The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-08-20
TOMS WIFE.
A story of tn. OF, Region.
B1 WILL N. CLEMENS,

tIe small shanty-like depot at Blgley Station
Inc telegraph operator, who also acted as
station agent at night, stood upon the plat
form with his lantern by his side. There
came rumbiing sound, followed by o sharp,
shrlll whistle. and n moment 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 i'll the little round stove
anu the agent was anxious to return to his
comfortable quarters in doors
rush, roar, the rumbling came nearer
and nearer, and the express stopped at the
station. The station agent called out in
tones OF recognition to the brakeman. No
one boarded the train at Bigley Station A
man and woman alighted The conductor
leaned from the platform OF the smoking
car, waved his lantern, the engineer pulled a
lever, and away sped the express on its
Journey into world of night and darkness
The station agent entered the dingy little
depot followed by two passengers-the man
and the woman The former found u seat
tor the lady among the rough wooden
benches in the waiting ROOM and, following
tne station agent to the open door Of the
ticket Office, wherein the operator had dis
appeared drew long sigh as he said:
is there no town here, no hotel?"
Not any" replied the operator 1This is
only the station Bigleys four miles off But
Tou ken stay here till morniu', when the
stagell take you over"
that's bad, mused the man as he thanked
the operator and returned to where the
woman was sitting.
He was young man, and she very young
woman He was tall and slender, with a
delicate face and n light brown moustache
Bis dress and manner indicated refinement
and good training in his youth. The glrl-
one could scarcely call her woman after q
closer inspection-was smaller than her hus-
band, likewise tai and slender, with a still
more delicate tace with mild and tender
blue eyes
4Mary," said he addressing her, us he took
seat on the rough wooden bench by her
side, "the town is four miles off There is no
hotel here and am afraid we must make
the best of these quarters until morning Our
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-
EeStions While they chasted on trivial
things he removed his overcoat, and with her
shawls made comfortable couch for her on
the long wooden seat The door of the OPP
orators room was open. and the little round
stove within sent its warm rays into the
waiting room. The girl reposed upon the
couch, aud the young fellow stopped and
kissed her lightly on the forehead Then he
walked across the room and entered the
apartment of the man who combined the
duties of telegraph operator and station
agent
sDo you smoke?" queried the stranger
and, observing the smlle light up the face OF
p the operator as he nodded his head, he con
tinucd:
SWELL, if you smoke, l was going to sugges,
that I'll trade you u good cigar for u chair
here beside your fire"
That's fair trade" said the operator, as
the smile on his face increased in dimensions
and Illuminated his whole countenance
NV names Thomas HAYDEN, continued
the stranger in u matter-of-tact way ;ls he
lighted a cigar and handed the burning
,0atch to the operator "My wife Mary and
came up here from Philadelphia to make
our fortunes in the oil business. If we fail
why, we fail. that's nl, and can go b.ck and
commence life over again, just wAtfe we
left OIL in the city"
Then he fell to plying the operator with
various quesrons--the cost of living the
price of board. and score of items in rela-
ton to the oil busnesa 1t was long past
midnight, and as the two men sat and
talked and smoked time passed quickly
Ere they were aware OF the tleetness with
which the hours passed. the gray slrcaks OF
dawn We're peeping over the neghboring
hills. Twice did Young HAYDEN retarn to
the wooden bench in the adjoining room to
ind his young and fragile wife sleeping
peacefully, and Twice dd he softly tiptoe his
way back to the companionship of the little
round stove and the smiling operator.
The morning came, the day express
stopped at the station, Haydcns baggage
was thrown roughly upon the platform and
,l,o .rntn had Upo1 -hya n his jpt
Ance of a night. and with his lunch basket on
his arm weaded his way down the track,
whistling in the bright crisp air OF the sunny
morning. The station agent who arrived
shortly before his departure was large
hard featured man, and young Hayden did
not venture to form his acquaintance. His
wife had risen carly from her hard couch
and made her toilet at the battered tin water
tank in the corner of the room. A numbering
stage was at the dept when tho morning
sran arrived and Hayden, his wife and his
shree large trunks were safely stored therein.
An hours ride over the toughest of coun.
:ry roads brought the conveyance before the
;ough- looking structure that boasted Of be
ny the finest and best hotel in Bigley-there
vas no other there Hayden and wife
.lighted, secured rooms and began life III
.heir new quarters amid strange friends and
surroundings Any one who has visited O
young mining town in the far West can form
IN adequate picture OF the budding town Of
\ few weeks In the upper oil regions The
primitive hotel, postotfice. q store or two
score OF frame houses. amid wilderness.
Of oil der1icks, constituted about all there
was in Bgley. 1t was not many weeks be
fore Thomas Hayden found acquaintenccs IL
the town, and among them 81 Moffat a young
man like himself, but rough in manner anc
dress, with smooth, fiorid face and large
well-knit frame Tom Hayden possessed II
one of his trunks in tho hotel checks on
Philadelphia bank to the amount Of severa
thousand dollars, but he had everything tx
learn about farms, gushers and wells ane
teries OF the oil business 81 Moffat did MOI
know of dollar in the world he could cal
his own, but he had been born and reared II
the oil country and there was not @gusher'
wiGhn radius of o hundred miles OF which
he could not give an accurate history. In
auiil,on 70 Iriese arJalnments ne was as hon
est man as one could find in days Jour
new, and kind, warm heart beat within his
breast.
friendship sprang up between the two
men, followed by partnership. 1t was q
commercial union of gold and experience
and with capital and business sense on the
one hand, and experience and physlca
strength oI the other, the new firm entered
INTO the race for wealth with vim and enter
prise Tue town grew, the price OF oil In
creased and in year Hayden had acquired
considerable experience and Moffat coulc
boast of q small bank acsount
In two years after their arrival Tom Hay
den and his wife were comfortably housed
IN neat little cottage on the edge Of tn.
town A blue-eyed. sunny haired babe wa!
Just beginning to toddle about the house anc
lisp the same of papa" They were su
premely happy. these three-the tall an'
the sunny haired child. The little one'
happiness was increased, perhaps, whel
81 Mofat brought her candies and sweet
from the new store The town had grown
and there were two stores now.
One morning in June Hayden. left hi
home, after kissing his wife and srattlins
daughter and, joining Motfat at tne post
office, the two men started afoot for tn,
location of one OF their new wells just out
side OF town The new we'll was to be sho
that morning The derrick stood In little