Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-01-08
THE OLD MANS ROMANCE,

Going west, are you, BobP" asked
the old man quietly, rs he added
fresh stick to the already glowing fire.
Yes; leave for Texas on the early
train tomorrow, Cousin Tom" the
young man answered firmly, almost
Solemnly.
DO you fnd--have you heard that
there is good opening for physician
out there where you are gOing?n 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: l am going west to go to work."
said Bob, quickly. Il may end by be-
ing cowboy or something worse, per-
haps," he added with laugh that it
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 intcntly upon
the young fellow as he spoke.
Bob WINGED. "a have not considered
it necessary to notify Miss Ames of my
kbLChtiOuSy bC saul slllllN
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, ii 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 putfed away slowly at
his pipe. The young fellows indifler-
cnce did not deceive him. There were
good many thoughts in his mind. He
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 dis
PEELED the visions he had been recall
ing, and he waited It long time before
replying.
Yes" he said, at length, between
the puffs, Il have seen n good deal OF
the west, and 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
territories, and California, too. l know
pretty well. l was considerably
younger man than am now when
went to the frontier. | little thought
then of becoming the decrepit old
bOokworm that | am now, with hardly
strength enough to light my pipe. II
has been good long time since the
Mexican war though. hasn't it? was
hardly as old as you when l enlisted.
Did l ever tell you, Bob" said the
old mar suddenly, show l came to 60
TO the war;"
No" said Bob, "aud have often
been curious to know why you threw
up everything and spent so many years
OF your life in wandering about"
WELL" said the old man, leaning
forward to empty his pipe upon the
hearth, II may make q pretty long
story of it. and If you get tired you
must let me know. After left school
] settled down In the village to prac.
tice law. was never very wild fell.
low, only quick aud hot-tempered-
quick and hot-tempered. Ave, there's
where the trouble came" said the old
man mus,ngly. 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 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 lis
tening to Inc as told my love to her.
She kept her eyes bent down upon the
grass at her feet all the time Iva.
talking to her. We had walked down
the hill to the rustic seat under the OLD
beech tree, but that. too, is gone now
] forgot. Her hat had slipped off,
remember, and her rough rings O
hair seemed to have caught the RAYS OF
the sun himself and shone aud glintet
round her head. She lifted her sweet
eyes TO mine when | had done, anc
putting her hand In mine, said:
why, Tom. don't YOU know Rave
loved YOU always9n
Aud, boy--but why am tellIua
you all thisP You wanted 10 know
why went west. Well, rs told YOU
was hot-headed, quick-temperet
TOOL, and, though 1t seems TO me nov
that Alice did everything that a sensi
Bile man would have been satisfied
with, ! used then to be VERT eNacting
and was often vexed with her. Sh,
was bright, and cheerful, and happy
aud used to treat my high and might,
humors with The lighlncss thew de
served. Finally one day. shall neye
forget it'll had been To see Alice il
thc morning and, with my usual fool
hardness, had been consuming her fo
dancing SO much the night before will
Henry Wentworth, your banker 1,
Town, you know. Ii seemed TO mo sk,
had taken my structures little NOR,
defiantly than usual; at all events,
went OF feeling very angry,
But, as Is always the case with hot
headed fools. cooled of very quickly
Alice had always been 50 ready 10 for
give me- that II was with no hcsitanc
THAI ! went out that afternoon 70 tax