The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1909-08-12

GOURD BANK.
mother told the children Of it till they
longed to go almost as ardcntly as she
did
Though she had hoped long, her
courage and strength gave way slowly
as her health declined.
II have wanted to 80 for so long,"
she said. concluding the story. 'But
now She ended with n sigh.
The two strangers understood how
much Of real heroism there was in
that simple recital and were silent
when 1t was done.
Then little Jackson woke up and be-
gan to examine again the wonderful
knife with great interest. TO divert
the thoughts Of the others as much as
possible NirkcrSon Giplaycd and en-
planned the mechanism of the knife,
exposing the 'orksrrrw. opening out
the hook for removing stones from
horses hnofs. revealing the twcezers,
the saw blade. the file and the screw.
driver.
Jackson alternately whooped with
delight and stared IN mute Amusement
Then he suddenly held out the gourd
bank to NkkersOn and reached for
the knife.
"Me'l trade wild YOU" he said.
Trade his bank and its treasures. al
most sufficient in his eyes to take them
to Indiana. for the wonderful knife
which he wanted 80 badly! Poor lit.
tie fellow!
"1-wait till mornin', Jackson" said
Nickerson. SWELL see about 1t then"
When Jackson was packed away in
his little trundle bed the knife went
with him.
After the men had retired to the pal
let that Lyddy spread on the floor
they talked in tones so low that the
occupants Of the other room did not
hear them.
"Shc won't live long unless she
goes" said Conway.
"Nobody thnr'll know us or kecr any
thing about u.s." said Nickerson.
They said hut few words more
They lay very still for n long time, and
the other occupants of the little house
Gid not hear them when they arose.
just before the east was turning gray
They dOnncd their garments and then,
in the dimness Of the room. Nickerson
handed Conway something which he
had taken out Of his pocket and passed
Sible.
Conway took something from his
own pocket and, tiptoeing and feeling
his way to the table, wrote In the
darkness few words with stub Of
pencil on n scrap Of paper. Then he
made his way to the clock shelf and
fumbled for moment with the gourd
bank.
Then he stepped softly to the door
and passed out into the drizzle and
through the barway, beyond which
Nickerson was holding their horses.
They mounted and rode away in the
dreary rain-back to the westward, in
the direction from which they had
come.
Nobody d know us thar anyhow"
said Conway after awhile in a gruf
way.
"Nor keer about us!' returned Nick
erson.
When morning dawned the light
shining in through the little window Of
the weather beaten house fell upon
little Jackson sleeping in the trundle
bed with Nickerson's wonderful knife
still clutched in his hand, and in the
other room the light revealed corner
Of green paper sticking out through
the slit in the gourd bank.
The Bascoms discovered it before
long and looked into the bank. The
little gourd was carelessly stuffed with
greenbacks and national banknotes-
the money which Jim Conway and
Nick Nickerson had boarded to take
them back to Indiana.
AS the money was pulled out q scrap
Of dirty white paper appeared. On it
was written In Conway's rude hand:
ITO take you back home. God bless
you"
,