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

Again all was silent. The old lady
was still diligently vibrating. but was
now voiceless. The man on the rock
seemed trying to pull an idea of seine
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
dead mare. as / now discovered the
horse to be. Pore ole Betty!'
will daddy leave her wifi all Of der
nasty dead cows?" queried the younger
boy, trying to open and look into one OF
the dead mares eyes.
About this time | felt a 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
dozens Of big freight teams gong 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 EN- 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 from those who
passed you on the plains. where ii is
devil take the hindmost.
Il tell yer faint no use!' cried the
man pettishly.
"Oh, Mumford! 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, mammyl'' demonstrated
my man.
Beginning to lose patience with all
this idle mummery, | turned suddenly
to the swaying bundle and SAID, 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 a thin, wrinkled face
and spare. diminutive form-a little
"atomy" Of a
What is the nonsense about Num-
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 a skinny arm and
clawlike hand almost in a menacing
manner. There never was any non
sense about Mumford! No, sir! Num-
ford, sir, was my husband for 40 years,
and there was no nonsense about him!
But, "..she added in a ca1mer tone,
"Mumford is not-he is no more. He
sleeps on the banks of Green river.
We left him there. He sleeps there IN
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 trees! 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 d few minutes to live,
he asked to be raised up that he might
look out of the wagon. No. said he,
i can't die here, and. what is more. l
won't! There is not a tree in sight!
Drive on! When you've come to some
decent sort of place for a man to die in,
| won't fight against going He lived,
sir. while the wagon crawled over miles
and miles of desert-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
l hear the birds singing. Sally, goodby
III die now | said 'Goodby, Num-
ford, and he was dead"
"Thomas! Thomas!" called a shrill
but weak voice from the wagon.
Thomas, is that mother a-talkin?"
Thomas-the doubling Thomas
who had all this time remained sitting
dejectedly on the rock, arose and SLOUGH
ed along to the wagon, hardly lifting
his feet above the dust.
The animated bundle followed Thorn
as with her eyes. Turning to me, she
then said: Pm his mother-in-law.
He's a stick-a perfect stick!'' said she
decidedly. Yes" repeated she, "a
perfect stickl Oh. that by keeping
Mumford before him-that by calling
Mumford up in his mind could get
him to show a little of the spirit Of
MumfordI"
In a moment Thomas came back and
said to me-: "Nancy-that's my wife,
sir-wants to see you. She's a-lyin sick
in the wagon"
Nodding to the young girl, who was
holding the sick child at the front of
the vehicle, and placing a hand on the
faxen locks of the little n by her side,
l looked into the interior of the fam
lily mansion" just as a tall, thin, hol-
low eyed woman was rising from some
quilts.