The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-09-17
miscellaneous.
LOVE IN A SAW MILL.


close to the mill, and often l and the en-
gineer James Alton, by name, were
invited by our employer to attend the |
evening worship held in his house.
One evening, just as we were taking |
leave of his family, we heard the sound |
Of carriage wheels, Immediately follow
ed by knock at the outer door.
minnie is coming !" "Minnie is com
ing" exclaimed Mrs. Smith, rushing
past us into the entry. Her husband
followed with light.
A minute after, the door opened, and
Minnie, her eldest daughter, was locked
in her mothers arms.
Minnie was beautiful girl, about
seventeen years of age. Three years
she had passed in young ladies' semi
nary near Utica, New York, and now
she had returned to her mountain home
amidst the pines and cedars of Califor-
| MIA.
The engineer and l fingered awhile
after her arrival, for both desired to be
introduced to Minnie Smith.
"Minnie, make you acquainted with
Louis our head sawyer, and James, our
engineer. guess you'll be glad to make
their acquaintance, for both are good
musicians and excellent singers. 1 sup
pose your musical education has not
been neglected."
81 have learned little instrumental
music, but have no voice." replied she
to her father, after bowling to us. James
had held out his hand, but she did not
touch it, and saw that he blushed
deeply, while his eyes glittered revenge
fully, at what he supposed her disdain.
Soon after we left the cottage. On our
way to the mill said:
flames, old boy, you looked mad.
Why don't you know that in good So
ciety they never shake hands, but only
bow ?"
"Well I didn't know it. But, never
thelcss, she could have shaken hands
with me when she saw that held out
my hand" replied he in surly tone.
/ then began to praise Minnie's beau
ty, and asked his opinion about her =;
but he gave me no answer. When we
parted for the night noticed that his
voice sounded strangers he 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 1 be-
came acquainted with Minnie. Almost
every evening James and l could be
seen in the parlor of the cottage. Soon
it became known that Minnie and
were engaged to be married within siA
months. / do not remember how l con
fessed my love, all know is that she
pressed my hand as 1 asked her to bC
my wife, while her lips said "yes."
Her father had no objection to oul
union. He had known me for many
years, and knew that / was able to sup
port wife. He even asked me to be
come his partner, to which proposition
gladly assented.
One evening, Minnie and l were sit
= ting at the foot of sugar pine, talking
about our approaching marriage, wher
we heard the report of rifle, the bulle
l of which whistled past my head.
sprang to my feet and shouted:
"Halloa! you stupid fellow, wha
are you shooting at:"
81 supposed it was deer !" answere'
a well.known voice, and James with
rifle in his hand, emerged from SOM
mapzantia bushes about fifty feet from
where Istood.
"You couldn't mis- take me fora deer!
:, said l.
"Yes," answered James, pointing t
my grey hat, in the band of which Min
ME had playfully stuck some dry branch
c es from bush close by.
"Ah, see," said l, taking off my ha
"Well, next time you had better look
IS little closer!"
5 81 will" repeated he, moving away
e and soon his form was LOST amidst tn
y increasing darkness. Again it seemed
;, to me that his voice sounded strange
But had no time to think about it, 70
Minnie had tainted, and it seemed
long time to me before she opened he
eyes. 1t was night before we reache'
= the cottage.
Next day James Alton gave us no
- tice he would leave within ten days.
"a Time rolled quickly amidst the prep
y, arations for our coming marriage.
, had been twice TO s. in order I
IS hire another engineer, but 1 could fin
Y Y no one to take James's place, and h
g was compelled to remain until the al
Sc rival Of II machinist, an old friend {
mine, who was coming from San Fran
cisco.
& On Sunday evening, two days befor
4 the day set for my marriage with Mir
Is ME, had occasion to go down to III
saw-mill. After | had looked at tn
saws to see if they had been properl
wedged and filed, l descended to tn
y boilers, set side by side. AS usual, i
both their ends We're the man hole
~ These are semi-circuar opening
or through which, when necessary, til
y liremen crept in order 10 clean the il
side ofthc boilers. One of these MAJ
holes was open, and some boys, chi
Iy drcn of the flrcmcn, were playing wit
as Il short iron bar near by.
ce do not know what made me stO
m and watch them pushing the bt
wv through the aperture, while they lis
ened to the sound of the water as j
o. wavelets moved past the bar, and dasl
We ed against the inside of the boiler.
I; "Stop that play, boys" said /, "an
ty tell James to close up the boiler" The
had not seen me before, and when the
heard my voice they let the iron b
all and scampered away. The ba
dropped with a loud splash into Il
water.
P. "Never mind" thought |, the fir
n men can get IL ont again when the