Middletown transcript., 1872-09-14

her. guess never. q day. while she liv-
cd With Us. but what she laughed about
her first meal there.
We partitioncd of bedroom for her in
the corner by putting up some blankets.
and all but the Judge" and betty"
went into tho storchouse to sleep
You'd think when we get there VIC
should bo likely to talk over the wonderful
event, but wc didn't; not a word was
spoken concerning il. But reckon there
wns considerable thinking done that night
by light we were oil up pacing in from,
Of the cabin. The teamstcr had given no.
ticc Of tho charge be had leit with us, and
the other boys were over there TO learn
how things were. There wasn't stroke
Of work done in camp that day. and not
much for week.
Then the Judge called Us together and
told US il wouldn't do; wc were getting
demoraliscd; that Miss Browning was un.
happy. because she felt she had interrupt
ed our arrangements, and that we must
come right down to steady york after
that. Well. VIC tried 10. but We never
could get back to old times There was
good deal Of rivalry among US, and some
cutting things were said. The Judge"
sent letters in all directions for Will, but
three weeks had passed without reply.
We had all in turn offered to accompany
Miss Browning to San francisco. but
she knew no one there; Will would be
sure to come before long. and would be
disappointed il she should leave: besides.
hadn', she eight Of the very bcs, brothers
in tic wcrld? She would stay a while
longer and she would help cook aud mend
for us, SO as to not burden us too much
She had few new books sic mud bought
for Will. and she would read to us even
| ings. We came Up an hour earlier than
usual, aud our table was always ready for
us, and il had many M extra touch none
but woman would think Of We were
silent set Of men through the day, but
each did his best when he 20. home S,o.
rcs were told, songs were sung. aud with
her reading we were all eu,ranccd She
always called Us by the name that was
first given her, and ever so many times
! She went through the introduction. acting
GU, all the parts. II seemed funnier to
her than i did 10 us. She talked to
"South Carolina about the beauties OF
the Southern sky. aud the flowers aud
trees, which eclipscd all n, the North. To
Nutmeg" she praised New England, and
she had some fayorite topic TO discuss with
each OF Us.
Of course VIC were all in love with her,
bu, none dared 10 boast of having received
any preference from the lady. We al
hnd proposed to her once. aud one of
as a dozen times She just made ligh, of
IL said we were crazy, and didn't know
what We were abont but she came to
know after while that we did.
There were open war All acted like
madmen, exccp. the Judge" he would
most plcasan, 10 US all. Yet he grew to
look real cnreworn, and every time he me,
any Of us alone he would say he hoped
Will would come soon lie talked to US
about keeping the peace. and would ap-
peal to our honor az men aud our love for
our old comrade. Kate herself had quite
little talk with each one ! don't know
how she managed il. but We we're more
likely to be accepted il We behaved our.
selves aud kept quiet; but twas no GO
We could not.
One evening she refused to sit down
with Us to the table, aud very little was
eaten she walked up and down the room
and said empha,cally. I'm going Of
don't know where; but must go away
this is unbcarablc. cannot meet one Of
you but what am importuncl to marry.
Don't you know gentlemen, cannot mar
ry you al. sEd il choose to show bit of
pleasure in the society of any one, the res,
are all angry. Now ask you wha,
shall do? Will dosen, comc, and | am
all alone. wish you would drop ali
nonsense aud behave yourselves Why
won't you!'
She looked from one 70 the ether, aud
finally she arkcd jack tue Wicked"
come, you own to being wicked. and you
have been an awful tease; won't you re-
form, aud then all the rest will?
"Aun, Betty said. III you care for
any Of US. make it known. and then the
rest shall behave. or-,herc will be row !"
That's just it--you vill fight anyway.
you are getting so savage In becoming
lovers, am afraid you have forgotten to
be gentlemen
Tia; vas stinger for u.s. but We
didn't feel i, then as We have since. All
promised not to say u word after her dcci-
sion was made known to us Each one
may have been little clatcd. thinking he
might be chosen.
She sat down and pu, her face on her
arm, but i, was only fer moment. Then
she said, II shall ask for two days to
think Of it. Next Sunday there will be
wedding here, and a supper afterwards,
which we will all help to prepare II any
one speaks to the on the subject, between
this time and that. his doom is sealed"
There was an oldish man over at the
next cabin, who seemed to have a kind Of
a fatherly caro- over Kate. And | might
as well say here that all Of the thirty who
were unmarried. had offered themselves