Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-02-22

A0N James ho0n0l0, OF
wv O ic ago. was appointed
Indian Agent he moved to
Nebraska, taking with him his wife,
baby girl and a young Irish maid Of
the name of Mollie. Mr.. RedHeld en-
joyed frontier life, 1t being An agreeable
change from office work. But Mrs.
Redfeld did not like living in a log
prairies. She declared that she would
have died Of hemesickness II the blithe,
iight-hearted Mollie had not always
been cheering her with:
"Ah, but this is foine country, Mis-
Redfield. Jist look at the big ocean Of
land a-stretchin' to the end of the
wurld."
But 1t looks SO lonesome, Mollie. to
see neither hills nor trees" Mrs. Red
Geld would reply.
"'Tis the better widout thin. I'm
thinkin': they'd be for obstructin' our
foine view," said the Irish girl.
And both day and night 1t is so STILL"
Mrs. Redneld said, signing.
"Do We say it's still? Whin every
night uf our loife we hear buffalos
a-bellowin' an wolves a-howlin' an
wild Injins a-hootin' widin gunshOt of
our door. Sorra! an amt that noise
enough for any livin' sowl? declared
Mollie O'Flynn.
One Sunday morning in early spring
Mrs. Redtield stood at the open door,
looking out across the prairie. The
skulls and whitening bones Of slain
buffaloes glittered In the sunlight.
Crows. ravens and turkey-buzzards
aoated lazily between the blue sky and
the brown prairie. Mollie, seeing her
mistress woeful gaze, began singing.
Come Back to Erin, Mavourneen, Ma
vourneen." But Mrs Redheld did not
heed the Irish girls song. Then Mollie
suddenly recollected that 1t was Sun
day, SO she said: AN 'tis meself that
knows that ye're listenin' fer. Mis- Red
deld; it's thin church bells in Chicago.
They was always remindin' me of me
duty; but away out here l can't help
neself, and so the bells do not trouble
me at all, and they've left me moind
almost since I've seen the grand loife
on the prairies," Mollie confessed.
The secret Of the matter was that
Nollie had three admirers: a mountain
trapper, a cowboy and IN Indian. At
sunset Of that same day the mountain
trapper. on horseback. drew rein at the
Indian Agents quarters. MOllie was
In the log stable, milking the COW. She
heard her lover call, "Whoar' but she
did not come out to greet him for fully
ten minutes, then she walked leisurely
across the yard, balancing a milk pail
| on her head and humming an Irish mel
ody, seemingly unaware of her admir-
er's presence.
"Good-evening. Mollie," said the trap
per, walking toward her. leading his
horse by the bride.
"Evenin', JIM" Mollie returned. with
. flourish Of her free arm.
LET me carry the PAIL" he said.
go way wild ye. I'm no weaklin',"
the girl answered.
Mollie went into the house. Jim
| Parker waited patiently outside until
| she returned, then he seated himself
| by the side Of her on the doorstep and
| said:
I'm hearin' you have another beau,
q cowboy. Charlie Rankin by name"
| Its many a beau 1 have; the prai-
ries is full Of thin"
! Nonsense. Mollie; be honest. Do
you think more Of Charlie than you do
| Of me?" Jim asked.
! "Tm fond of thin all. 'Tis hard
! choosin'," Mollie answered.
/ "But I'm the one you like best, eh.
Mollie?" Jim queried. nudging her with
his elbow.
go long wild We. Don't be so famil-
lar" Mollie quickly said. moving away
from her wooer.
| But, say, Mollie. who air the fellers
| what comes cOurtin' your Jim wanted
| to know.
| Its not fair to be tellin' on thin.
| But there's one I'm havin' nowadays
don't be loikin'; he creeps around like
| snake in the grass; an tits niver
wunst l can git good sight of him:
| Oh! there he is now. a-peekin' from be-
hind the hen-coop."
| ITS an Indian" said Jim, jumping
1 up.
! "Sure as faith It's one of thin hathen
crathers," Mollie said.
"I'Il shoot him down." declared Jim
Parker. running toward the hen-coop.
Mollie sat quietly on the doorstep.
Jim came back in three minutes. An
| did ye kill him?" Mollie asked.
| Nah, he wasn't thar" Jim answered.
Hes a sly fox. can niver ketch
sight of him." Mollie said.
In few minutes Jim said goodnight
! to Mollie. mounted his horse and rode
away. The Irish girl watched the trap
per gallop eastward. saying aloud:
"'Tis strange. but the Teller what's
furtherest away I'm fer loikin' the
best"
AS Mollie turned to go into the house
Q shadow fell across the doorstep. COW
LOW! ye Ingin, git away wild ye,' she
screamed. hurrying in and banging the
door behind her.
The next morning when Mollie was
hanging out the family wash Charlie
Rankin rode by. MOllie saw him. but
she was too busy to take time to notice
the cowboy. He rode by again: still
Mollie did not look at him. The third
time he came in sight Mollie nodded
her head. This gave the cowboy cour-
age to speak.
Fine mornin', Miss O'Flynn," he
said. raising his broad-brimmed hat
Il s'pose 1t is; but I'm too busy to be
heedin' the weather." Mollie replied.
II thought I'd call in the mornin'.
seein' a mountain trapper takes your
time every evenin'," the cowboy said.
swingin9 himself on his mustang.