The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-08-25

self the thought that she would bt
obliged to stop with us, even for a shor
time; and the Judge didn't look very
sorry, though he professed to feel dread
fully for her dilemma.
He said, and | am sure his full ricl
voice must have seemed a tower o
strength to her: will is a dear frienC
OF ours, and if you will kindly allcy III
the honor of protecting his sister unit
he can be communicated with, we should
be under great obligations to you. w,
must look very odd to you; but W,
claim TO be gentlemen, and / assure
you we can and will make you comfort
able
"She had a perpleXed look on hel
face when the Judge told her there wa.
no woman living near; but she wa:
mistress of the situation in a moment
and said very demurely, though with 1
sly sparkle, 'Oh, shall be quite com.
/ Portable, but Pm afraid | shall be troub,
ling you terribly
every one spoke at once, NO trouble
not the least And then Dandy said
Judge, if you were to introduce us t.
the lady, perhaps she would feel more a
ease with us
''The Judge must have been awfullN
smitten at first sight, or he would moi
be guilty of introducing us by our camI
titles. As it was, he said, Miss Brown
ing, allow me to introduce you to WIFI.
friend, Mr.. South Carolina He ad.
vanced as he was called, and IN the most
chivalric manner bowed over the lady.
extended hand. This is Mr.. Nutmeg
another friend of your brother
I
but at her. Aunt Betty, did you know
Will? | believe YOU didn't; but he
will be n friend all the same to you, Miss
Browning.'
'You can bet your life on that every
time said Aunt Betty, and we were all
ready to split by that time, the Judge
looked so dignified doing the honors OF
the occasion in such "a manner, as he he
doubt thought.
"He continued: This is Mr. Dandy;'
| wish you could see the bowling and
scraping. BY that time she had taken
in the drollery of the thing, and when
Dandy bowed so profoundly, swept him
a courtesy that liked to have finished
him on the spot.
"'Senior and Will were sworn allies:
we used TO call them David and iona.
than
''She smiled and asked, (Which are
you" And for the first and only time
in my life l did not know what to saw,
but | stammered out, Either, ma'am.
There was something like snicker from
our company, but the Judge had No
eyes or ears for any one but her; so he
kept on, and with u wave of his hand
presented Our Baby The great six
footer looked for all the world as though
he would put up lip and cry, until Miss
Browning said, How do you do, dear ?
Can he talk - and then he blurted out.
My name is Otis Allen
Jack got the start of them, and step
ping in front of them, said in tragic
tones, Jack the Wicked known all
over the Pacific coast for my diabolical
acts-and let me assist our friend-this
is the Judge, who is a terror to all evil
doors, and the protector of distressed in
nOcence, whenever they have the good
fortune to fall into his hands,
"'Nes,' said the Judge, with the most
imperturbable gravity, and now you
know us all, and must consider us your
obedient servants
"She laughed 4 low, ripping laugh,
and said, Yes, am sure | know YOU
all now, and l should like To shake
hands all around, it would give me a
sort of home feeling, and you would
feel better acquainted with me, l guess
"She began with the Judge, and he
looked while he held her hand as though
he had been translated.
"She's got an awful lot Of magnetism
about her, tell you; my arm and hand
thrill now when | think of that first
hand-clasp. We hadn't chair in the
cabin, but we gave her our best three
legged stool. She took off her iaunty
hat and sack, and each one sprang to
take them. She didn't seem to notice
us, but left them lying in her lap. She
told us that she had some baggage lit
tie way from our house; she had left it
there so as to walk in upon Will unan-
nOunced, and instead of finding her dear
old Will, she had stumbled upon such
lot of friends.
"'Can you give me something real
good to eat? and she glanced at the ia
ble with its dirty dishes and the scanty
remains of our supper.
"That table was cleared off in jiffy;
a plate was washed, and n can of chick
en- opened. Aunt Betty made a cup of
tea, and another stirred up some flap
Jacks, and another of us thought to
u
into the ground several times. Oh,
there were lively times for n few minutes,
you'd better believe. Only the Judge
he never moved, but looked at her. She
did not seem to notice him, but watched
our operations with great interest.
"While she ate-and the quaintness of
our surroundings did not affect her ap-
petite-we all stood around and waited
upon her | guess there was never a day
while she lived with us but what she
laughed about her first meal there.
ave partitioned her off a bedroom
in one corner, by putting up some blank
cts, and all but the Judge and Aunt Bet
ty went into the storehOuse to sleep.
"You'd think that when we got there
we should be likely to talk over the
wonderful event, but we didn't; not a
word was spoken concerning it. But /
reckon there was considerable thinking
done that night.
"By light we were all up and pacing
in front of the cabin. The teamster had
given notice of the charge he had left
with Us, and all the other boys were
over there to learn how things We're.
There wasn't stroke of work done in
the camp that day, and not much for
week.
"Then the Judge called us together, |
and told us it wouldn't do; we We're get /.
ting demOraliZed; that Miss Browning
was unhappy because she felt she had .
interrupted our arrangements, and we .
must come right down To steady days .
work after that. Well, we tried to, but 4
we never could get back 10 old times. I