The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-22

'HNE "AO SuCu iittic DIS q DLs
when l left that / really spec; they
have forgotten how their own father
Jocks There's Martha, now. she'd
recognize me in a minute, I'll venture;
six years is a long time. though. and
I've had some awful hard knocks durin'
that time; wonder now if / am lookin'
much the wus for wear" and he arose
a little hurriedly and went and hunted
1p the bit of looking-glass among his
Kit OF things, and took a long look at
himself with a queer kind Of feeling
about the heart, that some way re-
minded him Of the days when he first
knew himself to toe in love with Martha
Simmonds, and wa q little uncertain AS
20 how his advances would be received.
Every day after that until they came,
he had looked in the glass 81 least once,
IA often more than once, and had kept
his hair and beard combed and his
clothes looking as well as possible. con-
sidering the fact that, to a very great
extent, he was forced TO RELY on strings
to do the duty usually performed by
buttons
He had at first thought Of meeting
his family at Sacramento. and had gone
down there in the middle Of August
with the intention of remaining until
they arrived; but as the time Of their
coming was quito uncertain, and might
not be for several weeks Vet. and AS
some things remained To be done to the
cottage. he had made arrangements
with 10 bronson, who also had friends
in the expected company. TO see that
f:ey were properly directed after being
supplied with anything of which they
might bc in special need, or to at one
notify him in case anything had gone
wrong with them. and had returned to
the ranch To await them there.
For several DAYS after his return r.
busted himself about the cottage. put
ting in n shelf here: driving up u nail
there; gong ont 10 look at the garden.
the ground for which ne had broken
early in the spring almost the first day
after ne had aid his claim and written
his family 10 come-and which now.
thanks 10 his careful tending and the
natural adaptabs.i.y of the soil and
climate. could easily furnish vegetables
and melons enough for ! larger family
than the IN whose wants they were in
tended TO supply; and remembering
that but afaw days or weeks interviewed
before their coming. that even nov
they might be in sight from the bluffs
at the bend of the creek whose wind
;ngs the road followed. that they might
be coming around the BEND at any mo-
ment, is it any wonder that ne slept but
lightly, or that he often raised himself
from his blanket. fancying he heard a
familiar voice calling TO HIM through
the darkXcss?
Only two DAYS before their arrival \
~ncigboriDg squattcr called Mt the ranch.
and the two men spoke together earn-
es,ly and excitedly. and when the neigh
bor left John ParSSlS hastily mounted
his poay and dashed away across The
counir at ~~rcak-neck speed. casting
anxious Clances back over the track in
the direction from which he expected
any dav, any hour. Ia see the canvas
covered wagon in whose occupants
every hope of his life conferred.
After An absence Of a few hours he
returned at the same reckless pace. but
ofilN 't1Su VII again. sAsSs Ah"ntAS s1f
tain that no one had been at the cottage
during his absence.
just n. nightfall he came home,
fastened instead Of turning loose his
pony, and cut for him a bundle of he
wild oats that grow so Justify upon the
rich soil of the Suscol Ranch and sur
rounding valley.
Then he bean to pace back and
forth before the porch OF the cottage.
He did not cook or eat any supper;
h. even forgot 10 light his pipe
All through that night he paced up
and down or stood looking into the sky
or u toward the distant hills
When morning came he cooked and
tried 10 eat his breakfast, but could
only swallow with an effort. and when
il MAS over he set the unwashcd dishes
aside and looked in the bit Of glass
again.
Whist he saw there seemed TO hurt
him in some way. The face that was
reflected back appeared oder and not
so cood-looking as he had fancied it
had when he last saw il: he felt that
even Martha would. hardly know
him: and with the thought. tears, the
first he had shed since he kissed wife
and babies goodbye away back in the
States, almost seven years aco.f forced
themselves from his closed lids. and he
laid down the piece Of loO~sing-Slass as
If ashamed ven that b image In II
should look upon his emotion.
After awhile he lay down upon his
blanket. telling himself that he must not
look too care-worn at their coming. but
his eyes refused to remain closed. In
stead, they persisted in wandering
about the rooms; lingering for n mo-
ment upon each object in which their
possessor had felt . special interest rs
something that would tighten the Ia
bors Of his wife; some little thing she
would not be likely to expect and
which would give her the nor pleasure
because of IL
All the day through he was ~ and
down. out and in the cottage. unable or
unwilling to work. forgetting his din
Der until long past the usual hour. and
then permitting it 20 burn to q crisp
when he did undertake il: but Just As
the sun Wa going down he saw CON-
ing around the curve in the road q COW
cred wagon; md although wagons
such wagons-were far from uncom-
mon sights to him. and although it
might well be strangers 1haf APP
preached. yet something told him that
II was his W. loved one and with the
thought every look of WEAKNESS and
care went out Of his face. and . moment
later the oma in . ginghsm dress
and sun-bonnef had no difficulty in rec
ognizing her husband in the man whose
eager arms were thrown about her even
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