Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1890-11-27

Iull o ilIe an 90, al JeSU u wee DlD VIII,
with nothing very bad erbout him. His
hearts big one an in ther right place,
an | believe ther Lord O. all will rescue
my Jack yit. ! hain't lost my faith
none.
"Well, wren roter got married an
come ter live with Jac. an me he went
ter bossin' Jack uaore',l he, SO high strung
like, would bear. SO he ups an runs
away out west, an ther furst thing
knowed he wrote as he was tendin' crit
ters on ranch in Colerader
''Then gin in ter Peters persuadin,
an made my property over ter him, with
ther understandin as he was ter keep
me an keer fur me durin' my natural
life. But he growed greedy an graspin,
an reckon tired 0 me. though ther good
Lord knows as | was spry in doin' enough
ter arm my eatin' an close. An Peters
wife was dreadful, SEQ din 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 thet hurt me sore
$50 it wore on till ther worry got
erway with me, an threated right out
ter Peters wife as 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 ther insane house fur added
old women. Then Peter an her talked I
SO much erbout doin' me thet way eff 1
complained any more that I jest held 1
my peace. | was jest waitin' my time,
an when they was all gone frum ther
farm ter doins I run off with 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 nervous1y in his /
pocket for his big, blue cotton handker-
chief. which he vigorously used When |
Mrs. Tompkins had ceased her crying
Silas asked:
"An' yer don't know 'zactly whar yer
boy is?'
mo, but reckon I'll find him." she
answered hopefully. "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 win sure lead me ter
my Jack"
''Well, mother, eff yer'n let me | be /
goin' ter help yer find Jack" said Silas. I
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 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 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 I
give him no information. So the DAYS I
heightened into weeks, and nothing had /
been learned of the whereabouts of Jack. I
However, faithful Silas did not relin- /
quish the search.
It wanted two days to Thanksgiving,
and the snow was falling softly over the 7
beautiful city of the plains. An aged [
woman, with hair like the snowhakes, I
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. "But it's diffrunt frum bein' with I
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
Lordl thou knowest ther loneliness O I
my ole heart. Help me ter find my
Jack"
As if in immediate answer to her pray
er the door opened, and Silas Carrick
stood, flushed and excited, before her.
eyer kin rejoice, motherl I've jest
hurd frum a cowboy whar yer Jack is"
he said.
"Ther Lord, he be goodl His mercy
endures allus," she cried "Tell me 4
erbout my Jack"
"Ther cowboy said as Jack has farm (
or ranch o his own over in Cedar Gulch, (
an he's doin' fust rate. But, mother" /
and he took her hand kindly, "don't be F
sleered 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 boyl Take me ter him, ST. /
las" she implored
1t was Thanksgiving day, and the sun
beamed down upon Cedar Gulch pleas
antly, its light striking little cabin I
that nestled on the bank of clear /
mountain stream.
Jack Tompkins was able to hobble to 4
the little fireplace for the first time since
he had been laid up by what had been
almost a fatal accident for him.
''An' this be Thanksgivin' day among
civilized folks, he said to his hired man.
"Well, Ben, be spendin' it fur diffrunt I
frum what | aimed. | lowed ter 90
back ter Pennsylvany an take Thanks
givin' an Christmas with my ole mother. T
hain't seen her fur goin' on sixteen
year, reckon. An pore motheri Pete |
writes as she be helpless with ther rheu- (
mats. Ben, hate myself fur gittin' on
thet drunk an ridin' my pony like mad,
an gittin' throwed over them rocks. I'm
too mean ter live, an don't feel mite
thankful nur nuthin fur sparin' my or
merry life. Ii I'd behaved myself an |
staid sober could gin mother sech a
surprise, an though hain't much force
| know it'd be a plumb Thanksgivin' ter
mother to see her Jack ag'in."
eyes, an low, Jack, you'd gin right /
smart O. thanks ter be tuck up an sot
right down by yer nanny this minute >
remarked Ben.
sThet would" and Jack bowed his
head thoughtfully.
Ben went out of the cabin for more
wood to pile on the fireplace; but before
he had gathered up a stick some one
called ont: