River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-03-24
Am, Mother. "
BY THORPE GREENLEAF.


counties of western Kentucky, and
tor some weeks stopped at a hotel where
q young civil engineer had headquar-
tiers. Harry GendIin was one of those
mellow, open natures who have popu-
larity for a birthright, and was soon
favorite in the town and hotel. He
liked TO come into my room and sing.
His voice was a deep bass; my room
mate, Manis, sang a part that | was
never musician enough to name; liar
rvs roommate, Jervis, sang rich
tenor; and tried to carry the air. We
sang "Suwanee River" odd Kentucky
Home, and such pieces occasionally,
but the old hymn tunes were best
adapted To our style Of quartette, and
am obliged to say that we made some
good music on "OId Hundred" SEES
sious, "Coronatiou' and like pieces.
On one occasion we sang, Where Is
My Boy Tonight" and at its conclu
sion Harry said:
If you care TO hear the story will
tell YOU where | first heard that song"
Tell it by all means" said the rest
OF u.s.
4 Will have to begin by saying that
until recently was a pretty reckless
chap. My father has always been a
railroad prospector and surveyor, and
have been with him in camp ever since
I was mere kid. lie is good man,
the leader of choir in Evettsburg,
where my mother frequently sings
soIos. | never hope TO hear anything
this side the glory gates that viii sat
isfy me as we'll as my mothers voice in
the First Cumberland church, at
Lycttsburg
"Father was not careful enough
about my companions in camp, and
soon | had drifted a long way from the
right. But | learned his business, and
when | was about IS years old he put
me to work on one Of his Jobs. The pay
was MOI large but it was nearly all
clear money and Z was TOO Young to I'M
derstand the proper disposal of so
much | got into the habit of spreeing
when went to Evcttsburg, or when ia
ther was not in camp
well. when I was about %. we
reached point i'm a lob where we had
been two weeks i'm the rain and mud.
and got to the end of a section one
Thursday noon. Father said that we
would have to Jaw off until the next
Monday morning because his plans for
the next section were not matured
determined then and there to put in the
hest part of the next three days at
Tyettsburg. on a great old iamboree
So | walked back to the terminus and
the two o'clock freight bumped and
banged me 40 miles to Evettsburg. Here
] disappeared in a saloon downtown
and was soon Obvious to surrounding
events. The saioonleeper was careful
that my Whereabouts should he kept
quiet, and bundled me into his own liv-
ing rooms when became unable to care
for myself.
Father staid at his job preparing the
next weeks work until Saturday after
noon, when he went to Evettsburg to
be present at his choir meeting at
seven in the evening. His train was de
layed, and he went directly from the
depot to the church. BY strange
destiny, it seemed, mother was select
Ell to sing, Where Is My Boy Io-night?'
Tor evening service.
ON the way home father asked for
me and mother replied that she had
not seen me. They both became very
uneasy, father with an inkling of the
truth, mother with all sorts of name
less breads As I did not turn mp that
night father started private police
man on a search for me next morning
before breakfast. lie unearthed me
and got me TO hotel. where a servant