The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-11-26

erbout Their gulches and SIGH places. an
done toTble well like out thar she said.
"But it's been two years since ! heerd
frum Jack myself, though Peter got a
letter frum him long this summer. So
| be sure as Jacks well; but Peter never
showed me Their letter, an I don't know
'zactly whar ter find my boy"
can who's Peter7" asked the good
hearted, II inquisitive, Silas
"Peter? WY, he's my Oldest boy.
Peter an Jack be all Their childrun l
have Twin. Peter lives in P~ennsylvany,
an he's married an got a big family. It
don't seem as | orto tell yer my family
troubles. but l reckon travelin' so fur
tergether makes as not strangers to each
other; then talkin' over a body's worries
kinder gins relief"
Yer kin trust me, mother" said the
big westerner.
"Peter was Their Oldest o. Their boys /
raised, an allus q mite bossy like ter
pore Jack. Jack was all of q dozen
years younger'n Peter, an he was allus
full o. life an go. an Jest q wee bit wild,
with nothing very bad erbout him. His
hearts a big one an in Their right place.
an | believe Their Lord O. all viii 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 more'n he, so high strung
like. would bear. So he ups an runs
away put west, an Their furst thing l
knowed he wrote as he was tendin' crit
tiers on a ranch in C~olerader.
"Then ! 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 l was spry in doin' enough
ter arm my eatin' an close. An Peters
wife was a dreadful, scoldin' woman. an
was overbearin' toward me.
''Then Their childurn went ter school,
which l 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 l 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 l wanted ter git myself
shut up in Their insane house fur added
old women. Then Peter an her talked
SO much erbout doin' me thet way Of |
complained any more that | jest held
my peace. was jest waitin' my time,
an when they was all gone frum ther
farm ter a doin's l run off with a few
traps an started fur ther 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:
San yer don't know 'zactly whar yer
boy Isl"
mo, but I reckon I'll find him." she
answered hopefully. 1.-THE same Father
above that set a 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"
NCAAs l1OtuCAs C4 9C4 II Nt nO 4 10
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
so the promise was accepted and sealed.
Silas Carrick was like a 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- Bat 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 snowfakes,
stood at a window, looking with long
ing eyes down the busy street at the
crowds passing c~easelessly. Thar pow
erful kind ter me here" she said to her
self. "But it's diffrunt frum bein' with
a body's own. Them folks out in town
seems mighty happy an gay, an thar's
a sight of 'em passin' erbout, but, my
Lord, thou knowest Their loneliness O
my ole heart Help me ter find my
Jack"
As if in immediate answe to her pray
er the door opened. and Silas Carrick
stood, flushed and excited, before her.
Eyer kin rejoice, mother! I've jest
hurd frum a cowboy whar yer Jack is"
he said.
"Ther Lord, he be goodl His mercy
erdures %allus," she cried Tell me
erbout my Jack"
"Ther cowboy said as Jack has a farm
or ranch o. his W over in Cedar Gulch,
an he's dom fust rate. But, mother"
and he took her hand kindly, adon't be
skeered when l tell yer. Jack be laid
up in his cabin in the gulch- His pony
throwed him, but he's gittin' better
now"
MY pore boy, Take me ter him, ST.
las" she implored.
1t was Thanksgiving deg. and the sun
beamed down upon CedlS Gulch pleas
antly, its light striking a little cabin
that nestled on the bank Of a clear