Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-08-10

[GSSAQf2ZA,fssyNxSAC Will SGTOUB
N%a2SSESHt&S sturdy man like
xnE1yHIH#WRSSSY John. I was only
CIV u0'0 w ~ twenty, and knew
nothing OF life outside OF school and
a rich homo. But John and were dc.
termined, and I married him and
bravely took my place beside him in
the creaky white covered wagon when
he started westward.
1t was delightful OF first as we Jour.
neyed toward the sunset. The nightly
campings out, the passing panorama
OF hill. dale. stream and plain-all
were like ON adventure in my eyes, So
we drove on across the Mississippi.
over long stretches of country and at
last were riding through the rich.
earthed prairies Of Kansas. Far to,
ward the western edge OF the State
our drive took US, and could Just
catch above tho approaching horizon
a glimpse of the blue, cloud-like mass
of Pixies Peak, when we halted on the
homestead that was to be our future
home.
John had "taken it up" the spring
before, but had done little work on it,
and confess that the place was Bit
terly barron in my eyes, used to the
improved homes of the Eastern and
Middle States. l call them 80 for
when one is at the foot hills Of the
Rockies, Illinois Is for, far east.
But did not show my feelings, and
when John asked, "Do you like it,
sweetheart?" I reassured him SO hearth.
ly that he did not even repeat the
question.
Still it was lonesome. No neiahbor
was nearer than three miles, and when
the little work OF the cabin had been
performed I would go out to the field
whore John was turning over LONG
ribbons of turf and watch him, lust
because I was SO hungry for company.
And then when summer came and
he used to drive to tho nearest town,
Coronado, to find work the days were
like months. ! could not go with him,
and could go no where else, because
/ had no way. Our only other horse
beside the team driven by John was O
heavy work animal, utterly unsafe for
a woman to handle.
Whom John would come homo he
would pet me and promise that "some
day" we would be fixed 80 that could
go where l wished myself-but he
never mentioned how, and was off be-
fore daylight to the town again.
1t was the height of summer and the
worm prairie winds racing as If from
an oven mouth northward shook and
ratified the slenderly constructed
cabin in manner that brought fre-
quent fear to my heart that the whole
house would go rolling over and over
across the plain like the tumble weeds
that scurried along before the door in
never ending train. had Just fin
ished my lonesome dinner when an
unusual rattle told me that that como
one was at the threshold.
Opening the door lnnk, shock head
ed youth, the son of neighbor, stood
before me holding out couple OF pa
pers. He passed our cabin In going
to the prairie postofIice and usually
carried us our mail.
'You are early to-day, Clay" said I,
glad to have some one to talk to.
"Ya-as'm, but I went clean down
tor tn city, though"
"Indeedl That must have been o
long ride for you," as looked quick.
ly among the local news of the paper,
which had como from my old home,
picking out here and there O familiar
name.
~ seen yer husbun', too, Missis !,
he's havin' o right fine time"
The paper was forgotten and eager.
ly questioned him as to his mean
ing.
"Why, nothin', only he was ridin'
with tn han'somest lady I over saw
that is, In town." rude gallantry
causing him to make an exception on
account of my presence. 'I don't
know who twas, but they wns in o
phaeton an druv up ter beautiful
yeller house..
1t was the widow St. Clair. I had
often envied her her magnificent (for
that country residence and her luxu-
rious surroundings.
But Johns teamp" / faltered O
great lump rising in my throat In spite
OF my determination to be cool.
"Oh, that was down ter the hotel.
He was jest ridin' round town,
guess-an' they was goin' like light.
ming, too, 1 tell yer.'
There was no telling when he would
have stopped his heart-breaking mar
rative had not the brush of prairie
wolf shown itself on swell few hun.
dred yards off and caused the youth to
mount his pony in haste and start in
pursuit.
I shut the door behind him and
threw myself sobbing upon the floor.
1t was too hard! All the loneliness,
oil the homesickness. all the longing