The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-07-29
I, MAINE, THURSDAY, JULY %. 1869

through the rainy woods, with her s;<agc
guardian at her side The judge. l remember,
said something about Una and her lion; but
Mlggles received it Us she did other compli-
ments, with quiet gravity. Whether she was
altogether unconscious of the admiration she
eXcited-she could hardly have been obiv-
ious Of Yuba Bills adoration-I knew not
but her very frankness suggested perfect
sexual equality that was cruelty humiliatine
TO the younger members of our party.
The incident Of the bear did not add any
thing in Miggles's favor to the opinions of
those OF her own sex who were present In
fact the repast over, chillness radiated from
the two lady passengers, that no pine boughs
brought in by Yuba Bill and cast as a sacri-
tice upon the hearth could wholly overcome
Miggles felt it: and suddenly declaring that
i was time to . turn in" offered to show the
ladies to their bed in an adjoining room.
on boys Will have to camp out here by the
llre as well as you can she added, 9 for thar
aint but the one room''
Our SeN-by which. my dear sir, alude
OF course to the stronger portion Of humanity
-nts been generally relieved from the impu-
tatlon OF curiosity, or q fondness for gossip
1et am constrained to say that hardly had
the door closed on Miggles than we crowded
together, Snirkerin@, smiling. and eXchan9-
ing suspicious surmiseS. and & thousand spec
ulatlonS IN regard to our pretty hostess and
her singular companion. | fear that we even
hustled that imbecile parayt who sat like
a volceless Memnon in onr midst, gazing,
with the serene Indifference of that Past in
ms paSsionless eyes. upon our worthy coun-
ellis. In the midst of an exciting discussion
the door opcnedagain and Miggles re-entered.
But not, apparently. the same Miggles who
a few hours before had flashed upon us Her
eyes We're doWncast, and as she hesitated for
a moment on the threshold, with blanket on
her arm. she seemed to have left behind her
the frank fealleSsneSs which had charmed us
4 moment before. Coming into the room.
she drew low stool beside the paralytic's
chair, sat down, drew the blanket over her
shoulders, and saying. ''If it's all the same
to you, boys. as we're rather crowded. I'll
stop here Tonight" took the nvalids withcl-
ed hand in her own and turned her ewes upon
the dying fire. An instructive feeling that
tins was only prrmontory tomore contiden-
tlal relations, and perhaps some shame al our
previous curiosity, kept Us silent. The rain
still beat upon the roof; wandering guests OF
wind stirred the embers into momentary
Brightness until in lull of the elements
Mi ggles suddenly lifted up her head and
throwing her hair over her shoulders, turned
''lS there any of YOU that knows mp?''
There was no reply.
''Ihlnk again lived at Marvsville in '5:,
Everybody knew me there. and everybody
had the right to know me- kept the Polka
Saloon until came to live with Jim. That 5
six years ago. Perhaps I've changed some .
The absence of recognition may have dis
concerted her. She turned to the fire again
and it was some seconds before she again
spoke, and then more rapidly:
'Wcll You see | thought some of YOU must
have known me. There's no great harm
done, anyway. What was going to say was
this: Jim herc''-she took his hand in both
Of hers ~ She Spoke-'used to know ne, ii
You didn't, and spent heap of money upon
me. reckon he spent all he had. And one
day-it'S six years ago this wintcr-Jim came
into my back room, sat down on my sofa like
rs You see him in that chair and never NOV
ed again without help. He was struck all Of
heap. and never seemed to know what allied
him. The doctors came. and said how it was
caused all along of his way of lifc-for Jim
was mighty free and wild lkc-and that he
would never get better, and couldn't last long
anyway. They advised me to sead him 10
Frisco TO the hospital. tor he was no good to
any one and would be baby all his life.
Perhaps it was something in .Jims eyes. per
haps. ii was that never had a baby, but
said No was rich then, for was popular
with ybody-gentlemen like Yourself
sir came TO see me-and sold out my bust
ness and bought this Yer place because it was
sort of ont of the way of travel YOU see and
brought my baby here"
With 4 woman's intuitivc tact and poetry,
she had as she spoke slowly shifted her posi-
tion so as to bring the mute figure of the ruin
cd man between her and her audience-hidng
in the shadow behind it-as if she offered it
as tacit apology for her actions. Silent and
eNpresslonlcSS, ii yet spoke for her; helpless,
crushed and smittrn with the Divine thunder
bolt it still stretched an invisible arm around
her
Hidden in the darkness. but still holding
his hand, She went on:
1T was a long time before | could Get the
hang of things about yer, for was used TO
company and excitement. Icouldn't get any
woman to help me, and a man | darscnt
trust but what with the Indians hcrcabout
who'd do odd Jobs for me. and having every
thing sent from the North Fork, Jim and
managed to worry through The Doctor
while. He'd ask to see 'NIiggless baby as
he called Jim, and when he'd 90 away. he'd
say, Miggles; you're u trump-God bless
you;' and il didn't seem lonely after that
But the last time he was here he said, as he
opened the door to 90: Do You know, Mig
giles, your baby will grow up to be Il man vet
and an homer to his mother; but not here
Mi9gles, not heren And I thought he went
away sad-and and here Miggless voice
and head were somehow both lost completely
in the shadow.
''Ihe folks about here are very kind" said
Mig@les after Il pause, coming Il little into
the light again. "The men from the Fork
used to hang around here, until they found
they wasn't wanted, and the women are kind
and don't call. | was pretty lonely until
picked up Joaquin in the woods one day
when he wasn't SO high, and taught him to
beg for his dinner; and then thar's Polly
that's the magpie--shc knows no end Of tricks
and makes it quite sociable Of evenings with
her talk, and 50 don't fell like as I was the
only living being about the ranch. And Jim
here, y said Migglcs, with her old laugh again,
and coming out quite into the fire light, Jim
why, boys, You would admire to see how
much he knows for i man like him. Some
times | bring him flowers, and he looks at
em Just aS natural rs if he knows 'em: and
times, when we're setting here alone, | read
him those things on the wall. Why, Lord"
said MiggIes, with her frank laugh, 'I've
rean him that whole side of the house this
winter. There never was such a man for
reading as Jim