Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-01-01
THE DESERTER.

| titln anu Nh7 ''hAIf'li'b W HAAeait 'h' 'hN
car with "a lot Of rough men, who swore,
drank and smoked until the air Of the car
was suffocating The conductor regretted
the state OF affairs, but declared himself
powerless. You can perhaps imagine the
relief felt when by the dawn Of daylight
] saw Long Pine, the railroad terminus.
was forced 10 pass the greater part OF
the night in the one hotel, where drunk
en- contractor was making merry for
large assembly Of delighted auditors.
was but too glad to exchange the hotel
parlor for the car, where ] did not hope
for anything but Y repetition of my former
| ride
was gratifed % find the car almost
empty Some half "A dozen men were doz
ing in various parts, and near the front j
espicd little figure curled up ON IA seat
/ that looked suspicioIsly feminine. despite
/ the jaunty masculine headgear that
adorned the closely clipped brown locks
wondered why one 80 young was trav-
cling alone and unprotected, and ponder
ing upon the subject ! sank into much
needed slumber When | awoke, IL was
broad daylight All were astir, and saw
In the subject Of my speculation a charm
ing little girl. possibly s. She had a very
pretty face and dainty air.
Before could put into execution plan
OF forming her acquaintance man ap
preached her He was fine looking spec
linen OF the genuine cowboy, though had
not then learned 10 recognize so unmis-
takably the memb bers Of that fraternity as
have In later years. His broad sombrero
shaded pair Of deep blue eyes, and
heavy reddish brown mustaChe but partly
hid "A mouth that betokened steady deter
mination and an unyielding will. He ad-
dressed my pretty girl as an old acquaint-
ance. An earnest conversation passed be
tween them for "A few moments and he
withdrew. She seemed much better pleased
than he. and few moments later she came
to me and began 10 chat in the most
friendly manner. My curiosity regard
ing the child, "a / mentally termed her,
seemed In "A fair way 10 be satisfied, for
she was eager 10 talk as | tolisten, but he
fore the forenoon passed ceased to regard
her as n child or inexperienced.
"That fellows name, " she said 10 me,
"is Brown. Did you notice that gold ring
on his little finger' That Is my engage
ment ring. ] sent II back 10 him. They
said he took on awful when he heard that
was married. T"
married" exclaimed in astonish-
ment.
ayes, ! was married last Sunday My
husband IL a soldier at the fort"
"But you look so youngp' ! said.
"Oh, I'm 49," replied. the girl. 81
worked I'm Sioux City until six weeks ago.
heard they paid so much better wages at
the fort that went up there. | got ac-
quainted with Brown and promised TO
marry him, but he had TO go out on the
ranch--he's cowboy, you know-and j
got acquainted with Saddler lie wanted
me, too-and-I don't know as he's bit
better than Brown; but, you see, he was
right there and Brown wasn't, 80 j mar
ried him. He don't make as much money
az Brown. He only gets Sl3 a month from
the army and what he can make running
faro bank. That's n good bit, but made
him promise to leave the army if married
him"
"But he can't leave" said l.
ooh he'll desert, said my childish in
nocent unblushingly.
"But II they catch him, - said l.
"IIed have TO finish his torm In Leaven-
worth, that's all But then they won't
find him. As soon az ] get back we're
going TO st. Joe to start a saloon. There's
money in that, tell you. and IN risk
their catching him.
"Where are you going now'" ! ventured
70 inquire.
"Im going after my little girl" she
answered promptly. i've been married
before and have little girl years old"
did not express my surprise this time,
but / doubt II any statemer she could
have made thereafter would have surprised
me In the least.
al had stepmother," she said, land
she was awful mean to me. One day one
Of our boarders, man Hs old ~ dad, said:
Come, 20 with me, Lily, and the old
woman shan't whip you any more Sol
went. We were married and began keep
ing house for ourselves. lie was pretty
good TO me until the baby came. Then he
got mad because | didn't know how to
take care Of Il, and when IL was months
old he took It away from me and took 1t
to his folks in Sioux City. When ] found
out where it was, ] ran away from him
and went there To work. | finally found
where my baby was, and ] saw her three
times, but never could get my hands on
her. She's such pretty little thing !
guess she's got "A good home, and they're
good 10 her, Int she's my baby. Saddler
gave me the money 30 see the thing
through, and I'm going TO have her by
fair means or foul"
did not and could not wish the young
mother success in her undertaking.
Several times during the day Brown
stopped to chat q moment with his ex-
hancee and once succeeded In drawing
her away for n little private conversation
ale asked me-" she said on resuming
her seat by me, "if was leaving Saddler
He'll be glad to get me Yet. Pm sorry
| for him, but I'm not TO blame Saddler
was there and he wasn't. couldn't mar
W them both"
Later Brown left the train, and at Free
mont ] saw the last of my pretty little
Lily.
In after years my mind often reverted to
my trip to the frontier, and in connection
with II thought OF the child that l met
on the train and wondered what her after
life had been.
At last accident brought me informs-
ton of her further career.
Saddler and his pretty wife did indeed
| go to st. Joe and keep n saloon. They
| had no child with them, and was glad to
believe that her errand to Sioux City was
unsuccessful. In less than year big,
handsome man named Brown appeared
upon the scene. a month later, by acci.
dent Of course, Uncle Sans officers were
upon the deserter's track.
When the prison doors closed behind the
Seluded man, our Lily, fair but false,
| was free md she and proun yyere wed -