The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-09-10

nOrseman suggested alOernaCely - rOdu
agent" or one of James heroes. Grand
views presented themselves of wooded
cliffs and wild ravines. Tall pine trees
threw lengthening shadows across the open
space on the mountain sides. And so the
afternoon wore away; and, when the sun
was sitting the passengers alighted for
their supper at Lucky Dog-a mining
camp pretty well up the Sierras.
"We both stop here" said Sam as he
helped the lady down from her high po-
sition; letting her know by this remark
that her destination was known to him.
"I'm rather glad of that" she answered
frankly, with a smile, and considering all
that had transpired on the long drive, Sam
was certainly pardonable if he felt almost
sure that her reasons for being glad was
the same as his own.
Lucky Dog was one of those shambling,
new camps, where one street serves for
string on which two or three dozen i'll as
sorted tenements are strung, every fifth
one intended for the relief of the universal
American thirst, though the liquids dis
pensed at these benefcent institutions were
absorbed rather to provoke than to abate
the dryness of their patrons. Eating
houses were even more frequent than those
which dispensed moisture to parched
throats; so that, taking cusrory view of
the windows fronting on the street the i'm
preston was inevitably conveyed of an ex-
pected rush of famished armies, whose
wants this charitable community were only
too willing to supply, for sufficient con-
sideration. The houses that were not eat
ing or drinking houses were hotels, if we
except occasional grocery and general mer-
chandise establishments. Into what out
of-the-way corners the inhabitants were
slowed it was impossible to conjecture,
until it was discovered that the men lived
at the place already inventoried, and the
women abode not at all in Lucky Dog-or
if there were any, not more than half a
dozen of them and they lived in unaccus-
toned places.
The advent of Mrs. Page at the Silver
Brick Hotel naturally made sensation.
An assemblage of not less than fifty gentle
men of leisure crowded about the en-
trance, each more intent than the other on
getting look at the arrivals, and espec-
tally at this one arrival-whose age, looks,
name, business, and intentions in coming
to Lucky-Dog were discussed with great
freedom. Sam Rice was closely questioned
but proved reticent and non-committal.
The landlord was beseiged with inquiries
the landlady, too--and all without any
body being made much the wiser. There
was the waybill, and there was the lady
herself; put that and that together, and
make what you can.ofit.
Mrs. Dolly Page did not seem discom-
posed in the least by the evident interest
she inspired. With her black curls smooth
ly brushed, her black robes immediately
neat, with pretty color in her round
cheeks, and quietly absorbed expression
in her whole bearing, she endured the con-
centrated gaze of fifty pairs Of eyes during
the whole dinner, without SO much as one
awkward movement, or the droppin g of a
fork Or teaspoon. SO it was plain that the
curious would be compelled to await Mrs.
Pages own time for developments.
But developments did not seem likely to
come overwhelmingly. Mrs. Page made a
fast friend of the landlady of the Silver
Brick by means Of little household arts pc
culiarly her own, and, before fortnight
was gone, had become as invaluable to all
the boarders as she was to Mrs. Shaugh-
messy herself. If she had a history, she
kept 1t carefully from curious ears. Mrs.
Shaughnessy was evidently satisfied and
quite challenged criticism of her fayorite.
Indeed there was nothing TO criticise. 1t
was generally understood that she was
widow, who had to get on in the world as
best she could, and thus the public sympa-
thy was secured, and an embargo laid upon
gossip. To be sure, there were certain men
in Lucky-Dog, of a class which has it's rep
resentatives everywhere, who regarded all
uDappropriated women, especially pretty
ones, very much AZ the hunter regards
game and the more difficult the approach
the more exciting the chase. But these
moral Nimrods had not half the chance
with self-possessed Mrs. Dolly Page that
they would have had with different style
of women. The grosser sort got sudden
dismissal; with the more refined sports
man she coquetted just enough to show
them that two could play at ia game of
snake believe" and then sent them off
! with lofty scorn edifying to behold---to