Page:From the West to the West.djvu/214

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

days of his boyhood, awakening youth, and early manhood. The memory of his mother arose before him, inexpressibly sweet and tender. He thought lovingly of his father, strong in the religious faith of which he had often made a jest. His gentle Annie seemed so near that he could almost reach her. But closer to him than any other seemed the presence of his brother Joseph. What a promising lad he was, and with what joy had the whole family striven to bestow upon him the educational advantages to which none of the others had dared to aspire!

Then passed before him, like scenes in a panorama, the awful pecuniary straits that followed, when the beloved brother fell under the ban of the law.

Then came in review his unexpected meeting with that brother in the wilderness. "Forgive my pride, brutality, and selfishness, O Lord! and by all that's holy, I'll make it right with Joe!"

And who shall say that this unique appeal to the great Source of Life was less acceptable to the Infinite than the studied petitions of gowned prelates? whose often conflicting appeals to Jehovah, if answered literally, would plunge the world into confusion and chaos under the diverse demands of the children of men.

His prayer ended, the chilled and worried wanderer returned to his bed and readdressed himself to sleep, this time with such success that when he awoke the sun was riding high in the heavens, and he heard the familiar voice of a train-master, whom he had left in his rear by taking the Green River cut-off, and who had now overtaken him.

"Hello, Captain!" exclaimed the new arrival, striking the wall of the sleeper's tent with the butt of his heavy ox- whip. "What's all this I've been hearing? Didn't you get back any of your stampeded cattle?"

"Nary a hoof," replied the Captain. "I tell you we 're in a mighty bad fix, Harlan."

"How are you going to get out?"