Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1898-05-25
"Here Am, Mother"
BY THORPE GREENLEAf.

TN 1884 1 was in one of the Ohio river
counties of western Kentucky, and
for some weeks stopped at a hotel where
a young civil engineer had headquar-
tiers. Harry Gendrin was one of those
mellow, open natures who have popu-
larity for a birthright, and was soon a
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 L was
never musician enough to name; Har-
rvs roommate, Jervis, sang a rich
tenor; and l tried to carry the air. We
sang "Suwanee River" ''Old Kentucky
Home" and such pieces occasionally,
but the old hymn tunes were best
adapted to our style of quartette. and l
am obliged to say that we made som
good music on ''Old Hundred" "Ses-
sions," Coronation and like pieces.
On one occasion we sang, where Is
NV Boy Tonight? ?" and at it's conclu-
sion Harry said:
IF you care to hear the story l Will
tell you where | first heard that song"
Tell it by all means" said the rest
of us.
81 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 l
have been with him in camp ever since
1 was a mere kid. He is a good man,
the leader of a choir in E~vettsburg,
where my mother frequently sings
solos. 1 never hope to hear anything
this side the glory gates that will sat
isfy me as well as my mothers voice in
the First Cumberland church, at
Evettsburg.
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 not large. but it was nearly all
clear money and / was too young to I'M
derstand the proper disposal of so
much. 1 got into the habit of spreeing
when I went to Evettsburg, or when IA
ther was not in camp.
well, when I was about 20, we
reached a point in a job where we had
been two weeks in the rain and mud,
and got to the end of a section one
Thursday noon. Father said hat we
would have to lay off until the next
Monday morning because his plans for
the next section were not matured. I
determined then and there to put in the
hest part of the next three days at
Evettsburg, on n great old jamboree.
So / walked back to the terminus, and
the two o'clock freight bumped and
banged me 40 miles to Evettsburg. Here
l disappeared in a saloon downtown,
and was soon oblivious to surrounding
events The saloonkeeper was careful
that my whereabouts should be 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 "A strange
destiny. it seemed, mother was select
ed to sing. Where Is My Boy To-night?'
for 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 mixing of the
truth, mother with all sorts of name
less breads. AS / did not TURF W that
night father started a private police
man OF a search for me next morning
before breakfast. He unearthed me
and got me to n hotel. where & servant
was feed to sol r me up. The police
man then went to report, but as :..y ia
Their was not at home, the whole miser-
able truth came cut to my mother. He
said as he was leaving:
Mrs. Gendrin, would advise you not
TO GO to Harry to-day. He will be all