St. Landry democrat., 1888-12-22

> ''>> Of her voice :.
Ppm afeared can't
Nell. Pears like In
almost gone" and the answer came huski
ly from the lips of a sick man stretched il
the bottom Of long emigrant wagon
drawn by a pair of patient mules, who were
driven over the trail by the woman. 81
there was only parson to say bit of {
prayer, Nell, seems like could go more
comfortable, fur Pve been a rough man
not like the quiet hum body was when
left you, wife. But you see theirs nobody
but men at Camp Nogood; ha1nt seen g
petticut in nigh two year, jest tn nix O
that, Nell, and you'll never know how per
| fcctly lovely you an the kids looked to
me when you stepped off the train, an
now I've got ter go an leave ye'' and a
| sharp spasm of pain conyulsed the white
face.
"Oh! father, don't talk of dying" and
the wife turned her head away as the hot
! tears trickled down her cheeks Wen
soon be at the camp. and then, may be,
something can be done for you"
Say, poppy, poppy, see house away
| off yender,n and little boy of eight eager
| ly strained his eyes over the long stretch
| Of road before them to the spot where the
| faint outline of a rude shanty was visible
in the distance.
That's Tim Conway's cabin, half a mile
from the camp" said the sick man, fee
bly,, shut shan't live to git there, fur it's
five miles away an night comm on"
NO no, Brady, it's real light yet If
you can stand it to ride 80 far may BE we
can make it. Don't give up, father, don't,
now" and CLEAN of hope mingled with
her tears at the welcome thought that a
human habitation was in sight. and better
still, that the camp the objective point
of their journey, was almost in sight also.
Drive On, Nell, I'll try an bear it." A
gray shadow was stealing over the sick
mans face already, but he did not know it;
he only knew that a cold hand was touch
ing at his heart, chilling him through and
through. He thought it was the wind which
blew down the trail with shivering sug-
gestion of winter, but it was stronger
breath than that of Boreas which was
freezing his life-blood and stopping its
free current through his veins.
The mules plodded along their way and
the children watched the little speck in the
distance as it came steadily nearer with
childish interest. Besides the boy of eight,
there was a little girl of five, and the baby,
Nell, aged three, SO wrapped in shawls
that she looked more like a mummy than
living child, and the mothers tears chilled
on her cheeks as she drove the mules for
ward with the hope that succor might. be
near. 1t was not an enviable situation.
The husband two years before had
started away from comfortable homo in
Illinois, in,bued with the spirit of advent
ure and with longing for wealth which
the plodding farm life did not satisfy. A
neighbor had come home from the mount
ma fa1a Of COLI I,a
acquired in the mines, and after selling
the farm and dividing the proceeds with
his wife for her support while he was
gone, he had taken his share and gone back
with his comrade.
Ills claim had not PANIED out as he had
hoped. but not feeling willing to Albania
his enterprise, he had sent for his wife
and children to come cut to t.s.ln, promising
to meet them at Denver.
quito unknown 20 him an insidious dis
ease had been creeping upon him for the |
past Year. weakening him slowly but |
surely, and his wife was shocked when |
she saw his drawn and altered face when |
he met her at the train and when they /
were about ten miles from the city he I
had been taken with an acute attack of I
his disease, and the affrighted wife had |
pursued the journey which had been COM
menced so hopefully, for she was cheer
full little bedy, and had formed many
wifely plans for the new mountain home,
which was ending with heart-sickness and
dread.
There had been quite an excitement in
the camp when the letter had come an
nouncing that the little woman and her
children We're on the way.
Yer ter quit yer swearin', Bill Nevins,
when thPPa3c a int coii IL
5owdy. 'sSakes, hain't seen a won,int in
% long most forgot how they look"
tsSome o. you fellers "a better shave IN
Dit er she'll be skeered at the sight of such
dottentots. y Burt Macomber was the
landy OF the camp, AMI rude as the be-
ongings of the miners were, they would
lave been more SO had it not been for his
'ef1ning taste.
he mad once ,yentured to carry cane,
nut his comrades peremrtor.ly drew the
Inc OF prohibition at canes, and he was .
orced to discard the obnoxious article. -
A rough but kint-aearted set of men "
hey had made quite &Rustle of anpara&
ion through the day oNakich ehey ha
alculated the travellers wolf Areturn.
Dan Voorhees, had scrubbed hant& !
nd Sam Collins. who kept the n g S4zfi /,
ouse which. answered for hotel, had
artitioned off an apartment for the tired i
lother and her children with curtain of h
acking roughly sewn together, and in an t
nusual freak of taste had manufactured a
q apology for window curtain from tho b
'mains of an old white shirt which had a
ing since been packed away IN his trunk S
unnecessary rubbish. y
'.Wimmin like SIGH truck, y he explained c
1ologetically as comrade stared in sur
Use at the unwonted luxury hanging over v
10 little window. Z
Ali this time the mules were toiling S
early up the trail toward the speck of a Il
bin. They had almost reached it when c;
9 little boy cried out: "Oh, mammal Il
oppy looks SO queer - and the wife with Il
fast-beatlng heart climbed over the seat
the rear of the wagon, where her hus- v
nd lay S
Inc last great change for b N was COM hi
: iast an &c whlspesed Pray, Nells' hi
hss hsassealnzz eyes looked ap into her q!