The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-07-13
THE TSCUDDY
rY TOM r. MORGAN,

TY TOM r. MORGAN.
Omaha World.
The little town OF scuddy, away out
on tho Kansas border, OH tho pro.
posed line OF the ID. X. e. N. railway,
was enjoying boom Of no mean pro.
portions. Strangers we're arriving
daily, improvements were going on
OH every hand, and tho little trading
post was fast taking upon itself metro.
politan airs.
Its citizens were jcalously proud OF
its advancement, and the personal
safety OF q man who would have dar.
ed to assert that the town was not
booming would have been very liable
to be endangered.
Badgrrton was Scu,ldy's only rival,
tho only thorn in the side of it's citi.
zens. Balscrton did not exist except
upon the map, they scornfully assert
/ cd, but for all that it occasionally
mndr it's presence felt.
The Scuadyites hailed with delight
any opportunity to gain aGlvnnt age
over Badgrrton, and were feverishly
to secure anything tha5 would boom
scuddy on toward prominence and
diecomtit it's rival.
| 1t w;ls this spirit that caused Jack
Bates to prevail upon the Acme
Opera company to visit Scuddy.
Jack had seen this company ut one Of
the towns further cast, and had
learned that they intended to visit
Badserton and not Scuddy.
1t waz not much in the way OF an
opera company, and Jack did not nd
mirc operas anyhow. But, as he ex.
pressed it 'he didn't kcer two whoops
in Halifax for operys, nohow; he was
plumb alive TO the interests of Scul-
dy, and didn't propose that no ono
! hoss place like Badserton should git
the bulge on her."
10 have it said that the opera com.
pany had visited Sc,dlv and had
scornc'l to appear ut its rival, would
he IL cause for The most profound sat.
isfaclion to every resident OF the lat.
ter place.
BY guaranteeing that very place OF
business would he closed upon the
night oi tho performance, and that
every person in town and from as far
as the Icllowlammcr ranch should
attend. at Il 81 per head, or if unable
to he present. should send the dollar,
anyhow. Jack was able to secure the
company. In return the manager
signed /, contract to the effect that he
| would not visit Badgerton under any
circumstances. Ii asked his reason ho
promised to reply that the place was
not of sufficient Importance to war
1ant it.
Great was the rejoicing ut Scutldy
when Jack Bates announced the good
news. a mass meeting was held, and
Jacks acrmrn and fostering care for
Sruddy's prosperity were landed to
| the skies. His name was even mem
toned as that of II candidate for the
mayorship ut the next election.
When the stag" drew up TO the COM
bned hotel and post office. II few days
later. with more elaborate flourish
tlatl usual, il seemed as if every per-
son in the little settlement WAS there
to welcome its arrival. Bill Hankley,
the driver, seemed to have acquired u
zcns had seen linn last.
"Air they thar" asked Jack Bates
anXiously.
Mou bet?" was driver Bills reply.
4 shout OF welcome went up from the
crowd as the door OF tho stage opened
and the singers alighted. Old Colonel
Darby, whose enthusiasm had got tho
better OF his Judgment. insisted upon
delivering an address of welcome.
The last to leave the coach was a
small, pale faced. yellow haired man,
who bore in his arms u little bundle.
1t might ] ave been roll OF cloth in.
or it might have been n baby.
The yellow haired man was assigned.
a little room in the "I." OF the hotel,
on the first floor. He placed the
bundle on the bed. and, softly rcmov.
ill.,, the wl;,pl,ings, revealed u baby,
unrasily sleeping and catchin, its
breath Ivy tit,ul saSps. It's little face
was thin aud burnn. with fever. 1t
opened lis blue eyes and stretched it's
tiny hands fcebly toward the yellow
haired man. ~ ant d'nk, papa"
the parchetl lips pipe'l weakly.
All lly long the yellow haired man
sat beside he fever strickrncl baby.
UitimrS his head sank on his breast,
as if from sheer weariness, but he Was
always ready to instantly attend to
the feeble cry OF, "ant q d'nk, papa"
Oft repeated.
The child seemed to he sinking
rapidly. Its hot breath came and
went in painful iiuttcring casps.
Often the yellow haired mans eyes
closed involnntarily, but the baby's
feeble wall for water aroused him.
IIu took the little sufferer in his
arms, and. as the sun sank from sight
behind the distant mound, he seated
himself before the open window.
The soft, southwestern breeze, Ia
dcEc'l with the perfume of the wild
verbenas. gently agitatcd the inter-
laced morning glory vines that crossed
the window.
II dallicd about the little hot face,
famed the burning cheeks and kissed
the snail parched lips. 1t toytd with
the baby's yellow curls, SO like those
o: the pale faced man who bent above
il.
The little head nestled closer to the
mans heart.
"sins, papa" the parched.lips whis-
percd.
1t was only IN old fashioned lullaby,
simple, even silly perhaps, but the
tenor voice that sang it SO softly glo.
riiicd The homely air.
!iaht OF ,he plains came
and went; and still the yellow
haired man sat in the dim room by
the open window, and sang old lula
by. The song went steadily on, and
presently the body was still, except
for the fcvrrlsh breathing.
Out in HE darkness night hawk
fell, seemingly from the very clouds al.
most to the earth, utteriny as he
turned to begin his ascent, his weird,
booming. discordant cry.
The door opened softly and some
one tyt oc,l into the room.
paul" u low voice said. "your cue
come, in five minutes. You must 70
now"
The yellow haired man lett the sleep.
ing child softly on the bed and follow.
cd the new conner out into the dark.
ness.
He staggered weakly az they strobe
alon. the ozark street, and once would
Lavn f,II.n l,,I not lis oor,c,.1,