Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-10-01
A TRUE HEARTED GIRL.

gage on the railway platform at Grand
Junction. Colorado. As the train
Iessened in the distance / took sur
vey OF my surroundings. Not tree.
not Il spear OF grass-mud which
looked as if it m ght engulf one TO be
some time dug up as an unknown
fossil-not sidewalk visible except
now and then the uneven remains of
a brick pavement fast resolving itself
into its original clay.
l had been travelling through the
West during the summer and now on
my way here had stopped to see one
who was my Oldest and dearest friend,
the wife OF the superintendent OF a
mine on the headwaters of the White
river. She had tried TO prepare me
for the discomlorts of the Quincy
after l should leave the railroad. but
found no words could describe it as
rividly as / afterwards felt it and l
heartily wished myself safe in the
luxury OF a Pullman aud speeding
eastward. However. l pulled myself
together and went TO the agent to ask
when the stage would leave for
MeekeE and found / could not go till
morning. so giving a small boy a
quarter 10 carry my grip l gingerly
picked my way from brick to brick
along the causeway that led to the
town proper.
The next morning was clear and
pleasant and the air bracing as we
dragged laboriously out north through
the almost bottomless clay road.
There were no other passengers but
two men and myself so | turned nv
attention to the scenery.
The two men had eyed me curious
ly at first and then began talking of
mines and the various arts and tricks
OF the unscrupulous to outxit the gull
lible tenderfoot But gradually they
overcame their apparent difidance in
addressing woman. and began after
true American style to want to know
all about my antecedents. and above
all my reason for taking such an I'M
usual journey. When / told them l
expected to visit Mrs Renfrow at the
lin Cup mine one whistled express
iveIy and said: You'll be likely to
stay all winter"
'Why?" l asked.
Because if signs 60 for anything
there is going to be an everlasting
snowfall before long"
All the discomfort OF my Journey
was forgotten in the overlooking en-
thusiasm of my welcome. Over and
over again did My Margaret = as l
had called her in oldtirne school DAYS.
rush In from her little log kitchen to
ask me if. there was anything She
could do to ease my aching bones. As
/ looked around the little rooms un-
pIastered save with grout dug from
neighbor.ng hills l began to APP
preciate the decorative pos sibilities of
dotted swiss and red ribbons. but then
Margaret could find beauty to utilize
on the bleakest OF desert isles From
my seat by the same window could
;see the log mine buildings on the OPP
posite slope OF the gulch and and the
day shift coming out like bses from a
hive and scattering to the various
little shanties dotted along the side
of the stream. As / looked Margaret
came and looked over my shoulder
and exclaimed: There's John, "
and then. why what can be the
matter, for just behind him. on
an improvised stretcher OF pine
boughs four men were carrying
another SO stiff and still it aid not
seem as il he could be living.
Margaret said: Help me get a
bed ready and by the time the men
reached the door with their burden
bed was stripped to mattress and
sheets. and they had lain him upon
it while John said briefly: IAN ac.
cident to the machinery. He is not
dead. but | don't know how badly
hurt"
We soon found one arm and one leg
broken, but no evidence Of other in
jury. Mr.. Renfrow, with the assist
ance of two Of the men. who through
many years of Western life. had
learned rough sort of surgery. set
the limbs while the women waited
the result in suspense. Through the
long night we watched beside the poor
fellow for some signs of conscious
ness and toward morning were Ie-
warded by seeing him open his eyes
and recognize Mr.. Renfrow.
During the weeks of nursing which
followed we women had not much
time to think OF weather, but nv
friend at Meeker had been true
prophet and the feathery flakes be-
gan to fall during the first night after
my arrival and kept it up steadily for
a week. and trail and canyon and side
slope were covered with white pail.
We were as securely shut up from
the outside world as If we had been
walled around with adamant While
ones sympathies cannot fly round
the world with the click of the elec-
trio needle, one naturally seeks for
subjects OF interest in the humdrum
life around. and so l began TO study
our charge as | sat beside him day
after day not that he seemed a diff
cult subject or wrapped in any mys-
terry. but as he lay there swathed in
bandages nc seemed to be intertly
thipking. One day he abruptly asked
how long since be had been hurt /
told him three syeeke He ttpned bie