Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-02-22

" made from a section Of sluieing-
and half filled with bark and the tas-
sells OF pine. The cart was further
decorated with slips Of willow, and
made fragrant with buckeye bios
SONS. When the body was deposited
in the box, Tennessee's Partner drew
over il a niece of tRrred canvas, and
gravely mounting the narrow seat in
front, with his feet upon the shsftsI
urged the little donkey forward. Ihe
equipage moved slowly on, at the dec
OrOus pace which was habitual win
Jenny even under less solemn cir
cumstances. The men-half curious
ly half jestingly, but all good humor-
edly-strOlled along beside the cart
some in advance, some q little in the
rear OF the hOmely eatafalque. But
whether from the narrowing OF the
road or some present sense Of deco
rum, as the cart passed on, the COM
pany fell to the rear in couples, keep
ing step, and otherwise assuming the
external show Of formal procession.
Jack Folinsbee, who had at the outset
played funeral march in dumb show
upon an imaginary trombone, desist-
ed from a lack Of sympathy and ap-
preeiatiOn-nOt having, perhaps, your
true humorist's capacity to be content
with the enjoyment of his own fun.
The way led through Grizzly Can
On-by this time clothed In funeral
drapery and shadows. The redwOOds
burying their moceasined feet in the
red soil, stood in Indian file along the
track, trailing an uneOuth benedictiOn
from their bending boughs upon the
passing bier. A hare. surprised into
helpless inactivity, sat upright and
pulsating in the ferns by the roadside
as the cOrtege went by. Squirrels
hastened to gain a secure outlook rom
higher boughs; and the blue-jAys,
spreading their wings, fluttered be-
fore them like OutrideTs, until the out
skirts Of Sandy Bar were reached and
the solitary cabin Of Tennessse's Part
ner.
Viewed under more favorable cir
cumstances, il would not have been
a cheerful place. The unpicturesque
site, the rude and unlOvely outlines,
the unsavOTy details, which distin-
guish the nest-building Of the Califor-
MIA miner, were all here, with the
dreariness Of decay superadded. A
few PAGES from the cabin there was q
rough enclosure, which in the brief
days of Tennessee's Partners matri-
mOnial felicity, had been used as a
garden, but was now Overgrown with
fern. AS we approached it we were
surprised TO find that what we had
taken for a recent attempt at cultiva-
tiol was the broken soil about an
open grave.
The cart was halted before the en-
closure; and rejecting the offers Of
assistance with the same air Of simple
self-reliance he had displayed through
out, Tennessee's Partner lifted the
rough coffin on his back, and deposit
ed it, unaided, within the shallow
grave. He then nailed down the
board which served as a lid; and
mounting the little mound Of earth
beside It, took off his hat and slowly
mopped his face with his handker-
chief. This the crowd felt was a pre-
liminary to speech; and they dispOs-
ed themselves variOusly on stumps
and boulders, and sat expeetant.
when a man." began Tennsssee's 3
Partner, slowly, "has been running
, free all day, what's the natural thing
for him to do? Why, to come home.
And If he amt in q condition to 60
home, what can his best friend do ?
Why, bring him hOmel And here's
Tennessee has been running free, and
we brings him home from his wan
dering." He paused, and picked up
a fragment Of quartz, rubbed it
thOughtfully on his sleeve, and went
on: at amt the first time that I've
Z packed him on my back, as you seed
me now. 1t amt the first time that l
brought him to this yer cabin when
{ he couldn't help himself; it amt the
( first time that ! and Jimmy have
waited for him on yOn hill, and pick
ed him up and so fetched him home,
when he couldn't speak, and didn't
know me. And now that it's the last
time, why" he paused, and rubbed
| the quartz gently on his sleeve-''yOu
sec it's sort Of rough on his pardner.
And now, gentlemen he added, ab-
ruptly, picking up his long-handled
shovel. 1.-THE fun'Ps over; and my
thanks, and Tennessee's thanks, 70
you for your trouble
Resisting any proffers Of assistance,
l he began to fill in the grave, turning
his back upon the crowd, that after 8
/ few moments hesitation gradually
withdrew. AS they crossed the little
ridge that hid Sandy Bar from view,
some, looking back. thought they
could see Tennessee's Partner, bis
work done, sitting upon the grave,
his shovel between his knees, and his
/ face buried in his red bandanna hand
kerchief. But it was argued by 9th
ers that YOU couldn't tell his face
from his handkerchief at that dis
tance; and this point remained unde-
cided.
In the reaction that followed tbs
feverish excitement Of that day, Ten
nessee's Partner was not forgotten
/ A secret investigation had cleared
him OF any completely in TENNESSEE
guilt. and left only a suspicion OF hi
general sanity. Sandy Bar made /
point of calling on him, and proffer
ing various uncOuth, but well mean
kindnesses, But from that day hii
rude health and great strength seemed
visibly to decline; and when th'
rainy season fairly set in, and the tiny
grass-blades were beginning to peel
from the rocky mound above Tennes
sees grave, he took to his bed.
One night, when the pines besid'
the cabin were swaying In the storm
and trailing their slender fingers owe
the roof, and the roar and the rush o
the swollen river were heard below
l Tennessee's Partner lifted his heaC
from the pillow. saying, at is time t
90 for Tennessee; must put Jimmy
in the Cart" and would have risel
from his bed but for the restraint o
his attendant. Struggling, he still
pursued his singular fancy: There
now, steady, Jimmy, steady, oil
girl. How dark il Is! Look out 70
the ruts,-snd look out for him, too
: old gal. Sometimes, you know, whel
he's blind drunk, he drops down righ
in the trail. Keep on straight up {
the pine on the top of the hill. Tha
i told you so thar he is,-comin
this way, tOO,-all by himself, sober
I and his face a shining. Tennessee
Pardnern
And so they met
D =