The St. Mary banner., 1906-06-30

cation will remedy matters, and make
a paradise Of this now desert country,
my companion replied, hopefully, 'anC
| the geographers do not wish to be be
| hind these more venturesome railway
projectors
eyes, water should make a marvel
! GUS change, l admit, but l fear the
| homesteader and new settler will be-
come discouraged waiting for the foun-
success without these in great abun-
dance is problem yet to be solved,
l answered. But changing the sub
ject, you are from the East, l believer
"'Yes, sir. From New York state
"'Ah! what part, please?
Near Rochester
"I am from just south of that, in
Pennsylvania. Pretty close neighbors
when at home Going far West?'
81 cannot say may, and l may
not the young man answered slowly,
with a faraway look in his eyes, my
present destination is Denver, then
possibly Pueblo
Ion business?' l inquired, with
Yankee persistency.
'No-not exactly he answered,
with some hesitancy.
Just out to see the country. l
presume? One doesn't know how big
it is until he starts to travel over it, ;
| replied. determined to draw him out,
as my curiosity was becoming aroused
No, it's neither business nor sight
seeing. l am seeking lost brothern
Tell me about it, please, l may
be of use to you in your search. At
least, if l can be, l WILL said I, my
sympathies being at once enlisted.
Well, 1t is not a long story the
young man began. Brother Will left
home about five years ago. He was
five years my senior and I am just
twenty-one. He had a burning desire
to come west and grow up with the
country. Mother did not want him to
come, but he was headstrong and rest
less, disliked restraint and a little
wild; that is, neighbors said so, after
he was gone, but mother didn't think
so. He was her pride-I was her
baby. | can remember how he used
to coax and plead for her consent to
his going. Day after day, on every
occasion possible, he would broach
the subject. but mother could not bring
her mind to the point of conceding to
his wishes Mother did every thing
possible to make home attractive to
us; provided all kinds of games;
dOminos, checkers and chess and when
time permitted would join us in a
game. She was an excellent musician.
Will could play the violin quite WELL
while | could thumb a guitar indif-
ferently and together we would often
sing and play. Thus many of our
evening hours were spent pleasantly.
But, still Will was destless. The spirit
OF the rover possessed him, and he
longed to be out in the wild world.
will and occupied the same
room. and one morning l awoke to
find his bed empty, and on further in
spection his clothing gone l shall
never forget the expression of anguish
OF his going. Her grief seemed to be
too great to admit of tears. OF course
we made every effort to learn of his
whereabouts, but weeks passed and no
tldings came. At length a letter came
addressed in his well-known hand,
postmarked Omaha. 1t told CT his 60
ing; his trip to Chicago; thence to
Omaha, and was filled with apologies
for the manner of his leaving, saying
that he knew mother would never
give her consent, and that was the
only way he could ever get to see the
great west; concluding with the de-
claration that he was about to join a
party for trip further westward into
Colorado
"'The letter brought much comfort
to mother 1t was a cordial to her
wounded spirits. Her son, her pride,
still lived; had not forgotten her; but
it was the last line she ever received
from him and soon again she lapsed
into her moods of respondent watch
ing and waiting.
"'At the time of my brothers leav-
ing, l was SO young my mother could
not endure the thought of sending me
to search for him. Often l would sug-
gest to her that was willing to make
the attempt, but much as she desired
his return, she withheld her consent.
AT last, wearied with anxious care
and waiting, she reluctantly yielded |
10 my suggestions that l should make
! tour of the West in the hope that
some trace might be found; some clue |
that would unravel the |
mystery of brothers long silence that
vas clouding our home. So here |
I'm, going up and down the country,
md in and out Of nitioc