Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-03-01
CHANGE OF FORTUNE.
BY RYE JOHNSON.

It was by merest chance that I was
at Johnstown upon the occasion of that
terrible food. That ! came safely out
of it, is due to more than chance, but
here is the story.
NY home for the nineteen years of
my life had been at Pleasantville. We
were miserably poor, because father
was one of the sort who are easily con-
tent. A house, however poor, to shell
ter him, enough food to stop hunger,
anything in the way of clothing, shabby
or not, as the case might be, and he
cared for nothing more. Mother was
his opposite in every respect.
OF good family, sensitive, refined,
intelligent, energetic, educated. have
spent hours of my life wondering how
she ever came to unite her life with that
of so shiftless, purposeless a "n'er-do-
well" as father 1 mean no disrespect
for him in speaking thus, for I loved
him dearly, and he was always kind to
US. loved him, but as I grew up L
had continually to smother a contempt
for so unmanly a man. He had no
pride, no will, no purpose in life, yet at
the same time he had no vices, for
which we daily thanked heaven.
Fathers wages barely kept us in
food and house rent, so mother and I
took in sewing and did
fancy work for the Woman's
Exchange at Philadelphia I also
picked and sold berries in their season,
until when I was sixteen, mother for
babe it. All the girls of my age went
berrying for family use, however, and 1
frequently sold them mine in secret.
Thus matters stood when two years ago
last spring, father was injured by the
fall of derrick at an oil well, and died
in July. This left US number of heavy
bills to pay, and we worked early and
late, denying ourselves all but the barest
necessaries of life, in order to get out of
debt as soon as was possible. As con-
sequence mother became i'll from work,
worry and insufficient food. Then work
failed all at once, and actual starvation
stareG us In the face.
1t was a glorious August morning,
when l came to a realization of this,
and 1 stood in the door cudgeling my
brain for some means of raising money,
when girl friend ran in to tell me party
of young folks were going blackberrying
and wished my company. was cast
ing about in my mind for some way to
make it possible, when l found Elsie
had made every arrangement, and while
we talked her mother arrived to stay
with mine during our absence. I shud
dered as thought of our empty pantry,
George came in with a basket Of
goodies. "
Swallowing my pride I ran off to
dress, and by the time was ready the
wagon, containing dozen merry boys
and girls, was on hand.
Seven miles from town the driver left
the road, and after driving a mile into
the deep woods halt was made in tiny
valley, on the bank of a noisy brook.
All around were bushes, bent to the
earth with their load of luscious, shin
ing blackberries, and was one of the
first to begin Tightening the burden. I
had brought along huge basket which
afforded much amusement to the rest,
who were mainly bent on having a good
time. We had dinner at o'clock, and
truly, if it was not feast of reason"
it was flow of soul"
After it was over, / went to work
again and was inwardly wondering if
c1uld fill my basket, when Susie Meet,
daughter of one of Pleasantville's rich
est men, approached and laughingly
bantered me to sell her my berries. It
seemed she had promised to bring home
q half bushel, and had idled away all
the forenoon. Three silver half dollars
soon lay In my pocket, while she made
q triumphant journey to the wagon with
her luscious fruit.
Selling my now nearly empty basket,
with a light heart. clambered over
O stony ridge on the other side of which
the bushes we're vet undisturbed. l
was thinking how surely Providence
helps the ones who are willing to help
themselves, when there came report
of a gun and singing sensation In my
left arm told me had stopped the bull
let or at least tried to. For a moment
Icame near fainting, but realized that
would be folly, for I might die and
never be discovered. Ere / could
move, however, / heard voices and
scrambling footsteps, and q moment
later two men came into sight. Both
carried rifles and one was saying: 1t
WAS here, In this thicket.
Both paused abruptly at sight of me,
and an exclamation burst from both as
they saw me holding my srm, from
which the blood was dripping.
Good God, uncle, you have shot
herl" from the younger.
Il have, indeedl" from, the elder
hne looking man of middle age.
suppose was white enough, for q
deadly sickness was oVerpowering me,
and ere fairly realized what was go
ing on, l was seated upon rock, and
the elder gentleman was deity and
skillfully bandaging my arm. The
oule had passed through the feshy
part above the elbow, making q jag
ged but not serious wound