The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1890-11-26

IN so many ways or his own mother, long
since laid to rest in hillside burying
ground Of New England.
After travelling short time Silas Car
rick, seeing her look sad, said to her:
81 guess, mother, We be fur from yer
ole home, and Their change makes yer
feel sorter lonesome like
"Wen, Their change has kinder upset
me-" she admitted. $50 diffrunt frum
ther mountings whar l was raised in
Pennsylvany. | never reckoned on
Jacks bein so fur off"
Jack Silas Carrick asked
eyes, Jack-Jack Tompkins-he's my
youngest, an be goin' out ter him, !" she
answered.
"What does he foller fur Twin in
Colerader?" Silas questioned.
He use ter herd sheep fur q man
erbout Their gulches and SIGH places, an
done tol'ble well like out thar" she said.
"But it's been two years since I heerd
frum Jack myself, though Peter got
letter frum him long this summer. So
be sure as Jacks well; but Peter never
showed me Their letter, an don't know
'zactly whar ter find my boy"
can who's Peter?" asked the good
hearted, if inquisitive, Silas
Peter Wy, he's my oldest boy.
Peter an Jack be all Their childrun
have Twin Peter lives in Pennsylvany,
an he's married an got big family. It
don't seem as orto tell yer my family
troubles, but reckon travelin' so fur
tergether makes us not strangers to each
other; then talkin' over body's worries
kinder gins relief"
Yer kin trust me. mother" said the
big westerner.
Peter was Their oldest o Their boys l
raised, an allus mite bossy like ter
pore Jack. Jack was all of a dozen
years younger'n Peter, an he was allus
full O life an go, an jest wee bit wild,
with nothing very bad erbout him. His
hearts big one an in Their right place,
an believe Their Lord o. all will rescue
my Jack yit. hain't lost my faith
none.
"Well, when Peter got married an
come ter live with Jack an me he went
ter bossin' Jack nors'n he, so high strung
like, would bear. So he ups an runs
away out west, an Their furst thing /
knowed he wrote as he was tendin' crit
tiers on ranch in Colerader.
'sThen gin in ter Peters persuadin',
an made my property over ter him, with
Their understandin' as he was ter keep
me an keer fur me durin' my natural
life. But he growed greedy an graspin'
an reckon tired O me. though Their good
Lord knows as was spry in dom enough
ter arm my eatin' an close. An Peters
wife was dreadful, scoldin' woman, an
was overbearin' toward me.
"Then ther childurn went ter school,
which was mighty proud of. But they'd
come home an make speeches on my
quare talk tibet hurt me sore.
$50 it wore on till Their worry got
erway with me, an threated right out
ter Peters wife as l would run off an
work somewhars by ther days work
But she snapped out as I'd better try
runnin' erway eff wanted ter git myself
! shut up in Their insane house fur added
old women. Then Peter an her talked
so much erbout dom me tibet way eff l
complained any more that jest held
my peace. | was jest waitin' my time,
an when they was all gone frum ther
farm ter doin's run off with few
traps an started fur Their west an jack"
and as she closed her simple recital she
leaned back and wept softly.
Silas Carrick fumbled nervously in his
pocket for his big, blue cotton handker-
chief, which he vigorously used. When
Mrs. Tompkins had ceased her crying
Silas asked;
can yer don't know 'zactly whar yer
boy is9'
mo, but reckon I'll find him." she
answered hopefully. 1.-THE same Father
above that set bright, shinin' star ter
| guide them three men cross the desert
in the fur east still watches over this
strayin' sheep, an will sure lead me ter
my Jack"
"Well, mother, eff yer'll let me l be
goin' ter help yer find Jack" said Silas.
She carried his big, toll worn hand to
her face and pressed her lips to it. And
30 the promise was accepted and sealed.
Silas Carrick was like son to the lone
old woman. When they arrived at Dem
yer he placed her under the care of a
| good woman, who had been a neighbor
| of his in Illinois.
Silas had been in Colorado before and
knew some stock dealers in Denver. To
these he went, making diligent inquiries
about Jack Tompkins. Bnt they could
give him no information. So the days
heightened into weeks, and nothing had
been learned of the whereabouts of Jack.
However. faithful Silas did not relin-
quish the search.
1t wanted two days to Thanksgiving,
and the snow was falling softly over the
beautiful city of the plains. An aged
woman, with hair like the snowdakes,
stood at window, looking with long
ing eyes down the busy street at the
crowds passing ceaselessly. THAR pow
| erful kind Ter me here" she said to her.
self. "Bts. it's diffrunt frum bein' with
q body's own. Them folks out in town
seems mighty happy an gay, an thar's
sight of 'em passin' erbout, but, my
Lordl thou knowest Their loneliness O
my ole heart. Help me ter find my
Jack"
AS if in immediate answer to her pray
er the door opened, and Silas Carrick
btOO1, uubHtu ditH tkClbcu, UelOIe uer.
eyer kin rejoice, motherl I've jest
hurd frum q cowboy whar yer Jack is"
he said
ether Lord, he he goodl His mercy
endures allus," she cried. "Tell me
erbout my Jack"
! ether cowboy said as Jack has farm
or ranch O his own over in Cedar Gulch,
an he's dom fust rate. But, mother"
and he took her hand kindly, "don't be
skeered when / tell yer. Jack be laid
up In his cabin in the gulch. His pony
throwed him. but he's gittin' better
| now
my pore boyi Take me ter him. 81
las" she implored.
It was Thanksgiving day, and the sun
beamed down upon Cedar Gulch pleas
antly, its light striking little cabin
| that nestled on the hank of a clear