The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-06-17
"Hello, be you Miggles ?" said Yuba

Bill to the solitary occupant.
The figure neither spoke nor stirred.
Yuba Bill walked wrathfully toward it,
and turned the eye of his coach lantern
upon its face 1t was mans face, prema-
turely old and wrinkled, with very large
eyes, in which there was that expression
of perfectly grat1itous solemnity which
had sometimes seen in an owls. The
large eyes wandered from Bills face to
the lantern, and finally fixed their gaze on
that luminous object, without further
recognition.
Bill restrained himself with an effort.
"Miggles be you deaf' You amt
dumb, anyhow, you know" and Yuba
Bill shook the insensate figure by the
shoulder To our great dismay, as Bill
removed his hand, the venerable stranger
apparently ollapsed-sinking into half
his size and an undistinguhhable heap of
clothing
Well, dern my skin," said Bill, looking
appealingly at US, and hopelessly retiring
from the contest
The Judge now stepped forward, and
we lifted the mysterious vertebrate back
into h s original position. Bill was dis
missed with the lantern to reconnoitre out
side, for it was evident that from the help
lessness of this solitary man there must be
attendants near at hand, and we all drew
around the fire. The Judge. who had re-
gained his authority, and had never lost
his conversational amiability-standing
before us with his back to the hearth
charged US, as an imaginary jury, as fol-
lows:
1T is evident that either our distin-
guished friend here has reached that con-
"a hxy GhoH no
sere and yellow leaf OF has suffered some
premature abatement of his mental and
physical faculties. Whether he is really
the M ggles-"
Here he was interrupted by Miggles
o Migeles Migglesy Mgr and, in fact,
the whole chorus of Miggles in very much
the same KEY as it had once before been
delivered unto US.
We gazed at each other for moment in
some alarm. The Judge, in particular,
vacated his position quickly, as the voice
seemed to come directly over his shoulder.
The cause, however, was soon discovered
in large magpie who was perched upon
a shelf over the fireplace, and who imme-
diately relapsed into sepulchral silence,
which contrasted singularly with his pre-
viOus volubility. 1t was undoubtedly his
voice which we had heard in the road and
our friend in the chair was not responsible
for the discourtesy. Yuba Bill, who re-
entered tie room after an unsuccessful
search, was 10th to accept the explanation,
and still eyed the helpless sitter with sus-
piciOn. He had found shed in which he
had put up his hOrses-but he came back
dripping and skeptical. "Thar amt no
body but him within ten miles OF the
shanty, and that ar id old skeesicks
knows it."
But the faith of the majority proved to
be securely based. Bill had scarcely
ceased growing, before we heard quick
step upon the porch. the trailing of wet
skirt, the do7r was flung open, and
with a fash of white teeth, sparkle of
dark eyes and an utter absence of
ceremony or diff 1ence, young woman
entered, shut the door, and, painting,
leaned back against it.
90, if you please. I'm Miggles!"
And this was Miggles This bright
eyed. full -throated young woman, whose
wet gown of coarse blue stuff could not
hide the beauty of the feminine curves to
which it clung from the chestnut crown of
whose head-topped by q mans oil-skin
SOU wester-to the little feet and ankles
hidden somewhere in the recesses of her
boys brogans, all was grace-this was
Miggles, laughing at us, too, in the most
airy, frank. Off-hand manner imaginable
"You see. boys" said she, quite out of
breath, and holding one little hand against
her side. quite unheeding the speechless
discontinue of our party. or the complete
decentralization of Yuba Bill, whose feat
ures had relaxed into an expression of
gratuitous and imbecile cheerfulness-
"You see, boys, l was morn two miles
away when you passed down the road.
thought you might pull up here, and so
ran the whole way, knowing nobody was
at home but Jim-and-and-Pm out of
breath-that lets me out"
And here Miggles caught her dripping
oil-skin hat from her head, with q mis-
chievOus swirl that scattered q shower of
rain drops over US attempted to put back
her hair; dropped two hair pins in the
attempt; laughed, and sat down beside
Yuba Bill, with her hands crossed lightly
on her lap.
The Judge recovered himself first, and
essaved an extravagent compliment
"Pll trouble you for that thar har-pin,"
said Miggles. gravely. Half a dozen
hands were eagerly stretched forward !;
the missing hair pin was restored to its
fair owner; and Miggles, crossing the
room, looked keenly in the face of the in
valid The solemn eyes looked back at
hers, with an expression we Lad never
seen before. Life and intelligence seemed
To struggle back into the rugged face.
Miggles laughed agsin-it was singularly
eloquent laugh-and turned her black eyes
and white teeth once more toward US.
"This afflicted person is"-hesitated the
Judge
Jim" said Mggles.
"Your father" ?"
"NO."
"Brother ?"
"No"
Husband ?"
Mlggles darted quick, half-defant
glance at the two lady passengers who /
had noticed did not participate in the
general masculine admiration of Miggles,
and said, eravely: "No-it's jim"
There was an awkward pause. The
lady Passengers moved close to each
other. The WashOe husband looked alb
strsctedly at the fire and the tall man ap-
parently turned his eyes inward for self
support at this emergency. But M ggles'
laugh, which was very infectious. broke
the silence "Come." she said. briskly,
"you must be hungry. Who'll bear a
hand to help me get tear"
moments Yuba Bill was engaged like
Calibsn in bearing logs for this Miranda |;
the expressman was grinding coffee ON
the verandah; to myself the arduOus
duty of slciDg bacon was assigned; and