New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-02-17
JAKE, THE COWBOY.
a story OF wild Life at tho South.
BY BELLE G. GREENE.

o1 O1SEENE 3
It was cold, uncomfortable day.
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.
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.
| missed my big boy, Jake. If he
were only here, | could send him to
the woods for fuel. He was always
our dependence in a cold or rainy
day. He had wonderful luck with
the riekety old stove, and could make
the fire burn when nobody else could.
Jake was my favorite scholar. He
was only rough cowboy, and had
borne 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 opened my school he
came to me, and, tucking an enor-
nous quid of tobacco away in his
cheek, said awkwardly, II wan'ter
jine your school. l amt nuthin' but
cowboy, but I've TUX notion lately
ter learn ter read. I 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 l an
swered cordially. 81 shall be glad to
have you come, and l have no doubt
you will learn to read very fast. 1
will do all can for you, and you must
help me. We will help each other"
He seemed embarrassed; dropped
his eyes, shifted his quid, then spat
dextrously into a corner of the room,
and wiped his lips on 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 l
wouldn't WONDER he continued,
looking me over with the air of con-
noisseur about to bargain for pup
or q horse, 81 wouldn't wonder, now,
if you'n me TUX to one anuther,
teacher
81 think we shall,'' / said, good ma
turedly, "and you look as if you might
be friend worth having, if you chose =
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 sudden movement as if to
offer me his hand; then drew back
and choked, struggling te speak.
81 can be, and / will be--by Cdr
he muttered at last, hoarsely, and
strobe away to seat, closely fol-
lowed by his dog-a savage, ugly
looking cur, which seemed insepara-
BILE from his master, and came to
school as regularly from that day.
The dogs name was Tge, 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 met
mine. that ..the little cuss was gittin'
old" There seemed to be an almost
human sympathy between them.
One afternoon Jake came in COW
cred with blood. He had evidently
been fighting, and what was more re-
markable, had got worsted; but he
went composedly to his seat as if moth
ing had happened. Indeed, quarrels
were so common among the scholars
that if they did not bring them
into school, l took but little notice of
them. So on this occasion I said
nothing, but / saw Tige crawl to his
masters feet and look up into his face
with questioning whine. He had
been doing comfortably by the fire
all the noontime, and so had not
shared his masters trouble, whatever
it was.
Receiving no attention, he finally
squatted down in front of him and
patiently watched his angry, down.
cast face; nor did he have to watch
long.
Jake suddenly lifted his eyes and
flashed a lightning glance at boy
who sat opposite him on the other
side of the room. Then, clearing the
distance with one bound, the dog was
at the offenders throat! And | knc "
~ xr,oc ,~xv:%l, -, T;,o Ts,~,o. 49,