The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-07

MFR to %t the sss ."itssRfsss kssSisss
had taken Fergus
O'Hare's dinner Nelly Carney was
still little more than a girl. Her face
was arch and sweet, her eyes bright,
her hair black aud curly. The wind
blew her calico dress away from her
fine figure.
Aud you say that she's a widow?"
John Conover remarked to Fergus.
''Not long, venture"
"Three year, said Fergus, painting
a little. "Not for any fault of the
b'ys. She's a little uppish, is Nelly
Carney Phil were fireman an like
to be an engineer wan day, but the
greasers down Coyote Pass finished
him wan night when they attacked the
train. Company gives her the rint Of
the hoose thar, an she keeps boorders
for meals.
That is how John Conover met
Nelly Carney. He was getting ready
to go to the mines. He had just come
from the Eastern States and had a
claim up about Toby's Greek that his
brother had left him when he died the
year before.
He did not say much about himself
to any one. He took his meals with
the Widow Carney for a week or 50
and bunked in with Fergus O'Hare.
He said he was getting his outfit.
Nelly Carney did some sewing for
him and they sat together evenings,
while little Kathleen slept beside
them.
One of these evenings John Con
over seemed to be very thoughtful.
At .ast he took a sudden resolution.
Nelly" he began, gently, "Tm
going up to a rough place, but I've got /
a notion to take you along"
ut takes two to make a bargain,
Mr.. Conover.p
"Not this bargain. / know you'll /
go, dear. I'm only wondering if it'll
pay you. Jim always stuck to it, that
creek claim was bound to pan out. II
it does you and Kathleen will be fixed
for life. If it don't you might have a
tough time. Shall we 80 down to the
squire tomorrow, Nell?"
Nelly took a nights sleep on it and
in the morning consented to go up
country with John Conoyer. They
were married one day and set ont
the next, taking the little child with
them.
1t seemed a shame toJohn Conover
that he had brought such a pretty
creature to live in such a wild aud
lonesome spot She was happy
enough, apparently the same Nelly
that he had seen on the dump that
spring day. The more he loved her,
the more he brooded over the sacri-
fee Of home and friends among civ
ilized people. He worked hard aud
the next summer male a good find in
a hole and sent her back to San Frau
cisco with a small fortune and in
structicns to put Kathleen into a con-
vent, where she could have schooling
and be made lady OF for the future.
Life in a hotel is a great educator.
Day after day Mrs. Conover went
about. saw great plays, read novels, \
visited her child and enjoyed exis-
tence. She received Johns infre-
quent letters with positive alarm.
Suppose he should send for her to re
turn. She could close her eyes and
see the great, dark, topped
mountain wall, the rough cabin close
under the shadow. the brawling
waters Of the mountain torrent. In
dreams she heard the drumming
voice Of the wind among the pine
boughs, the scream OF the wild eagles
that was ALL She missed John at
first with al the passion Of her i'm
pulsive nature; but, as time went on,
the longing grew less fierce, and she
felt she would rather never return
than to go now when life was so full Of
gayety and novelty.
One day Fergus o. Hare came to see
Der. The colored servant told her
with a grin that the visitor would not
write his name on a card, maybe
couldn't Nelly flushed. for she knew
it was but a little time since she had
been ignorant Of card formalities.
She said she would see him ia her
own parlor. and the amused bell boy
showed up the switcdman. He
looked rougher and more grimy than
ever.
"How do you DO, Fergus" she
said With a little condescension.
Fergus bad stopped ia the middle {
Of the little parlor
'Nellie Conoveri OF can't belavs
It's the same, he said. q
1T is, B" she laughed: then ia her 6
varm-hearted way, Sit down. Fer s
gus; Tn glad to see you You should &
zee Kathleen She's a fine girl, now. Z