River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-01-19


(of sufficient brcvityl than pink; so
"Pink" he was called, and 50 remained
TO the end Of the chapter.
/ first met him on Union Pacific
train going west. He was full of faith
and hope and charity then
The wav / came To notice him first
was through his asking me, AZ the
Omaha station. question concerning
the time the tram was due TO leave
He was 50 homely, 50 dreadfuliy
homely. and yet so good" looking.
that he attracted my attention As soon
as he spoke; and. after l heard his
voice Git was good" voice Pink hadl,
took a fancy to study him
When the train started ] walked
through 70 see if there was anyone on
board knew. and in the smoker, with
only two or three fellOw-passeugers
again found Pink. He smiled at me,
and said ''tiOod evening" in a pleasant
way. SO sat down by him and lit a
cigar.
'.GOing west?'' asked. by way of
opening the conversation
Yes" he answered, promptly; go
ing to Coloraydo"
Yes? Ever been there before?"
Nope; I'm a tenderfoot, / reckon"
he smiled. Then he added: i s'pose
it's pretty tough eouuJry-have You
been there
''Oh, yes; ] live there"
well. how is it-auy chance fr
Teller I git plenty wOrk?''
Yes, if he wants il
That's good; that's what I want"
Then. in his innocent, confding way,
he went on TO tell me how il was he
came to be going out west-the whole
story. II was sad story, and vet not
really a new one--a tale of an IMPROVE
dent father and family of small chill
dren, Of the death of the father and the
efforts of the widow and the older emil
dren To get along, and their troubles in
doing So.
Pink was the oldest-he was eighteen.
Then there were Min, fifteen; Grace.
eleven: Frank and Freddie, the twins.
ten; Ted. eight, and Fan, the baby,
five.
Pink ibis name was GeOrgel and Min
could help a little; but there was not
much they could get TO do in the little
country town they lived in, and, be
sides, Min did not like To work. "Ye
see" said Pink. deprecatingly, shes
girl an hain't been brought uD L work,
'xactly, an'-well. We can't 'xpect girls
Z banker after work much, nOhOw.
An tn rest of 'em, yC see, they're pref
" littIe-pretty little vet" And Pink
smiled in a Maternal sort Of fashion.
We talked on other subjects for
awhile Then Pink, after a silence of
u.-seh
slap of his fist on his bony knee: ''AlI
! want-aIl l want IS L see all q them
Young uns fixed an settled in good
shape. an well started. an theI-thcu
en- go home an settle down an look
after mother.
He left the train at Julesburg-he
had some prospect of getting work near
there. he told me-and / saw nothing
of him for over two years. Then, one
day. coming down Sixteenth street, IN
Denver, met him. lie had not changed
a bit and he remem bered me at once
when he saw me. I asked after his
mother and the young uns. " in little
while; Pink's eyes lighted mp, and his
face broadened into smile.
Fine he said: fine. Il git let
ter every week. an they're all gittin'
ON good. I'm goin' home pretty soon;
been hopin' cd go I Minis weddin'-
shes guiu' Z git married next Novem-
ber-cut 1 don't reckon l en- make il.
We see. these here women, they've got
Z rag out : lot an git heaps o things
Z git married in, SO I got L rustic [
keep Min staked in good shape; / want
my sister Z have As good as they is
wouldn't you?"
Almost year later ] met him again.
Neither be nor his smile had changed.
Gosh, I'm glad I see We he ejacu-
lated .'D'ye know, II seems most a
If Won was an old neighbOr of Our'n. l
feel 4 know We 50 we'll"
We took lunch together. and /
asked him how h. was getting along
and how the folks" were.
''Oh. I'm still punchiu' cows" HI
said. AN joggin' along, same OF gait.
Oh. YES. git letter every week yit
Mothers doiu' first rate. an tn young