The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-12-05
" MY JOHN"
A Story Of Prairie Fires aid Pa
rental Forgiveness.

81 think it is smoke"
"And think you are wrong"
The first speaker was young woman
with a sweet face, expressive OF much
silent resoluteness and great sclf-eon-
troll. The second speaker was an old
man. whose faded brown eyes had 4
startled look as If suspecting that peo-
pie were about to bring him trouble. or
else asserting that they had already
brought it
Tho old man was known among the
ranchmen as old John Blasland. He
owned a great ranch. The young woman
was called Hannah. 81 don't know
what her t'other name is" the old man
would have told a questioner. She
came from the East somewhere, wanted
TO help my housekeeper, Mrs. Tuth-
erly, and ! didn't care. That's all
know about it. ] don't care what her
name Is. / am leetle 'spishus of what
she wants: they all want something"
1t was the mystery enwrapping Han
nah like an atmosphere, and il was the
old mans suspicion Of her motives and
purposes, that made her presence an
annoyance to him in spite OF any words
TO the contrary. When he now had told
her that any sign OF smoke about the
prairie-region was mistake. she simply
replied IF young John were here, he
could tell u.s."
The faded brown eyes began to fash.
The husky voice trcmbled with petu-
lance. Young joint" he snarled. 81
guess if old John don't know. you won't
pick up any information from that young
man"
1t might have seemed as If he were
angry with young John" No-with
the young woman who mentioned has
name.
Il know, known he silently said. as
he turned away. ''She cares more for
young John than old John. Too much
going on between those young people.
Next thing there will be marriage. /
don't want hor mcddlin' with that
young man"
This other young person, like Han
nah, came from the East had proved
very acceptable 10 the old ranchman,
and was great favorite with him. The
ranchmen in the ghborhood. to dis
tinguish the two, called one Old John
and the other Young John. People
sometimes thought they were father
and son. No, there was q son ~ tie
East who had offended his father, and
a DdQ Dcen 10 COLlc OE cNtll 70
write to him. Tho old man wondered
sometimes whether he did not trace
familiar features in this young ad-
venturer from the East Any fancied
resemblance was not pleasant to the
old rancbman. lie drove it from his
thoughts as he would drive cloud of
mosquitoes from his b ouse-
And Hannah, she still fingered back
of the barn, watching that smoky stain
on the blue of the sky. 1t was Sunday
morning. The great prairie was always
still and always secluded, though in
reality any thing but shut in. 1t had
such an openness TO the wide, wide sky.
There was no sem mblance of fence or wall
in any direction until, in the west. one
saw fold of blush color along the
prairie's rim. That meant the Rocky
Mountains.
81 think it is growingr' she mur-
INJURED. THAT smoke-cloud is rolling
up bigger. What if it should come this
way, and sweep over the rapchi And
yet lie does not think il is smoke. ]
wish John were herel When will be
come? He said he would be home on
his pony early this morning and 60
with US to church"
II was O14 BOLH
''Comel Mrs Tutherly says If we are
a-goin' to church, we ought 70 be gittin'
ready. Come! Watchin' that sky won't
git you readyr'
Hannah made no reply. 1t was of no
use TO notice all his fault-inding or any
OF it She had shown rare self-control
in her steadfast silence- she now
turned and went into the house, while
the old ranchman shuficd fccbly TO the
barn and began to harness the horse
into the wagon.
81 have horses in abundance. but they
are all of with the men wa.chin' tho
cattle" he r1urmurcd, ''and so, Jim,
you must pull us TO church Hu1nph! ]
s'pose she viii say we can't go-that
there is fire out on tho prairie. Non
sense! If my John was here, be could
tell about that smOke!"
lie dropped the harness as r hand
ling the coils OF a snake. What had he
said2 My John!7 That was the name
also OF the offending son IL the East.
The father never knowingly mentioned
this form of name, Ny John" Lift
ing the harness again, he now arraycd
Jim in it
What do I smell27 he asked.
Young John would have told him
Smoke" but he was not willing to
smell any thing of the kind
In the meantime Hannah had given
occasional glances at the suspicious
northern sky. From a window she
chanced TO look toward the east In
alarm. astonishment terror. she dropped
bonnet whose green trimming would
have set of her fair face even rs an
apple trees emerald foliage sets of its
pinkish white blossoms.
s.nl Oh on df1 not loalr -h a.