The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-27
THE PEDDLER'S PACK

IL ain 6 very pleasant SEOIys SElQ
the landlord Of the Long Pack, but like
to tell it sometimes just to remind myself
that the worst thing man can have in
this world is q hot, obstinate temper
You see, came to this coast soon aft
er the gold fever broke out and settled
down in the Santa Esgrbara valley, below
here, rauching I was a vFidOwer even
then and had. brought with me from the
states my only child, a daughter past II.
She was a pretty girl, if I do say it, and
being as good as pretty you can imagine
was quite wrapped up in her. OF course
was anxious to keep her with me, and il
not that at least I looked for her to dc
something better than fall in love with
peddler. p
ssAnd did sIles''
eyes. You see, in those days the coun.
try was full of young fellows who hao
struck out for themselves and were trying
to get d start by carrying knickknacks
around from one mining camp to another.
Some Of them were lively chaps enough
and well educated but I was fresh from
the states, with all the eastern prejudices.
and it almost drove me wild when Nellie
told ne she wanted to marry young fel-
low who brought his pack through oul
district good deal oftener than the trade
seemed to require was q hot tempered
fool ia those days, so I stormed, threaten
ed, locked Nellie up for a week and sent
word to her lover that I had loaded my
gun for wildcats and peddlers. -
'fWhat did Nellie do7''
fsYoU might have guessed it. One day
when I came hack from a cattle sale sbe
was missing. I chased her a couple Oh
days bait they had taken to the woods,
and IL vas of no 77se- After awhile 7 DOT .
Ie+ter from, Frisco ana T wrote baclr saw
fner tba+ T disovrao5 her and tbat no bao
better keen ont Of +be rance Of nv rife ),
What did you do then2''
ssSufgered. mister. lust suffered. I knew
was WRONG but I'd have died rather
than give in. For i've Years lived like .
toad in a rock. hating the whole world
All the pleasure had was in watching
for De6z1Iers. The number / chased off the
ranch duriag that time would astonisb
you
Zone evening. after a terrible 1ains6oTrp
a peddler came to nv house end asked fo1
shelter for fh9 uigbt, He was a thin. weak
looking felIo1v. with his face covered with
! huoe RACED hoard He carried on his
hack IN enoTsao77slv lone and heavy rack
and seemed SO exhausted with his tr8n1
through the rnire that I hadn't the heart
10 do moro sham order him off the place ),
ssTbat was 7rettv hard > said t5e lis
tenar
II suppose it was. The peddIer seemed
all broke no when hs found I vvouldn'f
even rive him a bunch of straw in the stu
bic. and no other house within y miles.
Instead of complaining, however, he mere.
" begged that 1 would Let him leave his
pack. which he said contained goods OF
value. under shelter from the rain. I final.
" consented II, this. So. as 7 had sworn
none Of his trade should ever cross my
threshold. I carried his mack inside. while
its owner lilnDea on to crawl under some
bush or other
Didn't YOU feel nean9''
Eyes. mean and bitter at the same time.
for so7npthir,e, about the mar, reminded
me If NeIlie.z husband a litfle However
I S,,ejzed and barred All the doors snd win,
covs as usual. for some road agents had
been around those PARTS about that time
and had stoBped AID robbed several ranch
es. and. rs / told vou. I was ali alone.
Somehow couldn't 90 to sleep when after
that 7 went to bed Aftel, tossing around
for awhile / e-ot no and sat I7v the fire.
troodiusg over nv trouble and trying not
to think of the poor chap shivering out
there in the cold and rain somewhere. ]
looked at has rack sitting up in the room
and wondered what made it SO long.
CAS- watched Il fancied saw II
move
ssSa-v IT. 7l,ovass,
Exactly. vyo71dnst believe nv own
ewes at first. but after WATCHING inteDtlv
for awhile distinctly saw the front of a
hand pressed apainst the canvas from the
inside. Like a fash then / understood the
whole thing. The peGGler was one Of the
road AGENTS. Gang. and. knowing / had con
siaerai7la money aF7ol1t the house they had
adorted that Dlan for sTnugglina one of
+I,ei7. crew inside fine house 4 fer 7 bad
conc to sleeD the fellow inside could let In
the rest and 1lnish tbe iol1. / walked Quiet.
" across tie room. took nv gun from the
antlers. lznelt down a fe7v feet from the
DaeL aimed sa11are in the center ana mill
"a tb,s +rieser.,.
eco IN $ ro,,71nrred the listener. will,
a sbadder.
ssBnt the 011n didn't 90 off ,, continued
the landlord cleaning his throat ssTbg