The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-07-29
MIGGLEs.
From the California Overland Monthly /

FROM lhe California overland MOnthly.
We were eight, including the driver. We
had not spoken during the passage of the last
six miles, since the jolting of the heavy
vehicle over the roughening road had spoiled
the Judges last poetical quotation. The tall
man beside the Judge was asleep. his ann
passed through the Swaying strap and his
head resting upon it-altogethcra limp, help
less-looking object, rs if he had hanged him
self and been cut down too late. The French
lady on the back seat WAS asleep too, yet in
a half-conscous propriety of attitude, shown
even in the disposition Of the handkerchief
which she held To her forehead and which
partially veiled her face. The lady from
Virginia City, travelling with her husband,
had long since lost all individuality in a wild
confusion of ribbons wells, timS and shawls
There was no sound but the rattlng of wheels
and the dash of rain upon the roof. Sudden
ly the stage stopped and we became dimly
aware of voices. The driver was evidently
in the midst Of an exciting colloquy with
some one in the road-a colloquy of which
such fragments as ''bridge gone" ''twcnty
feet Of water" ''cant pass" were occasion
ally distinguished above the storm. Then
came q hull, and the mysterious voice from
the road shouting the parting adiuration :
''Try Miggles's.'
vehicle slowly turned, Of 4 horSeman vanish
ing through the rain, and we were evidently
on our way to MiggleS's
Who, and where was Mi@@les9 The Judge
our authority. did not remember the name.
and he knew the country thoroughlv The
Washoe traveller thought Mi@glcS must keep
Il hotel. We only knew that we We're stop
ped by high water in front and rear, and that
Mig@lcs was our rock of refuge. \ ten min
utes' splashing through a tangled bv-road,
scarcely wide enough for the stage. and we
drew up before a barred and boarded gate in
Il wide stone wall or fence about eight feet
high. Evidently Mi@@les's. and evidently
M@@les did not keep Il hotel.
The driver got down and tried the gate.
1t was securely locked.
''Miggles. O Mi@@leS?''
No answer.
''AIi@G-ell> You Mi@glrs," continued the
driver with rising wrath.
"Migglesyr Joined in the cxpres~man.
persnasively, 90 Miggy! Mig
But no reply came from the apparently in
scnsate Miggles The Judge, who had finally
GOT the window down, put his head out and
proponnded Il series of questions, which if
doubedly elucidated the whole mystery, but
which the driver cvaded by replying that .'it
we didn't want to sit in the coach all night
we had better rise up and sing out for Mig
giles.
So we rose up and called on Miggles in
chorus, Then separately. And when We
had finished, a IIibclnian fellow passenger
from the roof called for ..Mavgclls.'' whereat
we all laughed. While we were laughing
the driver cried ''Shoo,"
We listened To our infinite amazcmcnt
the chorus of ''Mi@glcs'' was repeated from
the other side of the wall, even to the final
and supplemental ''Maygells."
''EXtraor'lnarv echo" said the Judge
Extraordinary id skunkr' roarcd the
driver, contemptuously. Come out of that
Miggles, and show yourself! Be man
Miggles. Don't hide in the dark wouldn't
if | were You, Ai@glcs." continued Yuba
Bill, now dancing about in an excess of fury
"MiG@leS." continued the voice 80 Mic
gles,"
'My good man! Mr.. Myghai said the
Judge, softening the asperitics of the name
as much as possible. ''Consiler the inhos-
pitality of refusing shelter from the inclem
ency of the weather to helpless females
Really, my dear sir" but a succession o
''Migglcs,n ending in burst Of laughter
drowned his voice
Yuba Bill hesitated no longer Taking 4
heavy stone from the road, he battered dowr
the gate and with the exprcssman entered
the enclosure. We followed Nobody was
to be seen. In the gathering darkness al
that we could distinguish was that we were
in a @arden-from the rose bushes that scat
tered over us a minute spray from their drip
ping leaves-and before long, rambling
wooden building. ''Do you know this Mig
gles9' asked the Judge of Yuba Bill.
l.Np .1o,,,t TO oh
who felt the Pioneer Stage Company insulteG
in his person by the contlumacious Miggles
But, my dear sir" epostuatcd the Judge
as he thought of the barred gate
'Iookec here" said Yuba Bill. with fine
irony, ''hadn't you better 90 back and sit il
coach till yer introduced? I'm going in,
and he pushed open the door of the building
long room lighted only by the embers OF
fire that was dying on the large hearth al
its further extremity. The walls curousy
papered, and the tlickering freight bringing
out its grotesque pattern. Somebody sitting
IN a large arm chair by the fire place. AL
this we saw as we crowded together into the
room, after the driver and expressman
Hello, be you Miggles?N said Yuha Bill
TO the solitary occupant.
The figure neither spoke nor stirred. Yuba
Bill walked wrathfullv toward it, and turned
the eye of his coach lantern upon its face. II
was a mans face, prematurely old and
Wrinkled, with very large eyes, in which
there was that impression of perfectly gra-
tuituous solemnity which had sometimes
seen in an owls. The large eyes wandered
from Bills face 10 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 col
lapsed- sinking into half his size and an un-
distingnishable heap Of clothing.
''Well, duln my skim said Bill-lookine
appealingly al us, and hopelessly retiring
from the contest
The Judge now stepped forward, and we
lifted the mysterious invertebrate back into
his original position. Bill was dismissed
with the lantern to rcconnoitre outside, for it
was evident that from the helplessness OF
this solitary man there must be attendants
near at hand, and we all drew around the
fire. The judge, who had regaincd his au-
thority and had never lost his conversational
Notwithstanding before us with his back
to the hearth-charged us as an imaginary
jury, as follows
1T is evident that either our distinguished
friend here has reached that condition, de-