Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-11-26


Greaser's-Flat concern was doing splendidIy;
ne mao gwen almost undivided attention to
mat Scientific men had assured him there
never had been processIso complete for the
extraction of gold, as that which he was at
present employing. 1t involved great expense;
but-nothing venture nothing have"
What scientific men have visited the mine?'
Inquired.
MANNERS, numbers, madam" (he inyaria-
bly, repeated tho first word of his SENTENCED and
drawing out OF his pocket a fine specimen
That, Mrs. Blankman Is a trifie brought o yer
for you. Ii is one of the finest we have OBJ
tanned"
The heavy earth, stratifed with fibrous gold,
was, indeed, beautiful; and. "a Hobbs assured
me, was valued at over 500. He presented il
as though ii was an entirely personal gift; and
mine only belonged to him, AMI that, probably,
$50 OF it, at least would be credited to the com
paDy.
Dealing in generalities, it was impossible to
obtain anything like statistical information
from him; and yet, he contrved to throw such
an air of yeracity into his manner that il was
almost impossible to doubt his word. / did,
however; and urged John to visit the Greaser's-
Flat precinct as soon as possible.
The claim at Yankees Forge" / mildly OBJ
served, does not come up to our expectations. I"
Indeed, indeed. Well, my dear madam,
am reioiced that your excellent husband is right
here on the spot 1t will be great relief to me-
and afford me an opportunity TO further the in
terests Of the company in our other claim. But.
nave no fears; everything will come out right;
such material As this''-aDd he produced small
BOTTLE Of blue gravel, fecked with minute par
ticles of gOld-''Is evidence of richness. You
are, perhaps. impatient-the harvest is inevita-
BILE; but the honest miner learns to possess his
soul in patience"
The fatigue pleaded BY Hobbs, and the late
ness Of the hour, precluded attention to BUSH
ness that night; and the next morning John was
too busy foragiDg round at the one butchers
stall for provisions, to give much attention to
our friend before breakfast. The minister and
n mir t.,
yited-to spend the day, and my hands were
fun, for Wo Sin was Inadequate to the toll of a
dinner-party.
Hobbs was in his glory at breakfast. The
appetite OF a guest is always matter of uncon-
rather than swallowed, have the eject 'i to
chicken was shoyeed into his capacious mouth
on the pointed knife-blade, with indigestible
rapldity.
"For mercy's sake, do not bring him back To
dinner" 1 whispered to John, as they started
for the mine. " He is q c0rmOrant."
"Oh! that reminds me Berenice, dear, L
bought couple OF pigs to-day, and WO Sin can
put them in the chicken-house till we get back,
and give them plenty of sour milk. You need
have nothing to do with them"
OF all days in the year to go and get pigs,
w Wn a., I'm espest,ng company and shall need
"well, my love, am sorry it so happens; but
had to secure them when could"
The pastry.cooks and restaurant belong to an
older civilization than either Greaser's Flat or
Niles's Corner; and the trying experience of
preparing every atom Of cake, every mold OF
jelly, pies and conserves, soups aud salads, falls
TO the lot of the unfortunate giver of parties in
dvidually.
Don't make the least fuss-wc are just com
ing, socially, was the request of the lady who
planned the visit. But OF course, coming from
the Bay, it will be no effort TO you to entertain
cOmpany"-this by way of compliment; but it
conveyed the idea that q San Franciscan was
supposed to have everything especially nice,
he scarcitV sci hain IN Eap ir,fn
consideration. resolved on broiled chicken as
my main dependence, In the bill or fare. and to
get these ready was fatiguing to degree had
help of neighbor Niles, 1 should have been
discouraged. The dreadful pigs
having arrived just as Wo Sin had housed tue
and scampered over the back lot. Of course,
the Oldest and leanest being unable to run, he
succeeded in capturing a half dozen of them,
cruelty wringing their necks, and adding their
Johns last purchase. But Ncighb0r Niles COM
forted me by prospective of spare-rib and sau-
sage, ham and lard, as she beat away at the
eggs with the energy of desperation. 1t was
noon, and very hot, before preparations were
complete, and was just preparing for a good
nap. when little Jim Niles appeared at the gate,
And as they arrived, painting: "Oh, Golly; but
amt mother'n' Miss Blankman been a maxim
cake an things. Miss Blankman said she did
hope you wouldn't come till she'd had time to
a comm out Of the stove, an we eat it. You
bet, il was good!'
My face was crimson with notification: and.
the great help neighbor Niles
had been TO me, could have spanked her hope
full heir with absolute good will; but managed
TO appear at ease, and slipped out to make my
toilet, as soon as possible, after receiving them.
Society in most Of the mountain towns resolves
itself into an humiliation of all social distinc-
tons. Education, wealth, and culture, meet on
common grounds, ignorance, impecuniosity,
gambler are on par with the merchant and the
lawyer. The daughter OF the clergyman and
the physician have no greater social advantages
than the seryant-girls who wait upon them
rapidly assimlate with those of Tom, Dick, and
Harry. In the ballroom, the vis-a-vis OF the
mistress is frequently the maid. Democracy
rnles; yet, gentle breeding shows itself In indi
vidual reticence, and that nameless quality of
evident to feeling only.
The minister of the parish had originally been
the Methodist faith, awakened in him an am
bition to go on a circuit; and, after the usual
formula OF the anxious bench, experience meet
ings, and love feasts, he attained the climax of
an appointment to preach. Widow Bed0ttt's
Elder Sniities' was no caricature, in sOnsidera.
ton of his style of handling the Scriptures. His
weeping capacity would: have turned a mill
wheel He had no need to pray that his eyes
might become fountains of water, for the uu-
pleasant moldiness of his appearance indicated
a continual state OF dampness. To-day, perspi-
rat on TOOK the place OF te ars though little Mrs.
young married lady, recently from
New York-assured me privately that he would
be rrimed for good, wholesome cry after sup
per.
The ice once once broken, Individual traits
Themselves, the minister INDUCED in
shifts, and Hannah Jane Par
rott said she'd found out all about the young
man in tights, who was waiting on the Smith
girls. This subject discussed, it was remem-
bered that had not been formally introduced
to Phebe Nash. She was called PECULIAR and,
il her dress were index to her character, /
quietly resolved not to pursue the acquaintance.
She was not positively dowdy. yet her tumbIed
and the coarse, tan-cOlored net she
" ore over black hair, were careless and I'M
graceful. "From Coon county, way out West,
Sister Blankman," said the minister. " Sister
Nash, relate some Of your experiences. She
lectures, Sister Blankman."
go on, Sister Nash; don't be bashfui." And
with alternate encouragement to Sister Nash,
and little explanatory phrases to me, he worked
the company into fever of anxiety to shear all
about it." The result was, ct course, a dead
failure, succeeding an awful pause. Poor Nash
sc emed all net and the wide, cotton bObbin-
collar, the old-fashioned knitten mitts without
fingers, the Open-wOrk stockings, and the big,
Irvine pudding bag she was making, suggested
the idea, as she looked askance at the minister,
that she was a fisher Of men. Merry little Mrs.
Murray adrOitly punned on her occupation,
through she was too obtuse to perceive it.
NeiphbOr Miles said. 50 ALI Iudeedo or - To he