St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-11-05
Lore in u Sdu-MtU.

About fourteen years ago was en-
ployed AS head sawyer in the steam mill
of l.. ID. Smith X Co., near the mining
town of s. Mr.. Smith and his
family were living in a neat cottage close
To the mill, and often | ard the engineer,
James Alton by name, were invited by
our employer to attend the evening wor-
ship held in his house
One evening, just as we were taking
leave of his family, We heard the sound
OF carriage wheels, imme iiately follow
ed by knock at the outer door.
Minnie is coming. Minnie ia COM
ing ~ exclaimed Mrs. Smith, rushing
past us into the entry. Her husband
followed with a light.
a minute after the door opened, and
Minnie, her Oldest daughter, was locked
i'll her mothers arms.
Minnie was beautiful girl, about sew
entcen years of age Three years she had
passed in a young ladies seminary near
lica, y. Y, and now she had returned
to her mountain home, amidst the pines
and cedar> of California.
ihc engineer and | fingered awhile
after her arrival, tor both desired to be
introduced to Minnie Smith.
Minnie, | make you acquainted with
Louis, our head sawyer, and James, our
cigincer. guess you'll be glad to make
musicians and excellent singers. | sup
pose your musical education has not been
neglected y
Il have learned little instrumental
music, but have no voice, replied she
to her father, after bowing TO Us. james
had held out his hand, but she did not
touch it. and saw that he blushcd deep
ly, while his eyes glittcred revcngefully
at what he supposed her dislain.
Soon after we left the cottage. On
our wav 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 3
We'll, didn't know it. But never
thclc>, she could have shaken hands with
me when she saw that | held out my
hand" replied he, in a suriy tone.
then began TO praise Minnie's beauty,
and asked his opinion about her, but Ii,
rave me no answer. When we partct
for the night, | noticed that his voic,
sounded strange as lie said:
Don't fall in love with that girl, sh,
is too aristocratic to he the wife of a heaC
sawyer"
Four weeks had passed since became
acquainted with Minnie. Almost eyery
evening James and | could be seen i'll TIN
parlor of the cottage. Soon it became
known that Minnie and were engage,
to be married within six months. dc
not remember how | confessed my love
all | know is that she pressed my han'
: while | asked her to be my wife, Will
her lips said yes"
Her father had no objection to on
unicn. lie had known me for man
wears, and knew that | was able to sup
port a wife. He even asked me to bc
come his partner, to which proposition
gladly assented.
= One evening Minnie and | were SIT
ting at the foot of huge sugar plnC
- talking about our approaching marriage
when we heard the report of a rifle, I'll
t bullet of which whistled past my head.
:. sprang to my feet and shouted:
''IIuIio. you stupid fellow, what III
you shooting at ~
:. 81 supposed it was deer" answere
wcll-known voice, and james, with
rifle in his hand, emerged from son
:. manzanita bushes about fifty feet irol
: where ! stood.
..You couldn't take me for a deer :"
said
Yes" answered James, pointing
y my gray hat, in the band of which Mn
= ME had stuck some dry branches from
II bush close by.
- "Ah, see," said |, taking off my Ina
..Well, next time you had better look
little closer"
II WILL" repeated he moving away
and soon his form was lost amidst the /
creasing darkness, Again it seemed
me that his voice sounded strange. B
~, | had no time to think about it, for Mi
- rie had tainted, and it seemed lo
time to me before we reached the &C
tage.
The next day James Alton gave
notice that he would leave within
days.
" Time rolled quickly away amidst
- preparations for our coming marriage.
had been twice to $, III order to II
,,ot. another engineer, but could find no
= to take James place, and he was co
. PEELED to remain until the arrival ot
machinist, an old friend of mine, W
del. der was coming from San Francisco.
ply On Sunday evening, two days BET
= the day set for my marriage with NJ
GH ME, l had occasion to 90 down to
, yer mill. Alter looking to the saws, to