New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1904-01-20
Copyright. 1903. by T. c. Mcclure.

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Cant, Mag. an I'm proud We can't
l reckon it's selfishness in me, an ii
| may not be right for me to be steppin'
in between a man an his wife an
shown ye my love the way I do, but
ye warn't mated right, Mag, an Jim
knows it as well as you do. But. little
un, what I'm thinkin' about is where's
the help"
I That's SO, Gus. Where's the help?
took Jim for better or for worse, an
1t it's worse reckon it amt for me to
complain-that is, to anybody but ye,
Gus"
! Il notice we're limpin', Mag. More
Of Jim's meanness, reckon?'
"Nothin' much, Gus. I-I'-
II reckon ye'd as well tell it, Mag
to me-
eyes. I know. But Jim didn't know
what he was dom hardly, an the ia
BILE was rickety anyhow"
''Jest about made We run over the ia
BILE, / guess. But, Mag, / been won
derin' if We had any rations I know
Jim amt struck lick since-I mean
in the last two weeks"
Il know what We mean. Gus. Ye
mean since We give me the last money.
An'-an' I'm obliged to say it's so. /
don't know how, but somehow he found
out l had the money, an he wanted to
borrow it, an didn't see any way to
refuse him.
II reckon not. He always gets
enough to get drunk on. But what
want to know is how long we've been
without anything to eat?"
Mag #gazed for moment toward the
copper moon in the heavens and was
silent, the muscles of her gaunt face
tWitching slightly at a suggestion of
the hunger she felt.
Mag, I reckon ye'd jest as well tell
me.''
Il know. Gus, know-but''- Mag
dropped her face into the crook of her
arm and began to cry.
Gus sat on the ground a few feet
away, gazing upon the woman, with
all the love and yearning Of his soul
in his eyes, and allowed her to cry in
silence But at last he spoke again.
I know it's been long enough" he
said, lingering a gold piece he had tax
en- from his pocket.
Mag looked toward him. sSince yes
zterday mornin', Gus, an r reckoned
I'd die this time. An, though yed
hardly like to hear it, I was kind of
hopin' I would"
.Magw Gus was on his knees and
had seized the girls hands. 81 was
/ tried to get back sooner, an know
now should have sent Tom Bolus in
my place."
No, We shouldn't. Gus. What right
had ye to be sendin' any one in yer
place to earn yer money, jest so We
could be here on my account? Some
times most forget. Gus" Mag nodded
toward the house and slowly, withdrew
her hands from the mans grasp.
But Gus caught one of them again
and pressed it's slender finger down
upon the piece OF money he had drawn
from his pocket.
Mag" he said, sit don't look like it
would be wrong for me to take We in
my arms an kiss We jest once. But.
then. reckon 1t would be, since ye're
Jim's by the law an the gospel, sich
IS it was"
There was silence for few moments
after this speech; then Mag reached
ont and laid her hand on Gus arm.
i When I'm dead, Gus" she said,
won't ye come an kiss me when no
body's lookin'? There'll be no harm
them
Mag, Mag!' Gus had seized her by
the shoulders in frenzied grasp.
Don't We talk about dyin' or I'll kiss
ye to death right here now in spite O.
Jim an the law an the gospel
Mag drew quickly away from him.
and he, too, shrank buck and arose.
Both realized how insurnountable was
the barrier between them. and Mag re-
treated slowly toward the cabin just
as man staggered to the doorway
from the dark interior and called her
name grufny.
The next day Gus exchanged places
with Tom Bolus Tom had been set
ling poles for one OF the pile drivers.
and Gus had been captain of the team
gangs hauling supplies from the coast,
Among the supplies Of the commits.