The Republican journal., 1872-05-23

ana WOmanly delberatIOn. The county
seat reached they made various pur
chases, dined, and were about starting fol
home.
obadiah ?"
"Well, Jane"
"Have you got everything ?" asked
Jane.
"Everything can think Of" said he
''Thnk again, OBADIAH little
timidity.
81 can't think unless its a cooking
stove"
No, Obadiah; it's the license
''License2"
''Ies, the marriage license"
With more alacrity than he usually ex-
hibited, he dismounted, and procured that
necessary document 1t was late in the
afternoon when they finally started
Everything had gone we'll They were
in delicious dalliance with the last hall
of a happy day, and on the return of a
memorable trip. At the moment when
Obadiah exhibited his lack of dispatch in
business as to the license-when Jane was
forced to stand forth in the unnatural light
OF an impatient fiancee-through her soul
there crept the shadow Of a doubt as to the
eternal fitness of things. Later, the doubt
took the awful proportions of dead
certainty. Obadiah announced, Just at
dark, that in his opinion they had taken
the wronG trail, and were lost but that
likely, they would soon strike the right
one. He was the first man to whom Jane
had ever pinned her faith, and she deter.
mined to enjoy to its fullest extent the
womanly luxury of being rescued from
the dangers of this night by him.
She gave herself up to his guidance,
and with a saint like resignation, descend
ed to the valleys and mounted to the hill
tops. lime went on--the trail was not
found. Jane whose patience was now
perceptibly on the wan, discovered new
dlstresses at every step.
son, Obadiah! | hear robbers talk
ing."
"Do you?' said the complacent Oba-
dah.
''Oh, Obadiah | see their eyes flashing
in the dark y
"Where ?'' asked that stole.
ooh, Obadiah the bears and lions are
after US; | hear them growing and roar
ing"
"Well, Jane, what of it They always
growl and roar when they are hungry.
We must do the best we can" said Oba-
dah.
From that moment, Jane despised him
Had he brstled up to her side, in pro-
tecting cavalier fashion, and said, Jane,
there isn't a bear within ten thousand
miles of us, and there is no such thing as
a robber anywhere; and I'll protect YOU
against thunder and lightning with my
last drop of blood "-the rigors of the
| ,rpJ,JI hny L.
the morning mist, and Obadiah would have
lived and died q respected husband and
father. To the last, he preserved the
''even tenor of his way though devi-
GUS one. His tranquility, transcendent
and lofty, came not within the circle of
earth's dampening influence. Jane, in
dlgnant and out Of all patience, at last
said
Good Lord Obadiah, why dom. you
let the mules follow their noses?"
| Being open to any suggestion, he let
the mules follow their noses; and straig
| home they went, where they arrived in
the morning, ust AS the little jew who
kept the dry goods, was taking down hi S
shutters. Two days atterward, Jane was
heard to say. in the dinng-room of the
Larue Hotel:
''No; can't-I won't marry man
who knows less than mule y
This little affair did not abate Obadiah's
| ardor in pursuit of Il wife, but simply puz-
zled him for a day or two. He had a
wandering, uncertain way with him when
off the scent; but quickly anchored his
affections upon another, who looked to
him no less fair. no less desirable.
Kate Simmons was fair to look upon
| and an excellent girl, but of deeply plous
turn of mind which to Obadiah was some
thing Of an objection; for, good as he was,
he had never been to church in California
indeed, he had scarcely any opportunity
to go, since churches were few and minis
| terlal visits far between in small mining
camps. However. he overcome all
| scruples, and reasoned, as many a man
| before him, that piety, after all, is an es-
sential thing in woman; it enables her to
bear with much, and be silent to the end
And here he hit on a happy thought. If, "
said he, "there is any lack in me-any
real cause for so many refusals-may be
she with her Christian forbearance, will
overlook it." His first overture took the
| form OF useful present; and as he an
ticipated so it came to pass, that Katie
did not forget her profession of Christianity
but accepted his gift-the precursor of
many solid attentions, which, agreeable
us they proved, lacked that airy grace,
that delicate aroma, dearly priced bv the
sex. In the town hall, at this time, were
| held religious meetings, to which he es-
corted Katie, not only to please her, but
his own soul had become to him an object
I of some interest. The mild accents of
Katie's voice urging him to repentance
and reform, had not been without influ-
ence At first he found it difficult to get
in the way of kneeling, rising, and setting
in their proper times; but, with Katie at
his side to prompt he got on tolerably
well. At last the text was announced,
and the minister began his discourse in
that sing-song tone peculiar to those of
| the Methodist persuasion. Obadiah, real
izing his respectable position Gin church, J
occupying a front seat, by the side of Katie,
fell into train of thought on his own ac-
count-nothing very positive, but a sort
of dreamy speculation in regard to his
future. No one knows how long he would
have gone on thus had not the minister,
who had warmed up to his work, exclaim
ed, in stentorian voice, Come, sinner
come to Jesus" This earnest cry pierced
to the soul OF Obadiah he jumped to his
feet. awakened as it were, from deep sleep,
| The minister paused; the congre CATION
looked at him then through his lethargio
mind, there shot CLEAN of inspiration.
He seized his Peruvian hat, and awkward
| ly but resolutely passed it for contribu-
tions. Every one laughed and gave freely
of his substance. The minister waited
till he had placed the hat on the platform,
when he resumed his sermon under what
might be called trying circumstances
And it is yet unknown whether generous
contribution was given for the Lord, or
as Il fair compensation for amusement af-
torded by His servant Obadiah.
Katie had a disturbed manner when
Obadiah returned to his seat She tancied
she would share in the ridicule, and she
already felt the staring eyes of the people !;
and although his immortal soul was
precious in her sight, the ill behavior Of
its temple--the body-had abated her en-
thusiasm for its salvation, and created
within her the desire to shift the RESPONSE
bility upon the shoulders of some other
woman, more capable, more worthy, who