The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-01

Jessie.
..All the tunes know is hymn ones" says
grim enough, land amt going to begin cavort-
ing at my age, but have faith that I'll come
ont all right"
heated an iron rod and wrote on board
sGood Old Home Folks Saloon" For I'd
seen the names was what fetched customers,
and with my umbrella handy / waited for them.
You'd died to see them come. gangs peeking in
ing slouching IN with their big boots and order
ing IN laughing voices queer drinks. Tommys
and Jerrys rum gum and all kinds or truck i
gave them all whisky-it seemed about their
way of thinking-and finally l hit idea
run to Jessie Heat me some boiling water"
I says, and burned on another. Thanksgiving
a girl and lucky there was lemons nutmeg
brandy. tea whisky and other trash handy
I'd forgotten the exact receipt but put in every
thing I could find including some red
pepper. I knowed by that one days ex-
perience that the Thirst of those men
awful for the very smell of the whisky brought
tears to my eyes. Well made big tub of
this punch steaming hot and slicked up my hair
fetched out white apron p0 brought and put it
on. and taking my knitting. set down TO see
what would come of il. Chinese went mean
dering by.
Come in you foreigner" says. handed him
dipper of the punch, he took it boiling hot
wink of his evil eyes Bully" he saws. go
tell the men where you got it, I said, ''cit
along" He went a staggering too. They come
in shoals and / made that punch three times
that day and before noon had two rival saloon
men over to know what I'd sell out for. didn't.
ran the place for week and every morning
found pacard on the door,-Old Maids
Home-Freak from Fr1sco-Tne Sphinx-The
Old Hoss-Granny from Maine-Our Old Girl
and SUCH laughed at them and Jessie boiled
our coffee with the boards.
But things changed. Ezra got we'll, and the
first thing he did with his first sensible breath
was to order me out of the house. Seeing
couldn't do nothing but harm to Jessie By stay
ing, went and set up business for myself.
Not saloon, thank you; if the folks at nome
learned of that experience of mine I'd never
dare to show my face again. This time en-
gagged Chinee, the who drank the punch,
got a cabin and hung out, Mothers Coffee.
Grandmarms Doughnuts, Good Old New Eng
land Feed" Oh, caught their way OF talking.
mighty quick. We'll. if [ didn't make money!
Prices were high, % cents for one doughnut. If
the folks at home had seen that they'd gone
clean crazy l put my mo1ey-mostly in gold
JESSIE cav that the hussy was back and the old
time doiugs returned. picked up good deal
Ezra and baby Ellen that kept the camp from
running Ezra out, and the day she came to me
with black mark on her forehead, saying, poor
thing, shed fell, Td a mind TO head the process
sion and get him out myself, bnt knew she'd
never forgive me. few days later there was
whining-voiced. slim man began to eat regu-
larry at my place.
of u.s."
Drat man talks So anybody that sisters me
rouses my ugly and hated this one from the
start One morning found on my door note
that read:
Dear E lien: Ezra's business has been so bad
since you came he has concluded to go away. did
not bid you goodbye for was hurried of. Don't be
angry. Remember love you dearly and leave baby
to your care if anything happens to me. JESSIE.
Not Q word of where they went or anything,
was heart broken, all the miners inquired for me
and only after week did an honest-looking
man come in to tell me he'd met them all in a
wagon on the road, and the slim black-dressed
man was with them, Mormon preacher from
Salt Lake CITY.
That's il" cried. that was the only cussed-
ness left for Ezra Tutte.'
The next day had a sign out, "For Sale" and
when the men asked me why, told them was
going to Utah They ioked me a good deal,
said I'd get sealed to Brigham Young and other
trash, but every one of them helped me, and IL
was like q dream when l found myself along
with a company of emigrants eoing eastward
recollect wild ride on stump bling mule that
staging in strange hours and scenes, and at last
the monotonous joltnR of prairie schooner
This caravan was going to Denver. new place,
but about half was bound for Utnh to be Nor
mons and, assembling, joined them I can't
recall the journey well, for was sick most of
the time and stayed in the wagon, but grew
better when we got nigh and saw ahead great
blue lake outlined with purple mountains in the
misty distance ] couldn't but remember what
one fellow passenger, Wilkins, eaid-when he
passed the lake and tasted ofit-"Lord" he says
'twhat brine for pork!
That night We camped just outside the city,
and, drawing a long waterproof cloth over me,
l.
humanity much that night. The town
Was peaceful and prosperous, seeming 30 be
pleasant enough plenty of building going On,
log cabins and ths beginning of a larger thing /
that took to be church: but what riled me
was the log and sod houses with three and four
doors. or four or i've little houses in one in
closure. II fairly chilled my blood. 1t seemed
like Soiomon's times over again.
There was hut further on and saw through
the uncurtained window, Ezra sitting at table
and waiting on him plump looking girl with
viii hort hat 1Q6A N V7i2
her with one look. / knew they'd good start
of me. but it didn't seem possible Ezra could
have got married again Still / could
fancy dozen doors to his house, for If there
was any erime-even much marrying-he would
live up to it. Whilst was watching saw Ezra
reach up and fetch the giria kiss--that settled
it. Where was poor Jessie---wouldut she quit
Dow7 / crept round to the back of the house
and what DO you think she was do1ngE Cooking
eyes red with crying. l just stepped in and
beckoned to her and grabbed up my nRmesake.
She followed me out.
Have yeu got enough yeti" I says. ARE you
going to let your girl child grow up TO suffer
like your
MY baby. my baby" she sobs
That's right" I says, ''cry poor dear. and
weaken over again and stay"
'.You go and take the child" she cries, Il give
her you, shan't Last long"
Eyes, and disgrace her and me-" / went on
cruelty 'look at him kissing his young wife;
what does he care for you but to laugh at you?
Woman, woman. be merciful to your child. 1
will not take nsr without you, don't let ner
grow up here-see that scene there repeated
with other women, be one herself"
''Oh, my Father in heaven, mol" sobbeo the
poor soul, ''but, Ellen, there is no escape from
here
ssThere is an old miner with us-Wilkins you
know him, and got acquainted with him when
run the saloon. ne drank of that punch and
has hung around SINCE and he might, l
must say. have used his money to better advan-
tage than gorging himself on my doughnuts at
twenty five cents apiece-he came out here with
wnV1id yYf1
hired mind you, friend of his, an old pioneer
scout, to come along too
But how can we pay hirnp says Jessie.
eve got a bargain with him." l smiled,
"Come now never"
clutched her arm like wise. 1 gave her no
time to vaciliate again. just dragged her
along I wrapped the cloak about her and ar
ried E lien. Outside the town Wilkins and the
scout We're waiting with four horses they'd
brought from California hitched on a wagon.
What wild ride we had! Such .jolting and