Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-02-19
JAKE u q THE COWBOY.
q Story Of wild Life 81 tho south
BIZ BELLE c. GREENE. 4

BIZ BELLE C. GREENE.
81 1t was q cold, uncomfortable 5day.
The wind blew in gusts down the
chimney Of our little schoolhouse,
putting out the fire and making the
question Of keeping warm hopeless
one, > *ss#s5
The half-naked children huddled
about the stove and patiently conned
their lessons. Poor things, they were
SO used to the cold and suffering, that
even the dreary schoolhouse was COM
fort, compared to their. miserable
homes. = tx k .r.-a.> a...<
missed my big boy, Jake. If he
were only here, I could send him to
the woods for fuel. He was always
our dependence in . cold or rainy
day. He had wonderful luck with
the riekety old stove, and coul;, make
the fire burn when nobody else could.
Jake was my favorite scholar. He
was only rough cowboy, and had
borne a terrible reputation, but he al
ways behaved himself in school, and
was so kind and helpful, that I had
come to rely upon him as my right
hand man.
On the day I opened my school he
came to me, and, tucking an enor-
nous quid of tobacco away in his
check. said awkwardly, Il wan ter
| jine your school. / amt nuthin' but
a cowboy, but I've TUX notion lately
ter learn ter read. 1 reckon I should
like to know how ter read," he added,
with a wistful glance into my face.
| His evident earnestness and his
simplicity touched me, and I an
swered cordially. II shall be glad to
have you come, and I have no doubt
you will learn to read very fast. /
will do all I can for you, and you must
help me. We will help each other.'
He seemed embarrassed; dropped
his eyes, shifted his lauid, then spat
dextrously into a corner of the room,
and wiped his lips Oh the back of one
great hand.
Il reckon you hain't never hearn O.
me- he said finally with an uneasy
laugh. Il amt ginerally counted
much good round here. But !
wouldn't wonder,'' he continued,
looking me over with the air of con.
noisseur about to bargain for a pup
or horse, II wouldn't wonder, now
if you'n me TUX to one anuther
teacher
II think we SHALL" I said good ma,
turedly, land you look as if you might
be a friend worth having, if you chose. u
He was a noble, great fellow, fully
six feet tall, with limbs like the trunks
of trees, and the head and shoulders
of young Hercules.
At my remark he blushed tawny
red, up to the roots of his hair, and
made a sudden movement as if to
offer me his hand; then drew back
and choked, struggling to speak.
II can be, and 1 will be-by G--d''
he muttered at last, hoarse1y, and
strobe away to a seat, closely fol
lowed by his dog-a savage, ugly
looking cur, which seemed insepara
bic from his master, and came te
school as regularly from that day
The dogs name was Tige, and no
ticed that Jake was always consider.
ate Of him, sharing his own dinner
with him when he was so fortunate
as to have any; and once, when the
poor brute came in wet and shaking
with the cold, he gave up to him his
own warm place by the fire, mutter
ing by way of apology, as his eyes me-
mine. that s'the little cuss was gittin
old" There seemed to be an almost
human sympathy between them.
One afternoon Jake came in GOV.
cred with blood. He had evidently
been fighting, and what was more re-
markabie, had got worsted; but he
went oomposedly to his seat as if moth
ing had happened. Indeed, quarrel
were SO common among the scholars
that if they did not bring then
into school, took but little notice O
them. So on this occasion ] sale
nothing, but I saw Tige crawl to bis
masters feet and look up into his face
with questioning whine. He hat
been doing comfortably by the frt
all the noontime, and so had no,
shared his masters trouble, whatever
it was.
Receiving no attention, he finall.
squatted down in front of him ane
patiently watched his angry, down
cast face; nor did he have to watcl
long. @...<.. ! ....
Jake suddenly lifted his eyes an.
! flashed a lightning glance at a DO,
who sat opposite him on the othel
side of the room. Then, clearing tn
distance with one bound, the dog wa
at the offenders throat! And knew
it was with him Tim Carnes-tha
Jake had quarreled. 5.f ~5.S
"Call off the brute!'' gasped the .fel
low with q terrible OATH:
Jake spoke to the dog, who reluct
sntly loosed his hold, and rising to hi
feet, stretched out one brawny arr
+ toward his foe: @'.I called him off, b
said, "because you'n me will settl
our own little difhkilty. It lays 'twix
you'n. me---not you'n the dog an
I'll have it out with ye, and soon, too!
with . threatening shake Of the fist. =
. Iheard no more Of the matter, but
few days afterwards Jake was absen
from school for the first time, and