Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-06-17

man toshelp me, and a man / dursent trust but
what with the Indians hereabout, who d do odd
jobs for me, and having everything sent from
the North Fork, Dim and manage to worry
through. The Doctor would run up from Sacra-
@ men. once in WHILE ILL., He'd ask to see mig
go away, he d say, " Miggles, you re a trump,
God bless YOU; and it did mt seem so lonely
after that. But the last time he was here he
said, as he opened the door to CO. "Do you
know, Miggles, your baby viii grow up to be a
man yet and an honor TO his mother; but not
here, Miggles, not herel' And thought he
went away sad ,-and--and-"a and here NJ igeles' 5
voice and head were somehow both lost com
'pletely inthe shadow.
90 The folks about here are very kind" said
s.iss,,S, after transforming little into the
light again. a The men from the fork used to
hang around here, until they fount they wasn Mt
wanted, and the women are kind and don't
call. i was pretty lonely until picked up Joa-
was mt SO high, and taught him TO beg Tor his
dinner; and then thar's Polly,-that 5 the mag
pie,-she knows no end of tricks, and makes 1t
quite sociable OF evenings with her talk, and 30
don't feel ike as was the only living being
about the ranch And jim here" said Miggles,
with her old laugh again, and coming ont quite
INTO the freight, a." Jim-why, boys, you would
admire to see Low much he knows, for a man
ike him. Sometimes bring him flowers, and
he looks at 'em just as natural as if he knew
en-; and times, when we re sitting alone,
read him those things on the wall. "Why,
Lord" said Miggles, with her frank laugh,
" We read him that whole side of the house
this winter. There never was such man for
reading as jim"
why" asked the Judge, edo you not marry
this man TO whom you have devoted your youth
full liie?''
Gwen, you see" said Miggles," cit would be
playing it rather low down on Jim, to take adj
vantage of his being 50 helpless And then, too,
y we were man and wife, now, we'd both know
that was bound to do what do now OF my own
accord"
"But yeu are young Jet and attractive"
ITS getting late" said Miggles, gTavely
and you'd better all turn in. Goodnight,
boys; and, throwing the blanket over her head.
Miggles laid herself down beside Jim's chair,
her head pillowed on the low stool that held his
feet, and spoke no more. The fire slowly faded
silence; and presently there was no sound in the
long room but the pattering of the rain upon the
root, and the heavy breathing of the sleepers
,r mMas h dJ morning when 1 awoke from
stars were shining, and through the shutterlesy
window the full moon, lifting itself over the SOL
touched the lonely figure i'm the chair with an in
fnlte compassion, and seemed to baptize with a
shining food the lowly head of the woman whose
hAr a. In the sweet old story, bathed the feet of
MN she loved 1t even lent a kindly poetry to
the rugged outline Of Yuba Bill, half reclining
on ms elbow between them and his passengers,
with saVagely patient eyes keeping watch and
ward And then fell asleep and only woke at
broad day, with Yuba Bill standing over me,
and :. All aboard" ringing in my ears.
Cofee was waiting for Us ON the table, but
house and fingered long after the horses were
harnessed, but she did not return. 1t was evil
dent that she wished to avoid q formal leave
taking, and had so left US to depart as we had
come. After We had helped the ladies into the
coach, we returned to the house and solemnly
shook hands with theparalytic Jim, as solemnly
settling him back into position after each hand
shake. Then we looked for the last time around
the long low room, at the stool where Mi9gles
had sat, and slowly took our seats in the waiting
coach. The whip cracked, and We were off!
But as we reached the hgh-road, Bills dexter
GUS hand laid the six horses back on their
launches, and the stage stopped with a Jerk
For there, on little eminence beside the road
stood Miggles, her hair flying, her eyes spark
ling. her white handkerchief waving, and her
whites teeth flashing Al last goodbye" We
waved our hats in return. And then Yuba Bill,
As il fearful of further fascination, madly dashed
his horses forward, and we sank back in our
seats. We exchanged not word until we
reached the North Fork, and the stage drew up
ct the Independence House. Then, the Judge
leading, we walked into the bar-room and took
our places gTayely at the bar.
Are your glasses charged, gentlemen?u said
the Judge, solemnly taking off his white hat
They were.
"Well, then, here's to Aiagles, COP BLESS
Herr"
Perhaps He had. Who knows?