The Monte Vista journal., 1900-12-08
+: A PRAIRIE QUEEN Z:


IN cried the agents hearty voice.
When he had carried the mail bags
up from the depot he had waited until
their contents were distributed That
was not long time. j., never was in
Excelsior. Nnd tonight the sacks had
not been of sufficient weight To tax
his strong shoulders, l'ui out of their
.aukurs~ had come surprise for him.
and an opportunity for DcrondH
II can guess. It's letter from
Uncle Donald Nchcck?"
Once in awhile, at Christmas al
ways, a letter inclosing a check ar
rived from Donald Bcrtram. OF New
York Nnd his brother. who found his
petty salary as station master Of the
Insignificant Nebraska town quite in
commensurate with the needs OF a
large and increasing family. hailed IN,
advent Of each inclosure with graft.
iude and .lntion.
"N-o. LIS a letter from Donald -
but there's no check" lie looked
across NJ his best loved and eldest
child with u smile brighter than even
the welcome check had ever sum
moncd. "Gucss again
She looked at him from her opposite
end Of the table where she presided.
her mother in true western fashion
still being busted AT the kitchen stove
until the remainder Of her family had
eaten. Between Dcronda and her
father noisy and vorncious Young
brood inicrvcnrd eight or ten OF
Them. Drrunda wa. kept husy attend
ing 10 their needs She aud her moth.
er did" for the rest They at. as
their portion whatever was left. And
neither dreamed nf complaining
Labor aud service were their ethics
nf domrSiicity. Iiut now Dcronda
paused in her task ~ pouring out the
numerous cups Of milk.
Father! It, good news, Keen
still. Flora What il ii?"
The tidiug> came ont in u rush. III
you will 90 To- New York for a visit
the cheek will follow your letter os ac-
ccp'lucr. ih-rc.'
Drroudn was the hcalihirsi girl in
town, hut for the moment she f.l,
positively weak She So, down tn.
pitcher. The children clamor.d un.
needed.
"o!" she gasp-d. II mus, tell moth.
cr."
Then she WAS gone. and the over
worked man with the kindi, face
waited on the children himself
Those thar followed wer. exciting
days. tn" little. Struggling. low
rooms over the depot w-rr ia. seen.
OF many c"nfahulations, much sch.m.
ing, many glorious hopes. iunum.rahl-
pleasant prophecies. Eonda. ns the
children called her. was going away
away into some vast and mystic fairy.
lnnd. which their vivid imarlna,ions
merged IN the triple ccsias, Of Yul..
tide. Heaven and the Fourth OF July.
HIT one day order was horn ~ con.
fusion >ohririN ~ hysicrical an,ici.
patton. That was the day D.roudn'.
trunk stood labeled and corded ON the
platform the day D-rouda'> self
freshly and b"romingly gnrb.d. stood
beside IL The day that agent U,r,.
ram. and Mr.. RcrirAm. and all IN.
numerous Young l,"riramS listened
Tor IN" whistle "f the train AZ the
depot eight miles west. hung around
her with growing excitement ~ the
BLACK column of smoke rnm. down
like IN" guide of ,hos. fleeing from
Pharaoh. and clunv around her In an
adnring farewell. which was d-,r,-
mental to her dncry II HaiierinY Ia
hcr s~nsibility
Then the iron beast was upon them.
\ II" passengers alighird. Some ~.
press packages We're handc, IN. Th-.c
ihe agent mechanically received. Then
p"rnnrn'- '"ni ~ns on the fr.i step ~
ihr fnilman. m" engineer wa. look.
'hH back To .rr that the agent. pr.t,,
caugh'rr got on safrly hcfor. he pulled
the throttle. m. brakeman ,,ool lr.