The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-03-20
HOmeSick

Il was already dark, and thousand
stars shone in the tranquil sky over
head. A light breeze softly rufied
the bending prairie grass. and shy
young moon hung her silver sickle
CLEANER like. In the harvest fields of
the western sky. In the soft. faint
light the buttes. queer enchanted
shapes, loomed up mistily in the
cleaning, and low on the western hori-
zon the great gates stood. opened
wide by the last touch Of the fading
sunset
In the little ONCE Of the railroad sta
tIon Agnew leaned YEARLY over his
desk. His head ached from the con-
stant clicking OF the telegraph instru-
ment. Besides. he had been kept
awake half the night before by the
baby, who was teethins and Ill, and
had walled restlessly until he was
half mad. He had not been in the
room with the baby. His wife had
insisted. since upon the clearness of
his brain depended their means Of
livelihood. that he should 60 away
alone and try to get some sleep; but
he had not rested any the quieter, for
the knowledge that she, half sick and
tired. little more than child herself,
for all her womanly ways, was bend
ing under the weight of the peevish
child.
He was thinking Of this. ard trying
not to hear the cIack-clack of the
noisy keys when. quite suddenly, the
latch lifted and his wife came softly
in. Although she had been awake all
night. her pretty. childish face had
only smile for him. She wore blue
calico frock. neat and trim as a pic
ture. and her white sun bonnet. as 1t
fell back from her face, showed her
soft brown hair coiled smoothly about
her temples except where the breeze
had roughened It. She placed bowl
down upon the desk beside him.
There Is something for you, Jim."
she said. Eat 1t now while 1t is hot;
there's good boy"
She looked at him again and sighed
q little anxiously as she spoke.
'Is 1t the headache again7" she
asked, sweeping lot Of papers from
chair and sitting down.
"Yes-the same old thing" he an
swered. morosely. my head feels like
an anvil on which dozen black
smiths are pounding. and sometimes
there Is such blur before my
eyes"
She looked at him anxiously again,
but he had turned away and was half
mechanically sorting out a lot of pa
pers.
Some day there will be mistake
in the ORDERS" she said weakly, "and
then--O Jim. Jim!"
"I can't help IT," he said, sullenly.
"They put us poor devils out here In
this forsaken hole, with some woman
who has been fool enough to come,
too. and give us dogs chance and
dogs pay and two mems work. and
then the whole thing goes to
smash"
He brought his clenched fist down
on the table with a fretfui, nervous
gesture that brought a gush Of tears
to her eyes.
Don't. JIm." she choked. 20
don't"
He laughed-a little. bitter laugh,
that hurt her worse than an oath
would have done.
where Is the baby?" he asked,
leaning back wearily. HAS she fret
ted all day."
"A little" answering the last ques-
.tion first. as is a woman's way. 'T
left Minnie with her. Poor Minnie!
| think that she was glad enough to
get away for a little. Her father Is
drunk again."
He drew back with little restless
movement that was not lost upon her.
THAT Is the cry, everlastingly," he
said, Grossly. Misery and hunger,
and always ink-drink-drink. Min
ME and all the rest would be better
on II their rascally father would take
pistol some day and blow his pitiful
brains out. Not that he has any" he
added more good naturedly.
Don't JIM" she said again In her
pretty. childish way.
Il won't. then--,to please you, Alice"
he said: "bus It's the truth, Just the
same. don't blame him so much,
though. Sometimes I would take to
drink. myself. when the pain in my
head is worse than usual, II the
whisky didn't make me SO beastly
sick"
He looked up at her again. She had
turned her face from him, but he
know that her eyes were full Of tears.
And I'll didn't know that there was
a little woman fool enough to break
her heart over me-" he added more
gently.
%, Jim. wish you wouldn't" she
said. with a little sob in her throat.
Alice" he said suddenly, "Olsen
was In, this morning early. to send
another message to his boss. be-
Iieve 4 told you about the other one7"