Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-11-11
NO. 26s.

recruitment lcllOW-eAlleS, lne LONELINESS Ue-
gotten of his parish trade, his habits of life,
his very vices, for the first time seriously
oppressed him. He bestirred himself in
busting his back clothes, washing his face
and hands, and other acts characteristic Of
his studiously neat habits, and for mo-
ment forgot his annoyance. The thought
OF deserving his weaker and more pitiable
companions never perhaps occurred to
him. Yet he could not help feeling the
want of that excitement which, singularly
enough, was most conducive to that calm
equanimity for which he was notorious.
He looked at the gloomy walls that rose
thousand feet sheer above the circling
pines around him; at the sky, ominously
cloudcd at the valley below, already
deepening into shadow. And, doing so,
suddenly he heard his own name called.
A horseman slowly assembled the trail.
In the fresh, open face of the new conner
Mr.. Oakhurst recognized Tom Stimson,
otherwise known as The Innocent, of
Sandy Bar. He had met him some months
before over "a little game,n and had,
with perfect equaaimity, won the entire
fortune-amounting to some forty dollars
of that guileless youth. After the game
was finished, Mr.. Oakhurst drew the
youthful speculator behind the door and
thus addressed him: Tommy, you're
good little man, but you can't gamble
worth cent. Don't try it over again"
He then handed him his money back,
pushed him gently from the room, and so
made devoted slave of Tom Stimson.
There was remembrance of this-in his
boyish and enthusiastic greeting of Mr.
Oakhurst. He had started, he said, to go
to Poker Flat, to seek his fortune. Alone?
No, not exactly alone in fact Ga giggle),
he had run away with Piney Woods.
Didn't Mr.. Oakhurst remember Piney?
She that used to wait on the table at the
Temperance House? They had been en-
gagged a long time, but old Jake Woods
had objected, and so they had run away,
and they were going to Poker Flat, to be
married, and here they were. And they
were tired out, and how lucky it was they
had found a place to camp and company
All this the Innocent delivered rapidly,
while Piney, stout, comely damsel of IF
teen, emerged from behind the pine tree,
where she had been blushing unseen. and
rode to the side of her lover
| Mr.. Oakhurst seldom troubled himself
with sentiment, still less with propriety:
but he had a vague idea that the situation
was not fortunate. He retained, however,
his presence of mind sufficiently to kick
Uncle Billy, who was about to say some-
thing, and Uncle Billy was sober enough
to recognize in Mr. Oakhurst's kick a SUI
perior power that would not bear trifiing.
He then endeavored to dissuade Tom
Stimson from delaying further, but in
vain. He even pointed out the fact that
there was no provision, no means of max
ing a camp. But, unluckily, the Innocent
met this objection by assuring the party
that he was provided with an extra mule
loaded with provisions, and by the discov-
cry of a rude attempt at log house near
the trail. "Pney can stay with Mrs.
Oakhurst," said the Innocent. pointing to
the Duchess, land can shift for myself"
Nothing but Mr. Oakhurst's admonish-
ing foot saved Uncle Billy from bursting
into roar of laughter As it was, he
felt compelled to retire up the canon un-
til he could recover his gravity. There he
contided the joke to the tall pine trees,
with many a slap of his legs, contortions
of his face, and the usual profanity. But
when he returned to the party, he found
them seated by fire-for the air had
grown strangely chill, and the sky over
cast-in apparently amicable conversa-
ton. Piney was actually talking in an
impulsive, grlish fashion to the Duchess,
who was listening with an interest and
animation she had not shown for many
days. The Innocent was holding forth,
apparently with equal effect, to Mr.. Oak
hurst and Mother Shipton. who was actu-
ally relaxing into amiability. is this
yer id picnic ?' said Uncle Billy. with
inward scorn, as he surveyed the sylvan
group, the gancing freight, and the teth-
cred animals in the foreground. Sudden
ly an idea mingled with the alcoholic
fumes that disturbed his brain. 1t was
apparently of a jocular nature. for he felt
impelled to slap his leg again, and cram
his fist into his mouth.
| AS the shadows crept slowly up the
mountain, n slight breeze rocked the top
of the pine trees, and moaned through
their long ard gloomy aisles. The ruined
cabin, patched and covered with pine
boughs, was set apart for the ladies. As
the lovers parted, they unatfectedly eX-
changed kiss, SO honest and sincere that
it might have been heard above the sway
ing pines. The frail Duchess and the ma
levolent Mother Shipton We're probably
too stunned to remark upon this last cyl
dence of simplicity, and so turned without
a word to the hut The fire was replen-
ished, the men lay down before the door,
and in few minutes were asleep.
Mr.. Oakhurst was light sleeper. Tow
ard morning he awoke benumbed and
cold, As he stirred the dying fire, the
wind Which was now blowing strongly,
brought to his cheek that which caused the
blood to leave it,-snow.
He started to his feet with the intention
of awakening the sleepers, for there was
Inc 70 R,,t t,,t., 30
Uncle Billy had been lying, he found him
gone. A suspicion leaped to his brain
and curse to his lips. He ran to the
spot where the mules had been tethered !;
they were no longer there. The tracks
were already rapidly disappearing in the
snow.
The momentary excitement brought Mr..
Oakhurst back to the fire with his usual
calm. He did not waken the sleepers.
The Innocent slumbered peacefully, with
| a Snliia on his Oon1 -humorp1 frack le face