The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-03-23
How Jack Hastings Sold His Mine.


with yesterdays mountains and canons,
by a vision of green willows and ash trees,
stream that was not a torrent, and a
stretch of grassy country.
Among the faces oftenest turned to the
fitting views was that of young, grace
fully formed, neatly dressed. delicate
looking woman. The large brown eyes
often returned from gazing at the land
scape. to sean with seriousness some
memoranda she held in her hand. car
the memorandum. Consulting tiny
watch, whose hands pointed to ten min
utes of eight, the lady began making
those little preparations which betoken
the journeys end at hand.
"What Il strange ge-looking place it is :"
she thought, as the motley collection Of
| board shanties and canvas houses came
in sight for the famous Chloride Dis
trict had been discovered but a few
months before, and the Pacific Railroad
was only four weeks open. 81 wish Jack
had come to meet me I'm sure | don't
see how am to find the stage agent to
give him Jacks letter. What a number
of peopler'
This mental ejaculation was called forth
by the sight of the long platform in front
of the eating-house, crowded with surg
ing mass OF humanity just issuing from
the dining-room. They were the passen-
gers of the eastward-b bound train, ready
to rush headlong for the cars when the
momently-expected ''All aboard !" should
be shouted at them by the conductor
Into this crowd the freshly-arrived pas
sengers of the westward bound train were
a moment after ejected-each eyeing the
other with natural and pardonahle in
| terest.
The brown-eyed. graceful young lady
conducted herself in a very business like
manner-presenting the checks for her
baggage, inquiring out the office OF Wells,
Fargo Il Co., and handing in her letter,
all IN the breiest possible time. Having
secured a seat in Il coach to Chloride Hill,
with the promise of the agent to call for
| her when the time for departure arrived,
the lady repaired to the dining room just
in time to see her acquaintance of the
train departing. Sitting down alone to a
hastlly-cooked and underdone repast, she
was about finishing cup of bitter black
coffee with Il little shudder of disgust,
when a gentleman seated himself oppo-
site her at table The glance the stranger
cast in her direction was rather a linger-
inc one; then he ordered his breakfast
and ate it. Meanwhile the lady retired
to the ladies' sitting-room.
! After an hour of waiting, one. two,
three coaches rolled past the door, and
| the lady began to fear she had been for
gotten, when the polite agent appeared to
notify "Mrs. Hastings" that ''the stage
was ready" This was Mrs. Alice Hast
ings, then-wite OF Mr.. Jack Hastings of
Deep Canon, Chloride District. The
agent thought Mr.. Hastings had very
pretty wife, and expressed his opinion in
his manner, rs men will
| When, just before starting, there en-
tered three of the roughest-looking men
she had ever encountered, Mrs. Hastings
began to fear that in his zeal to obey in
structions the agent had exceeded them,
and in packing the first three coaches
with frst-comers, had left this one to
catch up the fag-end of travel If the
first impression, gained from sight, had
made her shrink q little, what was her
dismay when at the end Of ten minutes
one of her Observation-Disclosures only
American of the three-produced Il bottle
of brandy, which, having offered it first
to her, he passed it to the bullet headed
lrishman and very shabby jew; repeat
| ing the courtesy once in twenty minutes
for several times.
| Mrs. Hastings was n brave sort of Wo-
man, where courage was neediul and she
now began 10 consider the case in hand
with what coolness she could command
One hundred and thirty miles-eighteen
or twenty hours of such companionship-
with no chance of change or intermission :;
u wilderness country to travel over and
all the other coaches long way ahead
The dainty denizen of city home, shud-
dering inwardly, showed outwardly a
serene countenance. Her American friend
with wicked black eyes, and Il Jolly and
reckless style Of carrying himself, con-
tinued to offer brandy at short intervals.
''Best take some. madam" said he :;
''this dust will choke you if you don't"
"Thanks," returned the lady with her
sweetest smile, II could not drink
brandy. | have wine in my travelling
basket should | need it; but much prefer
water"
At the next station, although hardly
four minutes were lost in changing
horses, the men procured for her cup
of water. Mrs. Hastings thanks were
frank and cordial. She even carefully
opened conversation about the country
they were passing over, and contrived to
get them to ask Il question or two about
herself When they learned that she had
come all the way from New York on the
newly opened railroad, their interest was
at It's height; and when they heard that
she was going to join her husband in the
| (NhlnriIn DISTRICT thai. thx,
thoroughly enlisted.
she could be six days on the cars, and vet
able to take such Il stage-ride rs this, is
astonishing"
Such were the Americans comments.
The jew thought of the waiting husband
for your Isrealite is man of domestic
and family affections Her husband look
ing for her and she behind time ! How
troubled he must be! Didn't he know
how it was? Wasn't his wife gone away
on a visit once, and didn't write; and he
"A running to the express Office every
morning and evening Tor letter, and
getting so anxious as to telegraph? Such
an expense and loss of time and all be-
cause he felt so uneasy about his wife !"
The bullet-headed young Irishman said
nothing. He was about half asleep from
brandy and last nights travel; too stupid
to know that his hat had flown out of the
window, and was bowling along in the
wind and dust half a mile behind-all the
better for his head, which looked at red
heat now.
The lady had lifted the rude men up to
her level, when directly they were ashamed
of their brandy and other vices, and be-
gan to show instructive traits of gentle
men. BY the time they arrived at the
dinner station, where half an hour was
allowed for food and rest, out of the eigh-
teen or twenty, she had at least two hum