Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-11-17

there combined and proportioned.
meant so much to that hot, dusty,
waiting crowd--fell over the little
white dress and bare feet, with Q
corner covering the small head and
bobbing yellow curls, and its fringes
barely escaping pair Of astonished
black eyes, and bit OF mouth whose
corners didn't know whether to turn
up and laugh, or down and cry, a big
roar went up: "'Rah fer young
America! Send him up to the win
der, an let him git his papers
signed"
''Put your papers in his hand,
MAJ am, quick, an let 'em pass him
up while they're i'm the notion"
whispered shrewd.looking old fel.
low to Myra. The papers were held
in front Of him, the wandering little
hands clutched them, and amid
cheers and laughter he Travelled from
hand to hand over the heads OF men
who would have bours yet to wait.
Any objections were silenced with
cries of "'Rah fer young America!
It's fer the widder and the orfinv
and like expressions. What toll.
hardened or crine-soiled palms lifted
the baby on his way, whether he went
mostly head or heels foremost, right
or wrong side up, whether he saluted
heaven with howls or smiled up to
it's smile on that memorable journey,
IRE things that cannot be found out,
Nothing but u murmuring Of laugh
ter, goodwill and cheering marked
his progress, and he came back to
Myra's arms laughing, kicking his
white legs from the gay folds Of tho
flag, and growing over the paper duly
signed and sealed.
Myra's venture was great success.
Her genius for cooking and home-
making under unfavorablc conditions
was phenomenal, and It could not
have been taken to a better market.
1t was the luckiest OF happenings
TINT took Hubbnrd's cherished quar-
tor section out OF her reach and gave
her town lot and u business ut
which she could excel instead.
Many better equipped than she
failed ut farming. Dave and his
partner had hard work to make 60
Of It; but, whoever succeeded or
failed, Myra, through the darkest,
the gloomiest and blOOdiest times in
Guthrie, prospered. and, as the boys
put it, made money hand over fist.
On the night OF November 10th,
1889, the barrel-stove in Ferguson's
store had Its regular circle OF loung.
ers around 1t. Tho approach OF
Thanksgiving stirred old memories
OF home, and raised doubts rs to
whether this game Of hardship, diff.
Guilty and danger were really worth
the candle Of hope consumed In play
ing it.
II presume, gentlemen" said Fer.
guson, one Of Myra's earliest board
ers, known to bo hopelessly smitten
by her charms--as, indeed, were
most OF the others-and only re.
strained by constitutional bashful-
ness from declaring himself, that
all here IRE invited to tho little wild.
der's Thanksgivin' dinner-and how
many Of you know what the surprise
Is she promised us after it?"
A man from Connecticut looked
exceedingly knowing. but nobody
answered. so Mr.. Ferguson was COM
PEELED to explode his sensation with.
out delay.
"Well," he said. "she's a.goin' to
leave; that's 1t, and it's our fault II
We let her."
II don't see how you make 1t our
fault" said u fat man; we've done
the best VIC knowed. hate to lose
the wilder us bad us any boarder
she's got. At least''-with a humor-
GUS look ut Fcrguson's blushing, ell
derby face-'I'd hate It as much as
most; but I think we've done our
best to content her. When she
lowed she could cook better In a
house than In tent, the night after
the big blow, we oil turned out and
put her up tho shack, by lantern.
light, between two days. That fol.
Ter, Dave Anderson, does fer her Ike
u hired man. Shucked out, when she
got lonesome for the kids, and piled
over to Arkansas City and brought
back Peach and Honey, you know
1T amt kids an shacks keeps .
; woman like her contented." opined
Ferguson, scornfully. Its sassiety
she pines fer, an admiration, an
an'-courtin'-a husband !"
; swell, said theaConnecticut man
with a humorous twinkle In his eye
IS far as / en- hear there's no neef
fer her to pine fer anything O. thai
; sort. II you think she's really lone
: some, say We 60 up an call-mebb,
well find out what her surprise Is
an where she's a.goin' to when SIN
: leaves u.s."
Ferguson was only too glad to hav'
a supporter for his bushes, and &C
J cedod readily. As they came in sigh
OF the little shack its gayly fire-and
lamplit windows looked very invit
ing; but the Connecticut man know
ingly insisted that it would be bes
to reconnoitre before rapping. The,
slipped quietly across the bare littl
I yard and looked through the window
Inside, glorified by freight, lamp
light. and that magical beautifie
and spring Of perpetual youth, hap
= piness, they saw Myra-Myra, til
7 children tucked away In bed, sittin
by her own fireside-but not alone.
, Dave Anderson's arm was aroun'
Y her trim, slender waist, her curl
dark head rested, as though 1t wer
! used to and loved the resting plac