The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-06-17
travel, you see, and I brought my baby

travel, you see, and l brought my baby
here"
With woman's intuitive tact and poe
try, she had as she spoke slowly shifted
her position so as to bring the mute figure
of the ruined man between her and her
audience-hiding in the shallow behind it
as if she offered it as tacit apology for
her actions. Silent and expressio rless, it
yet spoke for her helpless, crushed and
smitten with the Divine thunderbolt, it
still stretched an invisible arm around
her.
Hidden in the darkness, but still hold
ing his hand, she went on:
ct was long time before l could get
the hang of things about yer, for l was
used to company and excitement. could
MT get any woman to help me, and a man
| dursen't trust; but what with the Indi-
ans hereabout, who'd do odd jobs for me,
and having everything sent from the
North Fork, Jim and manage to worry
through. The doctor would run up from
Sacramento once in awhile. He'd ask to
see 'Miggles' baby as he called jim, and
when he d 60 away, he'd say, 'Miggles
you're trump-God bless you; and it
didn't seem so lonely after that. But the
last time he was here he said, as he opened
the door to go; DO you know, Miggles,
your baby will grow up to be a man yet
and an honor to his mother but not here,
Miggles, not here = and j thought he went
away sad-and-and and here Mig
gles' voice and head were somehow both
lost com pletely in the shadow.
"The folks about here are very kind
said Miggles, after pause, coming little
into the light again. 1.-THE men from the
Fork used to hang around here, until they
found they wasn't wanted, and the women
are kind-and don't call. I was pretty
lonely until picked up Joaquin in the
woods yonder one day, when he wasn't
go. high, and taught him to beg for his
dinner; and then thsr's Polly-thst's the
magpie-she knows no end Of tricks, and
makes it quite sociable of evenings with
her talk. and so | don't feel like as / was
the only living being about the ranch
And Jim here" said Miggles, with her old
laugh again, and coming out quite into
the freight, "Jim-why, boys, you would
admire to see how much he knows for q
man like him. Sometimes bring him
flowers, and he looks at 'em just as natural
as if he knew 'em and times, when we're
sitting here alone, read him those things
on the wall Why Lord - said Miggles
with her frank laugh, "Pve read him that
whole side of the house this winter
There never was such a man for reading
as jim"
"Why," asked the Judge, "do you not
marry this man to whom you have devoted
your youthful life9"
'Well, you see," said Miggles, cit
would be playing it rather low down en-
Jim, to take advantage Of his being so
helpless. And then, too, if we were man
and wife, now, we'd both know that | was
bound to do what do now of my own
accord"
"But you are young yet and at
tractive-"
Its getting late," said Miggles, grave
ly, "and you'd better all turn in Good
night, boys" and throwing the blanket
over her head, Miggles laid herself down
beside Jim's chair. her head pillowed on
the low stool that held his feet, and spoke
no more. The fire slowly faded from the
hearth we each sought our blankets in
silence; and, presently, there was no
sound in the long room but the pattering
of the rain upon the roof, and the heavy
breathing of the sleepers.
1t was nearly morning when awoke
from troubled dream. The storm had
passed, the stars were shining, and
through the shutterless window the full
moon, lifting itself over the solemn pines
without, looked into the room. Ittouched
the lonely figure in the chair with an in
finite compassion, and seemed TO baptiZe
with shining food the lowly head of the
woman whose hair, as in the sweet old
story, bathed the feet of him she loved.
1t even lent kindly poetry to the rugged
outline of Yuba Bill, half reclining on his
elbow between them and his passengers,
with savagely-patient eyes keeping watch
and ward. And then / fell asleep, and
only woke at broad day, with Yuba Bill
standing over me, and "All aboard" ring
ing in my ears.
Coffee was waiting for us on the table.
but Miggles was gone. We wandered
about the house and fingered long after
the horses were harnessed, but she did not
return. 1t was evident that she wished to
avoid formal leave-taking, and had so
left us to depart as we had come. After
we had helped the ladies into the coach,
we returned to the house and solemnly
shook hands with the paralytic Jim, as
solemnly settling him back into position
after each and-shake. Then we looked
for the last time around the long, low
room, at the stool where Miggles had sat,
and slowly took our seats in the waiting
coach. The whip cracked, and We were
off!
But as we reached the high read Bills
dexterOus hand laid the six horses back on
their launches, and the stage stopped with
jerk. For there, on little eminence be.
side the road, stood Miggles, her hair
flying, her eyes sparkling, her white hand
kerchief waving, and her white teeth
flashing last "good bye" We waved
our hats in return. And then Yuba Bill,
as if fearful of further fascination, madly
lashed his horses forward and we sank
back in our seats. We exchanged not a
word until we reached the North Fork
and the stage drew up at the Independ
ence House. Then, the Judge leading, we
walked into the bar-rOOm and took our
glasses gravely at the bar
"Are your glasses charged, gentle
men?" said the Judge, solemnly taking off
his white hat.
Thev were
"Well, then, here's to Kiggles, GOD
BLESS Herr
Perhaps he had. Who knows ?-OUer
land Monthly, for June.