Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-10-01

| H. 2" l said didn't know exactly
thought nearly thousand miles
Wish / was there" he jerked ogt
with an effort
/ began to suspect that The girl
left behind me, y was troubling hsm
and he wanted to talk about it ana
did not know how to begin So l
rather banteringly said; TELL me
about her.
He looked at me with look of COM
ical dismay and said; why how
did you know?n and then said; i
might as well tell some one. though
there amt much to tell, ] used to
live down in Cairo and was roust-
about on Mississippi steamer. There
was another fellow always worked on
the same gang with me and we We're
thicker than molasses in winter. He
was as vain as a peacock and thought
he was some when he got on his Sun
day toys and he was purity stable
sort of a Teller. Well. there was u
girl who lived down the river few
miles whose dad run a truck farm
and sent garden sass to St Louls.
you know. Hank Simpson and me
both met her to a dance one night
got introduced first and danced twice
with her before Simpson did and then
she danced several times with him
and when / come up once to ask her
she said she couldn t as she was 60
ing to dance with Mr.. Simpson. That
made me hot and | went and told
Hank he was not doing the fair
thing not allowing her to dance with
anyone but him. He laughed. and
said she didn't seem to think of any
hardship. Well. we both got mad.
and l told him | would dance with her
anyway. and | went back and said
Hank couldn't keep his engagement
Well she danced with me- but Hank
and me were enemies and he did me
every bad turn he could. Well fused
to go down the river every Sunday to
old man Lees place and sometimes
found Hank Simpson there. and he
went down sometimes in the week. |
couldn't tell which OF US Elsie liked
the best or whether she was fooling
both Of us She was pretty enough
for better than us !"
Here q tender note crept into his
voice.
M Il had to go down on the boat to
Nicksburg which would take about
two weeks as we would have to wait
for a cargo. 1t was a regular purga-
tory to me all the time / was gone.
for | was afraid Hank would get the
best Of me and | made up my mind to
have it out when / got back. The
next Sunday | went down. I had
bought ring in Eicksburg. with two
claspcd hands holding a little garnet
to give her and thought maybe that
would help me out / found her in a
little arbor in a corner of the garden.
She seemed glad 10 see me- but she
acted the same to Hank. so | couldn't
tell anything from that She asked
me about tho trip and wanted to
know if | had lost my heart to any
pretty girl in Vicksburg. l thought
it was now or never. so l said: How
could when left it at home?"
" Who took care OF it while you
were gomez she asked
{" Id like to think you did. | said.
i wish, Elsie you could like me a lit
tie better than Hank Simpson. You
know how much care for you.
She looked down and dug her
shoe into the dirt and said: How
should /? You never told me.
= Well. tell you now. and l can't
bear to think OF Hank coming here to
see you when | want you to marry
me-
Elsie looked at me and then said:
Why. Bob didn't know that you
meant anything.
We'll, Miss MAJORS she didn't
make much fuss when | put my arm
around her and kissed her. felt as
if was in heaven and even felt
sorry for Hank Simpson. wanted to
do something great that would make
me worthy to have Elsie for my wife.
After she had given me her promise |
didn't care for Hank Simpson and
wasn't bit jealous OF him She told
me that she had begun to care for me
at the dance. but had been afraid to
cross Hank as he had such a temper.
Maybe you want to know why /
am away out here. Well. Elsie and
me agreed that it was no use trying
to make any money to buy a home
working for days wages on the river.
/ heard that good men in the mines in
the mountains got big wages. and so
! thought | would try. | went to sec
Elsie the night before l came away
and she cried and hung to me till
almost lost my courage to go. but l
did. / have been here a year now
and saved good deal have written
to Elsie every time anyone went to
Meeker and had letters pretty often.
We were to have Seen married at
Christmas and now it is only a month
away. and here / am laid up for the
winter and showed in. too What
will Elsie think when she don't hear
from meg'
The poor fellow turned his head
away with tears in his eyes. By way
OF consolation, said: You may be
able to send letter soon"
NO. /" he said there's ten feet OF
snow in White canyon"
He seemed in the depths of misery