The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-04-07
LOVE In THE FAR WEST.


on the railway platform at Grand juno
ton, Colorado.
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 mo for the dis
comforts of the journey after l should
leave the railroad, but found no words
could describe it rs vividly as l after
wards felt it, and heartily wished my
self safe in the luxury of Pullman
and speeding eastward. However, 1
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 small boy q
quarter to carry my grip, gingerly
picked my way along the uneven and
dirty brick 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 my attention to
the scenery.
The two men had eyed me curiously
at first, and then began talking Of mines
and the various arts and tricks Of the
unscrupulous to outwit the gullible
tenderfoot. But gradually they over
came their apparent diffidence in ad-
dressing woman, and began after true
An,arsran otyla IN 20 II
about my antecedents, and above all
my reason for taking such an unusual
journey. When Itold them expected
to visit Mrs. Renfrow at the Tin Cup
Mine one whistled expressively and
said You'll be likely to stay all win.
ter"
why ?" asked.
because, if signs go for anything
there is going to be an everlasting snow.
fall before long"
All the discomforts Of my journey
were forgotten in the overfowing 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 I looked
around the little rooms, upholstered
save with grout dug from neighboring
hills, I began to appreciate the decora.
tive 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
buildings on the opposite slope of the
gulch, and the day shift coming out
like bees from hive and scattering to
the various shanties dotted along the
side of the stream. As looked Mar.
garet 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 did
not seem as if he could be living.
Margaret said; Help me get 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 laid him upon it, while John
said, briefly: IAN accident to the ma
chinery. He is not dead, but 1 don't
know how badly hurt
We soon found one arm and one leg
broken, but no evidence of other in.
jury. MIR. ,Renfrow, with the assistance
OF two of the men, who through many
years of Western life had learned a
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 consciousness, and to-
wards morning were rewarded 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 my friend at
Ieeker had been true prophet, and
che featherly fakes began to fall during
the first night after my arrival and
kept it up steadily for q week, and
trail and canyon and side slope we're
covered with white pail.
We were as securely shut mp from
the outside world as il We had been
walled around with adamsnt. While
ones sympathies can not fly round the
world with the click Of the electric
needle, one naturally seeks for subjects
of interest in the humdrum life around
and so began to study our charge
- I sat beside him day after day. Not
that he seemed difficult subject or
wrapped in any mystery, but as he lay
there swarthsd in bandages he seemed
to be intently thinking. One day he
abruptly asked how long since he had
been hurt. 1 told him three weeks. He
turned his head away with deep sigh
and said no more for few minutes.
Then he asked: Bout how far is it
to Cairo, Ill. ?" said I didn't know
exactly, though nearly o thousand
miles.
"Wish was there" he jerked out,
with an effort
/ began to suspect THAT the girl I
left behind me, was troubling him and