River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-09-04

10 YOU Unu-DaVe you Hcdiu bhde
there is a good opening for physician
out there where you are going?" said
the old man, as he lighted his pipe and
reseated himself in his comfortable
leathern chair.
Il don't care continental whether
there is an opening for a physician or
not; | am going West to go to work, )"
said Bob, quickly. Il may end by be-
ing a cowboy or something worse, per-
haps," he added, with laugh that il was
not pleasant to hear.
'And how does the little Alice like
the idea of your going?" asked Cousin
Tom. carelessly, it seemed, but his half
closed eyes under his shaggy brows were
fixed very intently upon the young fell
low as he spoke
Bob WINGED. II have not considered
1t necessary to notify Miss Ames of my
intentions" he said, stitfiy.
perhaps | may as well tell you" he
continued, after moment, that it will
be through no voluntary act of mine
that she ever hears of me again; so, if
you please, we will leave her out of the
conversation. But come, Cousin Tom,
you have been out West yourself Tell
me something about the country"
The old man pulled away slowly at
his pipe. The young fellows indiffer-
ence did not deceive him. There were
good many thoughts in his mind. lie
had been sitting a long while alone
with only the dim freight and his
memories for company. The coming of
his young cousin had hardly dispelled
the visions he had been recalling, and
he waited long time before replying.
EYES," he said at length, between the
puffs, Il have seen a good deal OF the
West and a very different country it is
from this, / can assure you. There is
hardly square mile of ground in the
whole State Of Texas that / have not
been over; and Mexico and the Terri
tories. and California, too, | know pref
tn we'll. | was considerably younger
man than | am now when | went to the
frontier. / little thought then of be-
coming the decrepit old bookworm that
am now, with hardly strength enough
to light my pipe. 1t has been good
long time since the Mexican war
though, hasn't it9 | was hardly as old
as you when | enlisted.
did ever tell you, Bob" said the
old man suddenly, chow ! came to go to
the war;"
No" said Bob, ''and / have often
been curious to know why you threw up
every thing and spent so many years of
your life in wandering about"
"Well.' said the old man, leaning for
ward to empty his pipe upon the hearth,
II may make pretty long story of it,
and if you get tireu you must let me
know. After | left school | settled
down in the village to practice law. l
was never a very wild fellow, only quick
and hot-tempered-qu and hot-tem-
pared. Aye, there's where the trouble
came" said the old man, musingly.
The freight fickered upon his bald
head and sunken cheeks, and his eyes
were very sad.
Here, boy" he said, as he fumbled
in his pocket and produced little,
worn velvet case, that has been with
me everywhere through all that West
ern wild. Look at it as l talk to you"
''Why, this is Alice, SIR" said Bob,
eagerly, as he opened the case.
AYE. Alice" said the old man, but
not your Alice. My Alice | used to call
her in the old days. She was Alice
Ames' aunt / can see her now, boy, as
! saw her the day she sat listening to
me as tod my love to her. She kept
her eyes bent down upon the grass at
her feet all the time | was tai king to
her. We had walked down the hill to
the rustic seat under the old beech tree,
but that, too, is gone now. | forgot.