Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-07-28
Tales aud Sketthss.
THIRTY PROPOSALS.

~ GU don't say that is his wifep Well
she is sumner, and no mistake. | con-
fess to an overwhelming curiosity con-
cerning that marriage Why. in the
States he was considered an inveterate
bachelor. Somehow he never cared to go
round with the girls as the rest of us did
but always took his mother everywhere
and waited upon her as though she had
been the Queen Of England. All the girls
liked him, and il he ever ventured where
they were, they would flutter round him,
but it was plain that he never gave them
second thought
"His mother used to say, If my son
ever marries. twill be very superior wo-
man, quite different from the girls one
ordinarily meets'n
"When we heard at home that he was
married, tie girls said little spitefully,
reckon: There must be one wonderful
woman in California, and they hoped she
would be superior enough to teach the
old bachelor lesson or two. How is it ?
is she likely to ?"
well, there's more to her than you'd
think at first sight. She must be real
good herself, or she never would have ap-
preciated our friend. He is solid, and SUBJ
stantial, but not very snowy. I've known
him intimately for years. and never knew
him to say or do mean thing. He de-
serves his good luck, and | will own it ;
though to be honest. wanted that woman
for my wife, and have not reached point
yet where | can take much pleasure in
thinking OF the wedding. Come over here
under the trees, and I'll tell you how it
came about; but you'd better not let on
you know it, for It's sort of understood
thing that we are to keep it on the square
| and it's rather tender subject with us,
boys
1T was the summer of GO. we lived ov-
| er the canon, | was telling you about
there were thirty of US in the gang, and
we had four cabins, with storehouse,
which We're public property. We worked
hard through the week, and on Sundays
did our washing and brought our house,
work up little. | suppose we should be
called hard set, but we were not any
rougher than men generally who get a
living BY themselves for year or two.
eight of us camped together, and each
of us had as distinct an individuality as
though we represented different nations.
Somehow or other, we had acquired a
soubriquet which was acknowledged to be
characteristic, and we were called by it in
camp, to the complete ignoring of our real
names.
There was Hal Winterton, Southern
er and fierce secessionist; we called him
South Carolina Dave Austin, Con-
necticut man and a regular sell, we called
him Nutmeg 'Dandie' stuck to Charlie
Chaplain, for he was regular fop. Then
there was Ned Simpson, a regular Aunt
Rattvf would Gnnur htS mt tkn
glimpse, without my saying a word. Otis
Allen would faint if he jammed his finger
or had n sight of blood He was Our
Baby Jack Cummings was wag, and
he certainly deserved his cognomen, Jack
the Wicked Jim Woodruff was known
all over the country by the appellation of
Judge and your humble servant, from
his black eyes, swarthy complexion, and
jetty locks, perhaps something. too. in my
manner, was styled 'Senor'
Well, we were a good natured set of
fellows, always making allowance for each
others peculiarities, and never having
any friction in the camp. Sometimes i
used to think we joked Aunt Betty and
Our Baby rather numerically, but a
word from our Judge would straighten
us at once.
If one was sick, we all took a turn
about in nursing and watching, but the
Judge was one that knew just what to
do, and was always near to do it. Ten
der and patient as a woman, we all hon
ored him and held him little higher in
our estimation than we did any one else
in the camp.
| forgot to tell you that q month before
and when Dandy and Aunt Betty were
out of our number, we had in their place
VIII Browning, who was equal to two
men any day. Good to work and good
to play, as smart as need be, and true tC
the core. think most any of us woult
have been glad to have gone with viii
over the mountains, but he said, No, sta,
where you are, boys; you are doing well
and if find anything better l will let yor
know at once. Then come all hands OF
you. and it will be jolly time when we
get together again
You know it wasn't the pleasantest trav.
elling in the world to get around two
years ago.
We hadn't heard word from Will
though he had been gone long time
Several letters had come for him, but OF
course we couldn't forward them, having
no idea of his Whereabouts, and we had
come to the conclusion that he would walk
in upon us some time dead broke, and
cured of his rowing disposition. We had
finished work one day, and snpped of
three BIS, as we called our beans, and ba-
con, and bread; the table stood just as
we had left it. for you know that miners
are not very fastidious in their notions.
We'werc sitting on q long bench, which
reached across the end of our rude cabin.
talking over our days work. and specu-
lating on what the boys were doing over
to the left side of us, when all at once a
young woman stood right in our cabin
door.
Now, u woman in those days was u GU
riosity among bucks here among the hills,
and there were men in our camp who had
not set eyes on one for better than two
years. She stood still, just looking at us
don't know what the rest thought, bu
Aunt Betty said afterwards that 1t seem
ed like warnin' to some of u.s. and h,
was wondering whose time had come