The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-06-28
fcoprtght Secured. An Rights Reserred.l
Driven From Sea to Sea,
Or, JUST A CAMPIN'.

Or, JUST A CAMPIN'.
ny 6. C. POST
PUBLISHED BY PERMISSION OF j. r. DcwNKY
& Co., PUBLISHERS, CHICAGO.
CHAPTER u.-CoSTINUED.
"They were such little bits o tots
when l left that l really 'spcct they
have forgotten how their own father
looks. There's Martha, now, she'd
recognize me in minute, I'll venture;
six years is a long time. though, and
I've had some awful hard knocks durin'
that time; wonder now if l am lookin'
much the wus for wear" and he arose
little hurriedly and went and hunted
up the bit of looking-glass among his
Kit of things. and took long look at
himself with queer kind of feeling
about the heart, that some way re-
minded him of the days when he first
knew himself to be in love with Martha
Simmonds, and was a little uncertain as
TO how his advances would be received.
Every day after that until they came,
he had looked in the glass at least once.
and often more than once, and had kept
his hair and beard combed and his
clothes looking as well as possible, con-
sidering the fact that, to a very great
extent, he was forced to rely on strings
to do the duty usually performed by
buttons
He had at first thought of meeting
his family at Sacramento, and had gone
down there in the middle of August
with the intention Of remaining until
they arrived: but as the time OF their
coming was quite uncertain, and might
not be for several weeks yet, and rs
some things remained to be done to the
cottage, he had made arrangements
with 10 Bronson, who also had friends
in the expected company, to see that
they were properly directed after being
supplied with anything of which they
might be in special need, or to ut once
notify him in case anything had gone
wrong with them. and had returned to
the ranch to await them there.
For several days after his return he
busted himself about the cottage, put
ting in shelf here; driving up nail
there; going out to look at the garden.
the ground for which he had broken
early in the spring almost the first day
after ne had laid his claim and written
his family to come-and which now,
thanks to his careful tending and the
natural adaptability Of the soil and
climate, could easily furnish vegetables
and melons enough for a larger family
than the one whose wants they were in
tended to supply; and remembering
that but afaw days or weeks interviewed
before their coming, that even nov
they might be in sight from the bluff
at the bend Of the creek whose wind
ings the road followed, that they nigh
be coming around the bend at any mo
ment, is it any wonder that he slept bu
lightly, or that he often raised himsel
from his blanket, fancying he heard
familiar voice calling to him through
the darkness?
Only two days before their arrival
neigboring squatter called at the ranch
and the two men spoke together earn
estly and eNcitedly, and when the neigh
Dor left John Parsons hastily mounte,
his pony and dashed away across In
country at break-neck speed, castin,
anxious glances back over the track il
the direction from which he expecte,
any day, any hour. 10 see the canvas
covered wagon in whose occupant
every hope of his life centered.
After an absence of few hours h.
returned at the same reckless pace, bu
only to dash off again, after making Ger
tain that no one had been at the cottag'
during his absence.
Just at nightfall he came home
fastened instead of turning loose hi
pony, and cut for him bundle of tn
wild oats that grow so Justify upon thu
rich soil Of the Suscol Ranch and sur
rounding valley.
Then he began to pace back ano
forth before the porch of the cottage.
He did not cook or eat any supper
he even forgot to light his pipe.
All through that night he paced up
and down or stood looking into the sky
or out toward the distant hills.
When morning came he cooked AM
tried TO eat his breakfast, but coul,
only swallow with an effort, and whel
it was over he set the unwashed dishe
aside and looked in the bit of glas
again.
What he saw there seemed to hur
him in some way. The face that wa
reflected back appeared older and no
SO good-looking as he had fancied j
had when he last saw it: he felt tina
even Martha would hardly know
him: and with the thought, tears, tn,
first he had shed since he kissed wifi
and babies goodbye away back in tn,
states, almost seven years ago, foreet
themselves from his closed lids. and h,
laid down the piece of looaing-glass a
if ashamed even that the image in j
should look upon his emotion.
After awhile he lay down upon hi
blanket, telling himself that he must no
look too care-worn at their coming, bll
his eyes refused to remain closed. In
stead, they persisted i'm wanderin.
about the rooms; lingering for a mo
ment upon each object in which thei
possessor had felt special interest a.
something that would tighten the la
bors of his wife; some little thing sh.
would not be likely to expect and
which would give her the more pleasure
because of it.
All the day through he was up and
down. out and in the cottage, unable OIL
unwilling to work, forgetting his din
Der until long past the usual hour and
then permitting it to burn to a crisr
when he did undertake it; but just a:
the sun was going down he saw com
ing around the curve in the road a COW
cred wagon; and although wagons
such wagons-were far from uncom
mon sights to him, and although il
might well be strangers that ap'