New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-08-11
TOMS WIFE.
A Story Of the; OIL Region.

TOMS WIFE.
A Story Of the OIL Region.
BY WILL n: CLEMENS.
copyrighted, 1886, by S:SsMcClure.]
The cold December winds whistled about
the small shanty like depot at Bigley Station.
The telegraph operator, who also acted as
station agent at night, stood supon the plat
form with his lantern by his SIDE There
came rumbling sound, followed by sharp,
ehrill whistle. and a,momenti later the far
away light of the night express. as it rounded
the curve, came into view. The station
agent gave shrug,of satisfaction. Inside
warm FIRE blazed in the little round stove
and the agent was nxious to, return to his
comfortable quarters in doors
rush, a roar the rumbling came nearer
and nearer, and the express stopped at the
station The station agent called out in
tones of recognition to tho brakeman. No
one boarded the train at Bigley: Station. A
man and a woman alighted. The conductor
leaned from the platform of the. smoking
car, waved his lantern, the engineer pulled
lever, and away sped the express ON it's
Journey into world Of night and darkneeA
The station agent entered the dingy little
. depot followed by two passengers-the man
and the woman. The former:found q seat
for the lady among the rough wooden
benches in the waiting room, and, following
the station agent to the open door of the
ticket Office, wherein the operator had dis
appeared, drew a long sigh. as he said:
us there no town here, no hotel!'
sNot any," replied the operator ~sThis is
only the station. Bigley's four miles Off But
you ken stay here till mornin', when the
stage'll take you over"
@That's bad" unused the man as he thanked
the operator and returned to where the
woman was sitting.
He was young man, and she vezyryoung
woman Ho was tall and slender, with .
delicate face and light brown moustache
His dress and manner indicated refinement
and good training in his youth The .glrl-
one could scarcely call her "a woman after q
closer inspection-was smaller than her hus-
band, likewise tai and slender with "a still
more delicate face, with mild and tender
blue eyes
MARY" said he, addressing her, as hertook
seat on the rough wooden bench by her
side, @the town is four miles of There islno
hotel here and am afraid we must make
the best of these quarters until morning. iOur
baggage will come on the morning train, and
we can take it with us on the stage to Big
ley"
) She spoke to him in the kindest of tones
and uttered no word of dissent at his sug-
gestions While they chatted on trivial
things he removed his overcoat and with her
shawls made comfortable couch for her CD
the long wooden seat The door Of the OPP
orators room was open, and the little round
stove within sent it's warm rays into the
. waiting room The girl reposed upon the
couch, aud the young fellow stopped and
kissed her lightly on tho forehead. Then he
walked across the room and entered the
apartment of the man who combined the
s duties of telegraph operator and station
agent.
~Y1Do you smoker" queried the stranger
and. observing the smile light up the face Of
the operator rs he nodded his head, he con-
i,EnMed:
-rWell, it you smoke, was going to suggest
: shat I'll trade you good cigar for Chair
there beside your fire.
-"lhaCs fair trade" said the operator, as
1.-THE smile on his face increased in dimensions
and illuminated his whole countenance
-sMy names Thomas Hayden" continued
the stranger in matter-of-fact way. as he
lighted cigar and handed the burning
match to the operator. my wife Mary and
I came up here from Philadelphia to make
our fortunes in the oil business. If we fail,
whyawe fail, that's all, and can go back and
commence lie over az ain, 1u&G aHnore we
left Oft in the city"
Then he fell to plying the operator with
various,. questions-the cost of living. the
price OF board and q score of items in rela-
uon to the oil business 1t was long past
midnight, and rs the two MEN sat and
talked and smoked, time passed quickly
Ere they were aware of the fleetness with
which 1.-The hours passed, the gray s1reaks Of
dawn wwere peeping over the neighboriDg
bills navice did young Hayden return to
the wooden bench in the adjoining Geom to
ind his vyoung and fragile wife sleeping
peacefully. and twice did he softly tlptoe his
way bacl2.to the companionship of the. little
found etcve and the smiling operator
The unorning came, the day express
stopped iat the station, Hayden's baggage
was thrown roughly upon the platform and
the operator babe goodbye to his aoqnsint-
:Rnce OF might, and with his lunch basket on
his arm wended his way down the track.
whistling inlthe bright, crisp air of the sunny
morning Nke station agent who arriMed
shortly before his departure was q larue.
hard featu7aG man, and young HAYDEN lid
not venture ttc. form his acquaintance Els
land made her,toilet at the battered tin water
tank in the corner of the room. A numbering
stage was at Ahe dept whes4 the morning
trein arrived, aa1d Hayden, his wife and his );
three large trunks were safely stored therein ;
San hours ridepever the toughest of coun- \
fons:h-looking structure that khoasted of be- +
ing bhe finest andshest hotel in IS igley-there
was no other there, Eaydap and wife
salighted, secured vtooms and slogan life iu
'theiHnew quarters amid strange friends and
.surrep ndinga Any one who has visited
young. mining townsja the far Wass can form
AN adee uate pictureses the budding town of
d few weeks in the upper oil regions The
primitive hotel, postsfice. store or two.
p score Ct frame houses. amid wilderness
of coil ,derricks, constituted aboua az thera
was nBlgley. 1t was,aot many weeks be-
6Qre ThoM as Hayden fosznd acquaintes4ces in
che town; and among theal 81 Motfat, nvounr
maa like: himself, but rafa<.h in man1iar and J,
e or witl.s smooth, foFia face and a5larse,
mae of his hrnks III the hlotel checks .Gea a
Philadelphia bank to the alaount of several
thousand dollars, but he he'd everything TO
learn about farms, gusheEs and wells aud
torpadoss and she thousand and one rshys
teries Of the. oil business %isAoffat did rot