The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-01-26

a mint every hope we Il 10 vas gone. IT
WI. bad enough for daddy before, but
when he seed the ole mare drap dead he
jist let go all hollis. Pore mani He's
clean discouraged
assured the woman that all | had
said of the teams and teamsters was
true.
Are there many teams on the road
now, SIR" asked Mary.
"A great many-hnndrels. The busi-
ness houses and the big mining coni-
panies Of the Comstock are now getting
in their winter goods and supplies.
Hundreds OF teams are coming and go
ing across the mountains. We should
see many of them were we u few miles
farther on-were we where this road
falls into the one that leads over the
mountains"
"Oh, if l could see them, sir" cried
Mary. IF they could see mother
see us all-see the awful place we are
in, they would help us. sir. Yes. they
would help us to get away from here!"
Indeed they would, said l.. They
may look rough-their work is rough
but the majority are noble hearted fell
lows. and there is not a man among
them all SO mean that he would pass
you by"
''Oh. thank you, sir! Thank you!
Oh, mother, do you hear?" And the kind
hearted girl began kissing the sick baby
to hide her tears.
Looking up presently, she said:
Mother has been sick so long, and now
pore little Kitty is sick, and we haven't
any money and hardly anything left
that's fit even for us well mes to eat.
What can we do here in this desert but
die?"
No, you will not die. You are all
safe now, and you viii soon all be well
and happy"
"Oh. mother. do yon hear that? The
stranger says wearca al safe now!' and
again the worn young creature began
kissing Kitty, tears streaming down
her cheeks.
Look about you, Mary-look about
at the desert and the dead beasts all
about US, and you'll see how safe we
air. And thus speaking the sick and
respondent mother groaned aloud.
BE of good cheer, child, and try to
put some heart into the others. said ]
to'Mary. II still say you are all safe.
Our Comstock people have assisted hun
dreds of emigrants that have come in
here off the deserts in distress. You are
but "a few miles away from Virginia
City. The people there will most GER
tainly take care of you and find a way
for you to get to California"
"God bless them!" said Mary.
"Will you please call Thomas, my
husband. sir, to get me some water?''
asked the sick woman, who had fallen
back on her couch and was trying to
moisten her parched lips with her equal
ly dry and fevered tongue.
l at once went to the husband, and
giving him a shake to rouse him out of
his state of dreamy detection told him
what his wife required.
AS | was about to return to the wagon
to tell Mary that l would not lose sight
of them until they We're hauled out of
the desert and safe, l felt a clutch at
tHO Shlit VI NY SOdl. IulAIuS dDOut,
I found the old woman gazing keenly,
eagerly, upon my face. This old wom-
an l now began to see had an eye and
al ear open for all that was going on
about her. Notwithstanding that at first
sight she seemed Il mere needless, i'm
beetle bundle.
"That man." said she. lis a good
enough husband to my darter, but, lai
he ain t one of our kind-he amt Kahn
lucky stock. He amt like pore Mum
ford was-hain't got the stir! When
things went like this, Mumford he'd
git mad. La. you jest ought to see how
he'd tar round! Swar? Why, he'd
swar terrible, Mumford would. But
he's at rest now, pore man! On the
banks of the Green river he lies, under
the beautiful trees, where the birds
sing all the day long. Mumford, now,
he was q man. sir. as could do justice
to a sitervation SIGH as this. But he
dear soul-he has gone to his reward"
Suddenly changing her tone, the old
lady laid a bony hand upon my arm: