes, telling me
to go to work, and the following
letter:
JoNEsBORO, Col, Jackson's Ranch
Dear Nell; Pm your cousin Jack.
\ Your father once gave me money to
come west. I've took up land, got Il
comfortable home, no style or frills,
but good folks to live with and
healthy grub. Pve got the best wife
you. ever see and seven youngsters.
The city amt no place for friend
less, girl, Wife wants you to come.
| She'll be a mother to you. Come
right off. I'll meet you at Denver"
Inclosed was a check sufficient to
defray expenses; so l started. Den
yer was then only large town, and
the depot a bar-like structure. l got
out Of the cars and stood bewildered
among the emigrahts and other bum
dies. Someone touched me on the
shOulder-a roughly dressed, broad
shouldered man, with long blonde
beard and big blue eyes.
care you Nell ~ he said.
eyes and you are Cousin Jack"
81 knew yOu,,' he said, as he led
the way, "by your black clothes an
sOrrerful look, an them big, blue
eyes, like yer fathers as two peas.
Wen get the shaddcr outer 'em
when we git home. Yer father was
mighty good man. Bless yer dear
heart, don't let them tears come.
This 'cre's a dry country. we don't
waste water"
Comforting me in his kind, rough
way, he reached his team, big,
green wagon, drawn by two wild
looking steeds, which | afterwards
knew to be bronchos, A fat, blonde
boy, about u, held the reins.
"That,s Ted" said Cousin Jack.
'Ted, this is Miss Nell, your cousin
give her a hug" The fat boy sol.
EMMY obeyed.
After this he seemed to have
special claim on my affections be-
cause he met me first. Jacks wife
was Il jolly, plump woman, with
brown eyes and curly hair. She al
ways had baby IN her arms and an
other at her heels. She adOred Jack.
| never knew them to have a quar-
rel. / soon grew to love the life at
the ranch. l liked the big, half fin
ished house, its untidyness and COM
fort; its pleasant, healthy atmos-
phere. I loved the children, the
household pets; Shep, the sagacious
dog Thad, the clever eat ; the hens
and sheep, the horses, Dolly, Dot and
Daisy, that did the plOwing and the
marketing at Denver, twelve miles
away, and were 50 gentle and kind
we used to ride them without sad
die or bride. / learned that cattle
grew fat on the dry looking grass,
and gave the best Of milk. learned
to love the broad plains ana the
glorious sunsets, and to watch the
distant bands Of Indians with half
fear and half interest. ] helped
cousin Mary, sewed, 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 l told the
children stories. Occasionally Harry
White came over to visit us from
his ranch, five miles away. lie
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. lie went alone, and COM
ing 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. If he ever
drank, | should thought him intoxi-
Gated. In the wagon was a queer
shaped heap under a horse blanket.
/ was sure it moved. When we got
behind the barn Jack SAID, sheepIsh-
~, avoiding my eve:
"Well, Ted, calkerlate Pve got
su'thing in that there Vaughn that
'ul astOnish yer marm."
Little Name pulled the blanket Off
the heap she had been peeping un-
der it all the while she was in the
wagon. There lay a human being.
Such an object; short and squat,
dressed in queer blue blouse with
flowing sleeves, wide trousers and
queer wooden shoes. He had small
black, eyes, shaven poll, from
which depended long, thin queue.
His countenhnce was battered and
bruised, his clothes torn and bloody.
'There was row down to Den
YER" said Jack; "the Christian
folks stove In these 'ere heathen's
winders, tore their hodses down, and |
killed half on 'em. cleared out as
soon as 1 could. When l got half
way home l heard noise back of
me and out ,crawled this thing. ] !
was so dumbfoundcd l couldn't |
speak. He thought l was going ter
I 4