The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-04-21

He entered the room, and tenderly laid hi
burden on the camp cot which Parson jim
used for a bed Then no tore fly leaf iron
an old book which he saw lying around, and
producing short end of pencil from hi
pocket wrote hastily and somewhat clum
silly few words
"See here,n he said to the Chnaman, ms h,
stepped TO tho door; give this piece o
paper 10 tho parson as soon as he returns
This Young lady is hurt n little ant
frightened great deal, and she has tainted
Pretty soon she will come around. Wher
she does, SEQ that you take good care of her
you yellow skinned, white livered duck
Perhaps you'll behave yourself all the better
If ! tell YOU my name is Kansas"
The Chinaman perccptibly trembled ms he
heard the dreaded name, but said nothing
and the handsome stranger sprang to his
| horse and rode away,
All Wing quietly surveyed his new charge
and saw that she was a yellow haired, fan
! complexioned girl Of perhaps Is or 10 years
slender, and evidently unused TO work OF any
kind The Chinaman faithfully kept watch
all night, and noticed that the girl passed
gradually from her faint into an easy slum
| Der.
II was o'clock in the morning, and tS:
girl was still sleeping, when Parson jim re-
turned An Wing felt much relieved, and
at once handed the note TO his master. II
was written in rough, unknown hand, but
this is what Inc managed to deciphsr:
"PARSoN--You are understood TO be a
pretty good fellow. This girls father was
accidentally shot this evening in n scutle
with the coach people. She must be cared
for, and | select you for the job. know
your record, and you are the only man In
Colorado would trust with an unprotected
girl / will see that you are supplied from
time TO time with money for her keep. Be
true TO this trust, or look out for
KANSAS
The parson twirled the paper in his
fingers, showed it into his hip pocket, and
then asked few questions of All Wing.
"What kind of a fellow brought the girl
herep
"Muchee fine Mclean man," replied the
little Chinaman.
"Would you know him again if you saw
him, All Wingl'
Eyes, stree; All Wing no fool"
Half an hour later the fair young stranger
opened her eyes, and the parson, in his
homely but pleasant way, proceeded to make
her feel at home
II am afraid, miss, that you have just
passed through serious trouble; but try and
feel that you are at least safe and among
friends. You are welcome to all the poor
house affords, and anything we can do for
you shall he done"
But the girl burst into flood OF tears, and
could speak no words but Poor father-poor
fatherw
Later on Parson Jim learned that she and
her father were the only passengers on the
preceding day from Denver, and that they
were going through TO Colorado Springs on
their way to New Orleans The coach was
attacked by highwaymen, and as the girls
father, Mr.. Winship, rather unwisely resisted
them, he was shot dead. Then the girl had
tainted, and remembered nothing until she
found herself in Parson Jims best room. Her
name, she said, was Ethel Winship.
Putting the girls story and the contents OF
the note together, 1t looked as though the
desperate Kansas had killed the girls father,
and prompted by some feelings of remorse
and pity. had undertaken to help the be-
reaved daughter.
A day or two later, when Ethel was some
what rested, and her grief less poignant,
Parson Jim had another talk with her.
What would you like to do" he said.
'Oh, SIR" there is nothing for me to do.
Get me work Of some kind here in this place
We had no friends-father and had lived
and travelled together since my mother died,
many years ago. We were getting poor, too,
| know, and my father had some plans of his
own, but what they were do not know. If
you will help me to get living here l shall
be much obliged, and am willing to try any
thing"
my poor child" said Parson Jim In his
kindly voice, II am truly sorry for you. IL
you can be content in my rough home for
awhile, stay here until we can manage some
thing better for you have no one for whom
care, or who cares for me-only the boys in
the camp. But those same boys will tell you
that not a hair of your head will be hurt
while you stay under my roof. | have plenty
of this world'd wealth-more than the boys
imagine-and can afford slight addition
to my family"
So she stayed, and found that Parson Jim's
words were true She could not have been
treated more as lady had she been an earl's
daughter and the guest of dowager duchess.
AS the weeks passed, Parson Jim managed to
add couple of cute little rooms to the par
sonage, one of which was my lady's cham
ber," and the other the 'parlor." Then, too,
pretty carpets and furniture came from Den
yer, and the boys began to think that the
parson was putting on Tugs" But they ex-
cused good deal in the parson, and really
We'd with one another in paying homage in
their rough way to the parsons ward.
or course, they soon knew the story and
Parson Jim had shown the Hon. Samuel
Green and one OF two others the note that
Kansas had left with Ethel Winship.
Months fled and Ethel stayed on at the
gulch. She became contented, and much
appreciated the parsons care and efforts to
make her comfortable. She showed her graft
tude in hundred womanly ways, and kept
the parsonage as neat and pretty as II it had
been in Massachusetts, or the English mid
lands, instead Of in wild Colorado valley.
Only, every time news came Of a robbery or
murder by Kansas and his gang, would the
poor girl become agitated, and cry for ven
geance on the man who took from her q dear
father.
Three years slipped quickly away at George
Washington Gulch. The robber had evil
IDENTIFY not forgotten his promise to provide
for the girl; for, at odd times, packet Of