San Andreas independent., 1858-12-18
CHAPTER w

CHAPTER ".
The sun arose brightly as ever on the fol-
lowing morning. The wheel beneath the fiume
still creaked and groaned in its revolutions
The cocks crew as usual. All nature appeared
as careless of the distress of Tumbletown, as
though she had no intelligence of, nor interest
in, the encroachments of his Satanic Majesty.
But the humanity of that place were in a sad
.quandary. Men stood conversing in groups
about the town, and reluctantly left for their
claims. Women postponed their domestic du-
ties and went visiting and gossiping about
1t we are to believe the stories told, ghosts
had increased alarmingly within twenty-four
hours. Something, during the night, had
/ frightened Mrs. Gibson's cat into fits, and it
had leTt through the chimney in perfectterror.
Mother Forrest was certain she had retired
wearing her teeth, and when she arose they
were in the cupboard grappled upon piece
OF gingerbread. \ hundred antics had been
played Meineka, too, who upon his return
from the shaft had indulged pretty freely in
his favorlte lager, according to his own story,
had been visited by one of these inhabitants
OF grave yards: "Dere kommen drough mein
door te ghos so vite as snow, nit horns like
te zbeep, und say, sMeineka,' my name, so
drue as could be. Den run chust so slow as
can; drip mein foot and zleep little, ven
bin waken in dis mornin, mein door bin
oben und das tam Mexican yackass pehind
mein counter covered vrom te ears to te tail
/ NIT mein -four"
+ While the horrible quietus of Matthew Cof-
/ fin, was freshly mourned by the town, strange
to say-and alas for the frailty of women-his
newly made widow was unconcernedly engaged
in her household affairs, with eyes as dry of
tears, and with face as free from any expression
/ of sorrow, as upon her wedding day. Her un-
accountable indifference was the subject of
wonder and scandal, and many were the ex-
pressions of disapprobaton, especially among
the ladies of Tumbletown. Still the widow
Coffin went on sweeping and busting, and
feeding her poultry, and watering her roses
just as she had done when poor Mat was by to
assist, comfort and protect her.
Matthew Coffin had handled as much earth,
and had worked as many hours as any miner
! in that locality; yet he had been poor-aye,
even in those golden hills, distressfully poor.
Meeting with some success at first in his
search after the precious metal, he had erected
a comfortable little cottage, and sent for his
wife; but alas to effect all this, he had bor-
rowed money and mortgaged his little home
to Krantz. Only few days elapsed after the
disappearance of Mat, before the money-len-
upon the loss of so worthy companion, nor
to offer her in her dependent situation, such
pecuniary help as he could so well afford, but
s by direct inquiry to satisfy a delightful suspi.
q cion that it would be impossible for her tC
4 satisfy the mortgage coming due and that hC
might soon add another house and lot to his
i rapidly increasing but cheaply purchased es
Il tate. The widow had met the man Of secU
Il rites in smiles-her poor husband but few
days gone-and complacently smiled upon tn,
I rich money-lender. Women seldom smiled
a upon lsham krantz, (not solely because ht
Il was repulsive and ill-favored) but because hi!
want OF affinity for the fair sex was instinct
4 lively apparent on the first interview maj
! can be reund-shouldered almost to a hump
a he can have nose which excelS in briIiancy
4 of color the purest vermillion, or which, i
Il placed in balance, would outweigh all the
4 otiicr features combined; he can have pen
j dant, unwieldy ears or mouth, perfec
Il semI-circle; he can have frightul teeth, or nt
4 teeth At all +; a complexion like an orange
bandy-legged, or without legs; YET If thI
I magnetism of an honorable manhood 5nineS
\ through his eyes, he Willie alr~ays respected
occasionally adrs;rcd, and often smiled upon
/ ~ the softers sex. The widow smiled bewitch-
ingly and never since the days of his mother
ald krantz receive such flattering attention
from woman. He was subdued and forgot
the subject of his errand, and as he awkwardly
took his leave, his dull, red, scrofnlous eyes
exhibited the faintest token of passion here
tofore completely absorbed in an inordinate
desire for gold aud as he went towards his
Office he rubbed his hands and chuckled with
a new and strange delight
"Well, well, the woman would certainly
marry Old Krantz get married? Ha, ha |
lShe can wash and sew, that's many dollar
saved. House already furnished. Poultry
worth something too. I'll buy some COWS; she
can milk and we'll sell milk and we'll sell
eggs. Money there too. I'll marry the wo-
man: III marry the woman. Ha, ha, ha, Old
krantz get marriedl'