The record-union., 1897-10-04
Under The SHADOW OF THE
0WYHEES.

The wagon crawled slowly over the
hot, dusty road. The grass was short
and burned. Off in the distance were
the Owyhee Mountains. Dim and blue
they looked against the clear cloudless
Sky; but the faces that peered from
the covered prairie wagon saw only
the white road stretching out before
them, saw only the sage-covered plains
over which the heat was palpitating
like living thing.
From somewhere within there came
Q wailing cry; then was heard wo-
fans voice soothing a fretful child;
the tones were low and patient. but on,
how tired The mans face contracted
with a look of pain and flush came
to the hollow cheeks, while his long
bony hands clinched upon the rein
that had been so loosely held, till the
veins stood out like whip cords.
By his side sat a girl. Her hands
We're hard and brown and limp cali
co sun bonnet, which was half on,
half off her head, revealed an old-young
face. She was perhaps 10 years old,
but the eyes that looked so braVely
from under the wagon cover might
have found a fitting place in the man
beside her.
AS the child's voice again broke the
stiffness, the man moved uneasily; the
girl looked up and her mouth drew into
q tightened line.
There now, pa, don't yer get one or
yer spells; we amt to the end of our
tether yet, not by a good bit; the man
said we'd get over the bluff ter-night.
an then we'll rest bit. We amt goin'
ter live in a prairie wagon for ever, an
when we get rested up bit We'll start
on as good as new"
II don't know, Nanny; seems to me
every day gets longer and harder than
the one before, and sometimes l think
I'll never see the end of it. l might
just as we'll have stayed back home
where you and ma would have now
some one ter help yer along, as ter
come out here and give out anyway,
and then leave yer ter scramble along
as best yer can"
There, now, pa, don't yer talk that
way We amt the givin' up kind, and
as long as yer keep a-holdin' on, yer
most generally find somethin ter hold
on to-"
The father was silent, and Nanny
said no more, but her hand stole on
the mans shoulder and rested there
with a caressing touch.
At last the hot day wore itself away
and the chill Of the evening air fell
upon them 1t had been an October
day, and those who have lived in the
mountain region of Idaho know how
quickly the heat of the day is succeed
ed by the cold air which seems to
sweep down from the mountains peaks.
The lights were just beginning TO
CLEAN here and there in the town as
the old weather-stained wagon came to
the edge of the bluff overlooking the
valley. They descended the steep grade
to the river bottom and crossed the long
bridge which spanned the stream whose
lazy. muddy length gave so little prom
ise of the turbulent river which in
few months would rush madly by. They
drew rein. and the father and Nanny
began to prepare camp for the nights
rest.
It was a week later. A group of
men had gathered in front of the Over
land Hotel, through the panes OF
whose small ald-fashioned windows
cleaned the light shed by swinging
kerosene lamp. In a corner partitioned
off as an office sat the proprietor and
manager. His feet rested upon the
counter in front while he sat tilted
back in his chair reading the three
days old newspaper which the mail
had Just brought in from San Fran
cisco Constantly the heavily-shod feet
shuff1ed back and forth over the wooden
floor. A drizzling rain was falling out
side, and as the wind blew up from
the west, drifting the rain under the
covered front of the "hotel," the men
lounged through the door.
Here and there were groups playing
at the card tables Around the hot
air-tight stove was ranged a group of
men: smoke and the fumes of whisky
mingled with the steam which arose
from their wet clothes. Rough men
they were, and used to a rough life.
Outside the streets We're deserted and
silent, while the saloons did thriving
business. Occasionally the swinging
doors would be pushed open by some
man who was soon lost in the gloom
of the night.
It was S o'clock "by railroad time, :"
as they say up there in the mountains,
and Alec Williams had already gone
the rounds of the half dozen saloons.
He had just come down from his claim
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