The National tribune., 1891-12-03

= w was n iaithiuI but un-
scrupulous-iooking dog
nearly as tail as a table.
When Sims returning TO the settlement,
STOPPED long enough 10 disturb Jack B~mt s
serenity by informing him complementary that
the iust-urrivcl owner of the claim between
bis own aud Jim Becdcrs was widow, who
might be suspected Of lcing tired of her iorlom
state, Mr l'Hut simply calculated:
Good thunder
lie immediately put ont 10 tell Mr. Rceder
the news. and Sims satisfied that ho had g,ycn
the bachelors a mental Sinking up, went ON has
way rejoicing
When Drlut reached his fricud shanty, after
executing q scmi.cirrlc around tho claim oil the
widow Mr. Reedcr WAS equally affected, and
remarked that he'd be hanged
widdcr2" he gronlcd.
"A wilder
"Yum! OF course she don't want to stay so p"
81 reckon"
"Or course she'll come smiil' around with
her false teeth glistcum' like ncw-sct tomb
stones Aud spt-cnrls They all have EN-.
Yah! know these Wddcrs,'
Mr. Reedcr knew widows Just ms well rs ]
know tho noon have seen IL IN the distance
and have heard more or less reliable inlOrma-
ton regarding il.
Shes got a dog" continued Brant.
Wall, IL he posters around here jill cit a
bigger one that viii whip him at sight"
II suppose well have TO endure it, said
Braut presently.
81 reckon So was tho resigned reply.
But, so thoroughly was the serenity Of the
bachelors disturbed, that when ho reached
home after executing another semi-cirCle
around the widows claim, Braut burnt his
corn bread well-nigh 20 a crisp, and Recder,
left 10 himself found that he had lost al iu-
terest Id the bloated volume Of the Congressional
Record, received the day before from the mem
Der from that district, and through which he
had beroically begun 20 read his way.
The bachelors did not propose 10 give the
new conner any hold on them. They decided
that they did not care TO hear anything about
the virtues Of her late husband, and that II she
feared robbers she ought 20 have stayed away
from that locality. In short, they did not take
kindly TO the intrusion. OF course this was q
free country. but why couldn't size have gone
gone anywhere where she would not hive both
cred them All Probably il was some kind Of
q trap 10 catch husband! Sms-they had
always thought Simsa FIRST rate fellow, but now
that he had located the widow between them
be fell in their estimation. Well, IL be WAS
trying TO put MP a job on them it would not
work SO said they both
Whenever they visited each other the bach
el0rs took care 10 pass around the widows claim
Rt a safe distance, and probably would still
have been passing around il had il not been for
Jack BaHts baby.
One relation tlat Brant aud his baby bore 10
each other was that Of uncle aud nephew. An
other was that OF victim and viciim-it being
difficult 10 say which made the others life
the moro miserable Brauts sister, worthy
woman and good, died, and her husband was
accidentally killed less than week after lCay-
inp the baby alone in the word except for his
Uncle Jack. The latter took the poor little
chap home with him. resolved 20 do his best 10
supply the places OF the lost father aud mother
There was plenty 10 eat aud wear at his snug
shauty which, had its owner desired, might
have been q commolious residence, and Brant
took ID for granted that what made a grown
man Of % years comfortable ought 10 be suti-
Gent for q little man OF year aud a half.
But events speedily proved 70 the contrary.
The united efforts OF i3rant and Rceder could
not keep little JHckey from having hard time
Of IT, III fact, their efforts increased the baby s
burden rather than lghtened ID. Their style
Of cooking did not ilt his nocds-what was one
mans meat was another mans poison. Their
strong, wholesome corn bread was loo stalWart
for him, likewise their black coffee and fried
bacon. And the little messes that they labo-
Ti0usy c0uc0cted for him were not wholly sat
islyinp 90 either c0ncOctOrs or recipient.
But they did the best they could, and
JaCzcy managed 10 live through g.
Brant, duuder head fashion, had not thought
20 inquire about the babys wardrobe, and had
brought with the little fellow only tho clothes
De had on The bachelors, remembering that
b was customary for little folks 10 have night
gowns, made him one. Tell il not in Gath,
but after miserable failures Ia other directions
the garment with which they provided him
was made from a 10uT sack with q hole cut In
the top and one at each side.
Some OF their efforts, made IN al kindness
resulted uisastrOusly for the baby, and otheH
for themselves. The first time Braut gave the
fsHl Ha ~
fnd that water which felt only pleasantly
warm 10 Ibis horny hand nearly cooked th,
child. The baby cried, az babies will, q fail
proportion 81 the time and the bachelors Wcr
much less successful in quoting him than
mother would have been. They rocked him
they pattcd him on the back they sang 4
him; all usually with very little effect.
Their voices aud selections Of songs were no
Of the best. Brant knew Sam Bass" 9TH
Ham fat Man." aud " Your Little Liza Love
You" and BeedeT Certain Poor Shepherds
aud Saw Ny Leg or" But they seemed al
ono 70 Jsczey
One might have thought that Jim Reoder
living as he did two claims away, need mo-
have felt that he was called upon 90 sing. Blu
evidently be was Of a different opinion. A
FIRST be sympathized with Brant and then wit
the baby. Little Iackey he FIRST endured, the
piticd, then embraced. The lOyclcss hearts q
the two men warmed 10 the helpless litl
wretch, auC Ecedcr soon learned 10 love hiT
Rs much az Braut did, and was at the coz
cabin the greater part VI bis spare time.
ID was kccdCr who gave JaCECy HE watch {
play with upon one occasion when be cried an
ID was Rccder's watch that the baby prompt
0em0lshe by swinging b over bis head by IN
chain aud cracking ID down with all his mgl
on the empty revolver with which Brant la
sought % divert him. Ii was Rocder's Cgugre
soHal Record which was used 10 roinlorC
Jackcy's chair az the table.
The baby had his little ills, and by good luc
survived them and the treatment Of the bach,
lou. But there came an occasion when notl
ing that they could DO seemed eficacious. Poo
Jackey was attacked by what Braut though
was cramps aud Rccder lts and the combine
efforts OF the two mon were as naught, ana
Jackey seemed near the point Of death Bra
wa 50 nearly frantic aud Rooder 70 nearly DC
pcrato that, when one OF them opened the do,
in response To a knock, aud admitted Sims, a
land agent, they both flew az him aud almo
overwhelmed him with questions Did I
know what was good for fits or spasms
cIampsi Sims was bachelor also.
"Um-vcsW
"WHATfn
Run over and get the Widow Nelson. VII
You need here now iG O woman. She CAM
Braut charged out aud way.
"Confound i'll j don't reckon thereW
any peace Tor me alter this lac growled "B
its for Jaclzeyl"
Doctor, the dog, met him before the door
the widows little house and disputed his 4
vance with q deep-thT0ated bay. The Wido
upon looking out, was aston ished 10 see rie
before her door ono of the men whom she ii
10 flfaU ~ WARNING fffFaq III