The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-04-07

was not doing the fair thing, not allow
ing her to dance with any one but him.
He laughed, and said she didn't seem
to think it any hardship. Well, we
both got mad, and / 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, l used 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. l 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 tender note crept into his
voice.
IL had to go down on the boat to
Vicksburg, which would take about
two weeks, as we would have to wait
for cargo. 1t was regular purgatory
to me all the time / was gone, for l was
afraid Hank would get the best Of me,
and made up my mind to have it out
when got back. The next Sunday 1
went down. l had bought a ring in
Vicksburg, with two olasped hands
holding little garnet, to give her, and
thought maybe that would help me out.
found her in little arbor in q corner
OF the garden. She seemed glad to see
me, but she acted the same to Hank, so
1 couldn't tell anything from that. She
asked me about the trip, and wanted to
know If l had lost my heart to any
pretty girl in Vicksburg. thought IL
was now or never, so I said: How
could when ! left it at homer
"'Who took care of it while you were
gone she asked.
I'D like to think You did, I said.
Il wish, Elsie. you could like me little
better than Hank Simpson. You know
how much care for you
She looked down and dug hor shoe
into the dirt and said: How should 1?
You never told me-
"'Well, l tell you now, and I can't
bear to think OF Hank coming here to
see yon when 1 want you to marry me-
Elsie looked at me and then said:
why. Bob, I didn't know that you
meant anything
Well Miss Majors, she didn't mako
much fuss when put my arm around
her and kissed her. / felt as il / was
in heaven and even felt sorry for Hank
Simpson. l 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 be-
gun to care for me at the dance, but
had been afraid to cross Hank, as he
had such temper.
Maybe you want to know why I am
away out here. Well, Elsie and me
agreed that it was no use trying to
make any money to buy home work
ing for days wages on the river. 1
heard that good men in the mines in
the mountains got big wages and so l
thought | would try. ] went TO see
Elsie the night before l came away and
she cried and hung to me till almost
lost my courage to go, but 1 did. L
have been here a year now and saved
good deal. / have written to Elsie
every time any one went to Meeker, and
had letters pretty often. We were to
have been 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 me ?"
The poor fellow turned mis- 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 foot of
snow in White Canyon"
He seemed in the depths of misery
and left him.
Two weeks slipped away, and the
weather was steadily cold, with occa-
sional light falls of snow. and as Bob
Traversly looked out of his little win
dow at the rounded outlines OF the
peaks could SEQ that his heart was
far away with the girl he loved, per-
haps thinking that his rival was taking
advantage OF his silence to catch Q
heart on the rebound. A week before
Christmas the weather suddenly moder-
ated and the air felt as balmy as spring
The snow melted rapidly and began to
disappear in our little valley and on
the lower slopes OF the mountain.
Every now and then on some distant
peak we could see slide como down,
leaving black trail behind. Christ
mas day Bob could have his arm out
of its sling, but even the fact of his
injuries healing SO rapidly had no effect
upon his spirits. In the morning he
said to me- If were only in Cairo
to-day Elsie will think am dead r.
A couple Of days before Christmas
two of the men had announced their
intention of trying to get to Meeker.
Mr.. Renfrow warned them to be care
full, and above all things not to get
caught in a slide. In the afternoon 1
was sitting reading to Bob, who was
lying with his face to the wall and ap-
parently not paying much attention.
Suddenly he turned over.