The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-22

~A cstS " wv
when l left that I really spec, they
have forgotten how their own father
looks 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 l am lookin'
much the wus for wear" and he arose
a little hurriedly and wen and hunted
up 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 be in love with Martha
ISimmonds, and was . little uncertain AS
10 how his advances would be received.
Every day after that until they came.
he had looked in the glass at least once
and often more than once. and had kept
his hair and beard combed and his
clothes looking as well a. possible. on
.sidering the fact that, to a very great
extent, hc was forced to rely on string,
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 yet. and as
some things remained to he done to the
cottage, he had made arrangements
with 10 bronson, who also had friend,
i'm the expected company. To see that
f:ey were properly directed after being
supplied with anything of which they
might be- in special need, or to ut ICE
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 IL
busted himself about the cottage, put
ting i'm a shelf here; driving up a nail
there; going ont to loOk ut the garden.
the ground for which he had broken
early in the SPRING almost the first day
after ne had laid his claim and written
his family to come-and which now.
thanks TO his careful tending and the
natural adaptabs,i:y OF the soil and
climate. could easily furnish vegetables
and melons enough for i larger family
than the one whose wants they were in
tended to supply; and remembering
that but afcw days or weeks interviewed
before their coming. that cven now
they might be in sight from the bluffs
at the bend of the creek whose wind
ings the road followed. that they might
bc coming around the bend ut any mo
ment, is it any wonder that he slept but
lightly. or that he often raised himself
from his blanket. fancying he heard a
familiar voice calling to HIM through
the darkRcss?
Only two days before their arrival \
ncigboring squattcr called at the ranch.
and the TWO men spoke together earn-
tsily and excitedly. and when the neigh
bor left John ParsSls hastily mounted
his pony and dashed away across the
country at srcak-ncck speed. casting
anxious glances back owe the track in
the direction from which he expected
any day. any hour. to see the canvas
covered wagon in whose occupants
every hope Of his life conferred.
After an absence of a few hours he
returned ut the same reckless pace. but
only todash of again. after making 4 4
,ain that no one had been ut the cottage
during his absence.
just nj nightfaIl he came home.
fastened instead of turning loose his
PONY, and cut for him a bundle Of The
wild oats that grow so Justify upon the
rich soil of tho Suscol Ranch and sur
rounding valley.
Then he began to pace back and
forth before the porch OF the cottage.
He did not cook or eat any supper;
he even forgot TO light his pipe.
All through that night he paced up
and down or stood looking into the sky
or out toward the distant hills.
When morning came he cooked and
tried to eat his breakfast, but could
only swallow with an effort. and when
il was over he set the unwashed dishes
aside and looked in the bit Of glass
again.
What he saw there seemed to hurt
him in some way. The face that was
reflected back appeared oder and not
SO g~ood-looking rs he had fancicd it
had when he last saw it: 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 ago. forced
themselves from his closed lids. and he
laid down the piece Of loosing-glass rs
If ashamed even that the image in it
should look upon his emotion.
After awhile he lay down upon his
blanket, telling himself that he must not
look too are-w at their coming. but
his eyes refused to remain closed. In
stead, vhey persisted in wandering
about the rooms; lingering for n mo-
ment upon each object in which their
possessor had felt . special interest as
something that would tighten the la
bors of his wife; some litae thing she
would not be likely to expect and
which would give her the more pleasure
because of it
All the day through he was mp and
down. out and in the cottage, unable or
unwilling to work. forgetting his din
ner until long past the usual hour. and
then permitting il to burn to a crisp
when he did undertake it: but just rs
the sun WAS going down he saw CON-
ING around the curve in the road a Gov.
cred wagon; and although wagons
such waSons-were far from uncom-
mon sights to him. and although it
might we'll be strangers that APP
preached. yet something told him that
II was his own loved ones. and with the
thought every look of WEAKNESS and
care went out Of his face. and . moment
later the oma in a ginghsm dress
and sun-bonnet had no difficulty in rec
oenixing her husband in the man whose
eager arms were thrown about her even