News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-03-29
CHAPTER IL.
GRANDMOTHER MUMFoRD, THE LIVING
BUNDLE"

GRANDMOTHER MUMFORD, THE LIVING
BUNDLE"
The living bundle seated on the road
side bank near at hand now attracted
my attention. 1t began to swing bach
and forth in a very violent manner, and
at last, after some few preliminary in
ternal rumblings, it gave utterance tc
| these words: Oh, MumfordI Oh, Mum.
fOrd!"
Turning to the man ON the rock,
shook him up and asked, Is your name
Mumford?''
mo, SIR" said he. mo, she S
a-thinkin of-a-thinkin bout her ole
man-him she lost. "
well, come, rouse up, my friendl'
cried |, almost losing my patience
You can't remain here with this fam
lily on your hands. What do you think
of doing?'
." know it's bad for the folks" said
the man, never raising his head, but
what kin do? I'm clean done for, an
try to think what ter do. but some.
how | KANT think.
"Oh, MumfOrdl Oh, Mumfordi"
cried the old lady hidden somewhere
within the bundle in such a loud and
thrilling tone that l turned and looked
at her in alarm. She was rocking her
'elf at such rate than she seemed to
bounce an inch or two off the ground
at each pendulumlike vibration.
Again all was silent. The old lady
was still diligently vibrating, but was
now voiceiess. The man on the rock
seemed trying to pull an idea of some
kind out of the patch on the knee of his
trousers.
Pore ole Betty!" said one of the lit
tie boys as he patted the neck of the
horse to be Pore ole Bettv!'
'Will daddy leave her wifi all of der
nasty dead cowst' qucried the younger
boy, trying to open and look into one OF
the dead mares eyes.
About this time l felt IA sort of lump
rising in my throat and began to want
to see something like action somewhere.
Come, my FRIEND, said | as a
thought struck me: "rouse up!" slap
ping the man on the back. There are
dozens of big freight teams going back
to California every day from Virginia
City, and all return without back loads
of any kind You here are not far from
the main California road, and one of
these return teams will haul you and
all your traps. Come, my man, you'll
be all right YETI
But hain't got no money. 'Tain't
no use. I've seed teams and teams, an
I've axed 'em to help me along. None
OF 'em wouldn't haul me. They all
come on an left us alone back in the des-
erts. They all talked money, money
money fust an money last. | hain't got
no money.
But that was while your team was
still ON its legs. Now they can't re-
fuse. Besides, the California teamsters
are very different men fIom those who
passed you on the plains, where it is
devil take the hindmost.
II tell yer 'tain't no use!" cried the
man pettishly.
"Oh, Mumfordl Oh, Mumford!" cried
the old lady, and she began to bounce
about so violently that l feared she
would roll off the bank into the road.
Tut, tut, mammy!" demonstrated
my man.
Beginning to lose patience with all
this idle mummery, turned suddenly
to the swaying bundle and sald, For
Gods sake, what is the meaning of all
this nonsense about Mumford?"
This was like giving the bundle an
electrical shock. Half springing from
her seat, the old woman gave her i'm
mense poke bonnet so vigorous an up
ward thrust that it was sent flying from
her head into the dust, exposing to view
for the first time Il thin, wrinkled face
and spare, diminutive tOrm-a little
"atony" of woman.
What is the nonsense about Mum
ford? Is that what you ask, sir? There
is no nonsense about Mumford!'' Her
alkalied gray hair stood bristling all
over her head. A wild light burned
in her sunken gray eyes, and she stretch
ed out toward me u skinny arm and
clawlike hand almost in a menacing
manner. There never was any nom
sense about Mumford! No, sirl Mum
ford, sir, was my husband for 40 years,
and there was no nonsense about himl
But" she added in calmer tone
"Mumford is not-he is no more. He
sleeps on the banks of Green river
We left him there. He sleeps there un-
der the trees, where l. too, should
sleep!" Her hand dropped, and in a
sobbing voice she said: Yes, under
the trees, thank God for thatl Under
the beautiful green treesl He was born
among the tall green trees of Kentucky,
lived among trees all his life, died
among trees! When, far out in the des-
ert, the doctor told him he was dying,
that he had only few minutes TO live,
he asked to be raised up that he might
look out of the wagon. No, said he,
/ can't die here, and, what is more, !
won't! There is not tree in sight
Drive on! When you've come to some
decent sort of place for man to die in,
won't fight against going He lived,
sir, while the wagon crawled over miles
and miles of fdesert-lived till we reach
ed Green river and was laid on his bed
under the trees. Then he took my hand
and said: All, the trees are green, and
/ hear the birds singing. Sally, goodby
III die now | said 'Goodby, Mum
ford, and he was dead"
'Thomasl Thomas!" called a shrill
but weak voice from the wagon.
Thomas, is that mother a-talkin?"
Thomas-the "doubting Thomas
who had all this time remained sitting
dejectedly or the rock, arose and slouch-
ed along to the wagon, hardly lifting
his feet above the dust.