St. Edward's Echo (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 2, Ed. 1, November 1922 Page: 6 of 20
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4
ST. EDWARD’S ECHO
at his neighbors, each one exclaimed “mine’s shorter than
yours. ’ ’
“But mine’s the shortest of all,” cried Bill.
They all accused him of cheating, but he only laughed and
started for the buck-board, climbed in, and drove off in a
cloud of dust. The train was pulling in when he reached
the station, and he did not have to wait. Only one passenger
alighted and that was Agnes. Bill took her grips and made
the station agent help him with the trunks. ITe assisted
Agnes into the ranch’s “delivery-wagon”, got in himself,
and they started for home. They had not gone far when
Agnes suddenly threw her arms about Bill’s neck and kissed
him. Poor Bill, he was so surprised that he almost fell out
of the buck-board.
“Why Jim, you mean old thing, why did you wait for
me to kiss first?”
“Well, sis,” he said, “I was a ‘black sheep’ and I didn’t
think you would relish my kisses.”
“Don’t be silly, Jim, I always loved you even if you
weren’t just as good as you should have been.”
“Nothing that you could say, Agnes, could sound finer
than that. I always loved you, too, little sister, and I
always shall. Is it too late for me to start kissing now ? ’ ’
“Oh, Jim, you foolish boy, of course it isn’t.”
He then gave her a big hug accompanied by several kisses
in rapid succession. They rode along in silence for a little,
then Jim, alias “Reginald”, alias “Bill” said, “Agnes don’t
tell Dad who I am. He doesn’t know me with this mustache.
I am foreman at the ranch and maybe after I settle down
to some real, hard, honest work he will forgive me for being
what I have been.”
“I am sure that he would forgive you now if you only
asked him.”
“Maybe he would, but there is another reason that he
mustn’t find out who I am now.”
“Jim, you haven’t done something terrible, have you?”
“No, honey, I have a big surprise for you and Dad, and
I am saving it until the proper time.”
“What is it? I am just dying to know.”
“That’s just like a woman,” laughed Jim. “No, I can’t
tell you yet, for that would ruin a perfectly good secret. ’ ’
“A secret, too? Jim, you certainly are mean to your
little sister,” pouted Agnes.
“There, there, don’t get all excited over something that
might not be a surprise after all.”
They were nearing the ranch-house now and the boys
rushed toward them, shouting and waving their hats in the
air. Now they were at the gate. Dad came out with out-
stretched arms to embrace his darling girl, and to welcome
her home. All that week was spent in merriment. Dances
were given every night in honor of “Old Dad Edward’s”
daughter, who had just graduated from college.”
One day not long after Agnes’ return, Jim called the men
together to have a private conference with them.
“Boys,” he said, “it’s about time we were doing what we
came here for. Every day from now on two of us are going
to work on the oil well.”
“We have the derrick up already,” stated one.
“Good,” approved Jim, “you know that the chief reason
that I brought you fellows from the oil fields is to bring in
a gusher on Mr. Edwards’ place. You will get your regular
salaries and board as cow-punchers and five dollars a day
extra until Ave strike oil. After that you can either stay
here and drill other Avells or go back to the oil fields; you
can decide what you want to do after Ave bring in the
gusher.”
“It Avill be a gusher all right if it Avill be anything at
ail,” said one of the men. “I never saw a better location
in my life.”
“That’s fine,” Jim said, “but don’t forget to slip off Avhen-
ever you get the chance and put in a little Avork Avhere it
will do the most good. That Avill be all.”
Several uneventful Aveeks passed; then on bright day a
coAvboy galloped up to'the foreman’s office and entered.
“Boss,” he gasped, “boss, the felloAvs struck oil and it’s
shootin’ over the derrick.”
Jim grabbed his hat, leaped on the coAvboy’s horse, and
rode off like a maniac. It was just as the man had said—
a gusher, and a big one at that. What luck! Noav he could
tell his secret and surprise Dad.
Back he fleAv to the ranch-house as fast as his horse could
go.
‘ ‘ Dad ! Oh, Dad!! ” he yelled.
Dad burst out of the house with more rapidity than oni
Avould ever suspect from a man of his age. Agnes Avas clos< ,
at his heels.
“What’s up?” cried the old gentleman excitedly.
“Oil—a gusher—on your place!” Jim panted.
“Bill, Avhat on earth are you talking about?” Agnes
exclaimed.
“It’s true. We’ve got oil on the place. A twenty-five
thousand barrel gusher at least.”
Then running over to Dad, Jim seized him by the hand.
“Father, Avon’t you forgive me? Don’t you knoAV me?”
he pleaded.
‘ ‘ My God! ’ ’ cried Dad fervently. ‘ ‘ My boy! My son ! ’ ’
His self-control left him, and falling on his boy’s shoulder,
he wept for joy.
“Jim,” he said at length, “I always dreamed of having
a son like you are hoav. I forgive everything you did in
the past if you Avill only promise to continue to be the man
that you are today.”
“I suppose you Avonder Iioav I happened to come back to
you. I will tell you if you care to hear.”
“Certainly, son. Tell us all about it.”
“Well,” Jim began, “it Avas like this. After I ran aAvay,
I loafed about for a year or so, Avorking only Avhen I had
to and then at the easiest job I could find. I gambled and
drank. In fact I didn’t stop at anything short of murder.
One Sunday I Avas Avith a bunch of ‘toughs’, when Ave passed
a church. One of the fellows said, ‘Let’s go in and see Avhat
the ole guy is rantin’ about!’ ”
“We all thought that it would be a good joke, so Ave went
inside and sat down in the front peAV. That was the first
time that I stepped into a church since I left. The parson
chose these Avords for his text: ‘Honor thy father and thy
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St. Edward's Echo (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 2, Ed. 1, November 1922, newspaper, November 1922; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth891786/m1/6/?q=%22United+States+-+Texas+-+Travis+County+-+Austin%22: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting St. Edward’s University.