The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-08-11
A TRUE HEARTED GIRL.

One rainy day in tho early winter
of 1892 found myself bag and bag
gage on the railway platform at Crane
junction Colorado. AS the train
lessened in the distance l took a sur
vey Of my surroundings, Not a tree
not u spear OF grass-mud which
looked as il it ;ght engulf one to be
some time dug up rs an unknown
fossil-not 4 sidewalk visible except
brick pavement fast resolving itself
into its original clay
| 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 Il
mine on the headwaters Of the White
rivor She had tried to prepare me-
for the diScomforts Of the Quincy
after should leave the railroad, but
I found no words could describe it as
WILDLY as | afterwards felt it and l
heartily wished myself safe in the
luxury 0. Pullman aud speeding
eastward. However, | pulled myself
together and went to the agent to ask
when the stage would leave for
Meeker and found | could not go till
morning, so giving a small boy a
quarter to Garry my grip | gingerly
picked my way from brick to br. ok
along the causeway that led to the
town proper.
The next morning was clear and
pleasant and the air bracing as we
dragged IaborioUsly out north through
the almost bottomless clay road
There Were no other passengers but
two men and myself, so l 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 INSCRIPTIONS to outvit the gull
-lible tenderioOt. But gradually they
overcame their apparent ditfidence 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 un-
usual Journey When | told them I
expected to visit Mrs. Renfrow at the
lin Cup mine one whistled express
lively and said: You'll be likely to
stay all winter"
'Why9" | asked.
because if signs 60 for anTthing
there is going to be an everlasting
snowfall before long, ... -.
All the discom :ort of my Journey
was forgotten in the overlooking en-
thusiasm Of my welcome. Over and
over again did My Margaret as
had called her in oldtime 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
l looked around the little rooms, un-
plastered save with grout dug from
neighbor ng hills, l. began to ap-
preciate the decorat We possibilities 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 I could
see the log mine build ngs on the op-
poslte 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 sid
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
bouShs. four men were carrying
another so stiff and still it did not
seem as if he could be living.
Margaret said: Help me get a
bed ready and by the time the men
reached the door with their burden a
bed was stripped to mattress and
Sheets and they had lain him upon
IT. while John said briefly: IAN &C
cident to the machinery. He is not
dead, but l don't know how badly
hurt
We soon found one arm and one leo
broken, but no evidence of other in
jury. MIR. Renfrow with the assist
-ance Of two OF the men. who. through
many years Of Western life, hac
learned rough sort of surgery. Sc
the limbs, while the women waited
the result in suspense. Through the
long night we watched beside the poo1
fellow for some signs of conscious
ness and toward morning were re-
;warded by seeing him open his eve
and recogni e Mr.. Renfrow. -
During the weeks of nursing which
followed we women had not mucl
time to think of weather but m,
friend at Meeker mad been a tru,
prophet. and the feathery flakes be
gan to fall during the first night afte
my arrival and kept it.up steadily fo
week and trail and canyon and sid
slope were covered with white pal |
We were as securely shut up from
the outside world as if we had bee,
walled around with adamant Will
ones sympathies cannot fly roun
the world with the click OF the cleo
trio needle. one naturally seeks TO
subjects of interest in the humdrur
life around. and so l began to stud
our charge as sat beside him da
after day. not that he seemed diff
cult subject or wrapped in any mys
terry but as he lay there swathed i
bandages ne seemed to be intentl
thinking. One day he abruptly aske
how long since he had been hurt.
told him three weeks He turned hi