The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-22

II ~ dOubf1us, on the Other hSnd. n
John Parsons would have known his
girls had he met them unexpectedly.
They had grown wonderfully. he
thought: so much more than he had
imagined
True, he had counted the years that
had flown. and had said: Jennie i. al
most eleven now. and Lncy pas; nine"
but what did the pxssage OF years sig
nifty when memory had all the time
pictured them babies. just as he had
seen them before the ear had come
and gone
Erastus. he thought. had not changed
30 much. He was quite q lad when he
Saw him last. and he wa not fully q
man now. He had grown. Of course.
and had a manly air and look. but he
WAS no; yet sixteen. and then We always
expect boys to grow. He had a-en
bows on the streets Of Sacramento and
elsewhere Of all ages and sizes. and
their forms and faces had somehow
! mingled with the form and face of
Erasfus and had helped to obli;eratr the
! picture Of the lad a he saw him last
and form S new and much truer one
Of the real Erastus whose hand he now
took and held with a grasp that warmed
the bows heart toward him anew.
Leave the horses stand . bit and
come into the house with mother and
the girls" be said; Eve will care for
them by and by"
But the boy replied that he would
rather are for them at once and could
easily do it without help, rs he was &C
custOmed t do. They were tired. he
said. with the long drive. As they had
all been determined to get through thai
night, and had broken camp early and
driven hard.
..Yes. john" interrupted Mrs. Par
, sons, lit has been q long drive and q
hard ono; not to-day only. but SO MANY
DAYS; and I'm so glad to think that we
are not going to have to hitch up again
in the morning; but that Our journey is
| ended ut last. and that we are all to-
gether again"
Il didn't expect SO nice . home" she
added. coming close to him and look
ing mp in his face while her eyes filled
with tears. And OH l am so glad We
have a home of our " once more. l
Am sure We shall be very. very happy
here And she felt hurt when her rus
band roughly turned away and began
helping Er2stus with the animals.
She supposed. however. that he was
ashamed to let her see how deeply he
WAS affected at the thought of their all
being together. and of the happiness
which was sure 10 be- theirs, now that il
WAS so; and she felt very certain that
thi, was the case when a minute later he
came back. and putting his arms around
her shoulders, said:
'Some Martina. come babies. let's go
in and see the new home from the in
, side" and led her up the steps 10 the
porch. and then into the main room Of
the cottage.
How'll she do?" he SAID. motioning
with his hand about the room.
His wife noticed that his voice was
broken as he said il, but she did not
wonder n: il. for her own vo.ce was not
to be found at all lust then. and sinking
into q chair she put both hands to her
face and gave WAY To tears that would
come in spite Of her.
When she could control her voice she
said:
please don't think me foolish. John:
I'm so happy / just can't help CRYING.
Indeed. l d dn't expect anything halt SO
conf Portable and nice. and now that we
are all together again in 4 home of our
own. l can think Of nothing else worth
asking for"
Going behind her chair her husband
took her hands in hi, own. and. stoop-
ing dowa. kissed her twice. and was
-. A.. 4. I'm. Tho h.. cal h-l*yt-
I'm glad we are together again.
Martha. aud don't mcan we shall ever
be parted any more. Now Won rest
while l 60 and help. Ras:us with the
borses.' and turning he left the house.
When he cam back in company with
the boy he found his wife busy prepar-
ing their supper. the material for which
Jennie and Lucy We're bringing from
the wagon
John brought u his own stores to
add to those OF the travellers. T. loon
the family were seated about IA table.
AT the iiIs. meal eaten together for 50
many Years: indeed. the first meal that
the girls could remember To have ever
eaied in company with their father.
Then followed questions N answer
regar ling the friends in the States. and
the Journey which was just ended sn
happily. and NJ a late hour the family
retired TO rest upon snch beds as could
be improvised from the stock IL the
wagon added II tina: which the husband
and father had been able 10 provide IN
view of their coming; and soon AL were
sleeping the blessed sleep hat comes
from WEAKNESS and n feeling Of hav ne
passed safely through much of danger
all but John Parsons. who. despite
his last night of waking. SLEPT hui: little.
and arose in the morning with a look
that showed lis wife N one that there
waS something upon his mind. = knowi-
edge Of which he was striving To keep
from the family. and instantly she re-
called what had been told her by some
friendly saua,ters near whose cabin
they had camped the second night out
from Sacramento: of . ramor hat some
settlers. somewhere further down the
valley. were likely to lose their claims
through some cause. which those who
repeated the tale did not properly
understand.
1t had not occurred to her at the time
that it was possible it could be John s
claim that was in danger.
Il seemed strange now that il did
not. Hut so full was her mind Of
thoughts q John himself. Of their COM
iny reunion. and OF the future when
they should all be together in the new
home. that there was no Don Tor any
thing else. and 80 she hsd scarcey
heard the tale At all. or hearing it had
dismissed it st once with . single e
preston If pity for the poor families
who were to lose their al-even as she
~u1 Jobn hal done harE in The Safes