Mexico Missouri message., 1907-12-12

NstNa btNN N NAt3 NAiicyht uCofs mouse
and feathersd game ahounded here,
and best Of all. no vandai lumbermen
ever encroached upon this region.
IL was, all considered, a verltable
sportsman's paradise. Most likely a
few thousand dollars would purchase
IL, and 40. for these collective reasons,
Martin decided to buy Il.
Old Cy was left TO keep the hermit
company; Martin. his wife, and Ray,
with Levi. started for civilization 70
obtain needed supplies. and had been
four days upon the way when this
much-abused wais appeared on the
scene. The party were journeying In
two canoes. one manned by Ray, who
had already learned TO WELD a paddle.
which carried the tents and luggage:
while the other was occupied by Mar.
tin, his wife, and Levi. The only avail.
able seat for the new arrival was in
Rays canoe. and when breakfast was
disposed Of and the voyagers ready 10
start, she was given place therein.
The river at this point was broad
and OF slow current, only two days
journey was needful to reach the set.
Element and no cause for worry ap.
peared--but Levi felt otherwise.
You'd best hug the futher shore"
he observed to Ray quietly when the
boy pushed on, IAN don't git out o.
sight o. us" Il amt sartin bout the
outcome o. this matter" he said to
Martin later. Il know that half.breed.
Bolduc, and he's a bad 'un. From the
gals story he paid big money fer her
He don't know the meanin' o. law, and
II he follers down the tote road, as
callate he will, m ketches sight o. her.
the first wen know ont II be the
crack o. rife. The wonder to me is
he didn't ketch her fore she got to us.
He could track her Eastern she could
run. don't want to larm you folks.
but / shan't feel easy till we're out o.
the woods"
II wasn't reassurIng.
But no thought Of this came to Ray,
at least. and these two young people,
yielding to the magic OF the morning,
the rippled river that bore them on
ward, the birds singing along the flr.
clad banks. and all the exhilaration OF
the wilderness. soon reached the care
free converse Of youthful friends.
Il never had nothin' but work n
cussin'," Chip responded. when Ray
asked II she never had any time she
could call her own. Tim thinked
couldn't get tired. guess. He'd roust
me up fust Of all n larrup me IL he
caught me shirkin'. Once had a lit
tie posey bed back o. the pigpen.
liked II after dark an mornin's when
ketched the chance. He ketched me
thar one mornin' a-weedin' It n
knocked me sprawlln' an then stomped
all over the posies. That night went
out into the woods n begged the spites
to git him killed somehow. Mother
time / forgot to put up the bars, an
the cows got into the taters. That
night he tied me to q stump clus to the
bars, an left me thar all night. used
to be more skeered o. my dad n was
o. Tim, tho. He'd look at me like he
hated me. an say. Shut up II said
word, an most believed he'd kill
me, just fer nothin'. Once he said
he'd take me out into the woods at
night n bait bear trap with me II
he heerd didn't mind Tim. told Old
Tomah that, an he sid II he did. he'd
shoot him; but Old Tomah wasn't
round only winters. hated dad so I'd
a shot him myself, guess. II cud
a got hold o. gun when he want
watehin'."
ITS awful to have to feel that way
toward your own father" interrupted
Ray, FOR he was your father"
Il s'pose twas" admitted Chip, can
didly, but never felt much different.
I've seen him slap mother when she
was on her knees a,bawlin', and the
way he would cuss her was awful"
But you had some friendship from
this old Indian" queried Ray, who be-
gan 10 realize what pitiful life the
girl had led; che was good TO you,
wasn't her"
He waA, sartin," returned Chip,
eagerly; he used TO tell me the spiteB
'ud Ak dad fore long. so he'd never
show up agin, n when got big nun
he'd sneak me OF some night n take
me 10 the settlement. whar could arm
livin'. Old Tomah was the only one
who cared a cuss fer me. I used to
bawl when he went away every spring,
an beg him 70 take me long m help
him camp n cook. I'd a done most
anything fer Old Tomah. didn't
mind wearin' clothes made out o. old
duds n beln' cussed fer not worhin'
hard nun. What did mind was not
h1yin' nobody who cared whether /
lived or died. or said q good word 70
me. Sometimes got so lonesome.
used TO 80 out in the woods nights
when twas moonlight n beg the
spites to help me. ! used to think
mother might Be one on EN- n she'd
keer fer me. think she was, an
Ftwns her as kept me goin' TN found
you folks camp. got awful skeered
them nights was runnfn' away, an
when twas 20 dark couldn't sec no