National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1869-12-24
Lore in 4 SdU-MiW.

lng III a neat cottage close to the
mill, and often | and the engineer,
James Alton by name, were invited
by our employer to attend the even
ing meeting worship held in his
house. One evening, Just as we
were taking leave of the family, we
heard the sound of carriage wheels,
Immediately followed by knock at
the outer door.
'Minnie is comingn exclaimed
Mrs. Smith, rushing past us into the
entry. Her husband followed with
"A light.
a minute after the door opened,
and Minnie was locked in her moth
er's arms.
Minnie was a beautiful girl, about
seventeen years Of age. Three years
she had passed in young ladies
seminary near Utica,N. Y, and now
she had returned to her mountain
home, amidst the pines and cedars
of California.
The engineer and | fingered
awhile after her arrival, for both
desired to be introduced to Minnie
Smith.
Minnie, | make you acquainted
with our head sawyer, and James,
our engineer ! guess you'll be
glad to make their acquaintance, for
both are musicians and excellent
singers. suppose your musical
education has not been neglected !!
i have learned a little iuStru-
mental music, but have no voice.
replied she to her father, after bow
ing to us. James had held out his
hand, but she did noC touch it and |
saw that he blushed deeply, while
1 his eyes ghttered revengctully at
what he supposed her diSdain.
Soon after we lrft the cottage
On our way to the mill | said:
James, old boy. YOU look mad
Why, don't you know that in good
society they never shake hands, but
only bow =
We'll | didn't know it. But ncv-
erthcleSS She could have shaken
/ hands with me when she saw that
held out my hand, replied he in a
Surly tone.
then began to praise Minnle's
beauty. and asked his opinion about
her, but he gave me no answer
When We parted for the night,
noticed that his voice sounded lit,
tie strange as hs said
Don't fall in love with that girl,
she is too aristocratic to be the wife
of a head sawyer
-Four weeks had passed since |
became acquainted with Minnie
Almost every evening James and
could be seen IN the parlor Of the
cottage. Soon it became known
that Minnie and were engaged to
be married III slX months. do not
remember how | confessed my love,
all know is that she pressed my
hand while her lips said yes
Her father had no objection te
our union. he had known me tol
many years. and knew that was
able to support IA VI =. He ever
asked me to become his partn #, t,
, which proposition | gladly asSentcd
One evening Minnie and wer,
sitting at the foot of huge suga
b pine, talking about our approaching
70 marriage. when we heard the rcpOr
of a rifle. the bullet Of when Wits
tied past my head.
1 sprang To my feet and shouted
'lIullo! You stupid fellow, wha
are Nou shooting at!
Il supposed it was deer, answer
ed we'll known voice, and James
with IA rife in his hand, emerged
, from some mauzanita bushes abou
fifty feet from where stood.
You couldn't take me for a deer
- / said.
Yes answered James, pointing +
my gray hat, in the band of whicI
Mime had stuck some dry branche
% from a bush close 10y.
'Ah, | see said |, taking off m
hat Well next time you had bet
ter look little closer
Il will, repeated he moving away
II and soon his form was lost amidS
e the increasing darkness. Again
seemed to me that his voice sound
. ed strange. But had no time t
think about it, for Minnie had faint
Il ed, and it seemed a long time to m
/ before we reached the cottage.
The next day James Alton gay
= us notice that he would leave With
ten days.
: Time rolled quickly away amid'
y the preparations Tor our cOmiu
marriage. had been twice to s.
in order to hire another enginee
but could find no one to take Jane
place, and he was compelled
remain until the arrival Of machil
ist, an old FREUD of mine, who Wa
Ic coming from San Francisco.
k On Sunday eycning,two days b
fore the day set for my marrial
with Minnie, had occasion TO Z
I down TO the mill. After looking
/, the saws, to see if they were pro
e crly wedgcd and filed, ! desccnd'
" to the boiler room. We had ~
II large steam boilers set side by sid
As usual,in both ends, were tie ma
holes. These are semi circular ope
ings through which, b,when necessal
" "" the fireman crceps, TO clean the i
side of the boiler. One Of the
a