The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-09-05

take of my clothes, but softly plac-
ing q chair before tho door of the
gentleman of Reno, ] slipped into
my own room, locked the door, and
lay quakiug through the night, wait
ing for the signal when the violence
would begin.
Confused dreams of n great many
gentlemen from Reno carrying of
my children and best china in small
lnstallments maio my night long
and troubled. l started up ut every
sound, rigid with terror rs | Iancied
| heard my lodger fall over the char
which | had placed to trap him, or
| was sure that | heard the cracking
of fire ON the stairs, or the low whis-
tie of a confederate under the win
dows. But no sound smoto on the
car but the melancholy y boom of the
fog.bell ut Fort Point, the occas; s;onaI
barking of the dogs i'll the Western
Addition, and the ostcntorious breath
ing Of the gentloman from Reno.
Daylight came and brought with
it a sense of security if not of rest.
[ had passed a miserable night, but
somewhat to my establishment found
myself alive and unharmed and the
house as peaceful and serene as usu-
al. When | heard my visitor stir
ring in his room, | went and took
away the chair from his door, feeling
u little ashamed of the fears that
looked so very ridiculous by day
light. We had an early breakfast,
ut which the gentleman from Reno,
who was now as much of puzzle as
II terror to mo, announced that he
would 80 to meet my husband ut the
boat.
AS ho won't out he stopped and
kissed little Minnie, saying, "Say
what You will we haven't got no such
nice little gals us this over to Reno.
Crockcr- he's the boss contractor Of
that town-hc's offered Il prize Of II
town lot for the first baby that $ born
on the place, and you Jest better be-
Iievo tho women arc all looking after
that lot, and they do say that some
women are coming from Cisco, and
those in town are mad to think k-but
| guess I'll tell Hank about that, he
added, with II quoor little laugh and
50 he went of over the gandhllls,
and with u great guIp of satisfaction
| actually saw the last Of the gentle
man from Reno.
Harry came driving up to the gate
about noon, just ~ that wrotchcd
wind began to blow aGnin; and as
soon as | could get him inside the
door, said rcproachlulIy " On,
Harry, / hayc had such u time !"
Have you, my dear? Why, you
look as if you had seen IL ghost.
There, there, now, don t set the deck
pumps going, but tell mo all about
it."
Harry used to be in tho navy, and
had that Injurious manner OF twit-
ting me about deck pumps that |
never dure let tho water como into
my eyes when be was about, SO |
swallowed my grief, under which !
was weakly inclined to give way, and
told him the whole story from the
beginning to end, infinitely descrlb-
ing the mysterious visitor. Having
listened attentiyoly, his big eyes
growing bigger and dancing with
ian as | went ON, finally he bursts
out with, Why, that's Bob Patchcn
from Reno He's one of my old
cronics that | used to know up in
Brandy Canon in 80.
In vain | told him of the way he
came into the house; how ho shook
the building with his tread and what
dreadful stories he told about Me
and Hank in those wild days Of old.
Hc protested that Bob Patchcn was
ono Of the best fellows in the worli,
and he was sorry that ho had missed
him at the Oakland boat. In fact,
he said, | believe that the gentleman
from Reno was 81 gentleman, every
inch of him-rough, to be sure, and
rs uncouth us any man gets to be
knocking about tho world and de
privcd of the society of women; but
nevertheless, Il tender hearted, whole
souled, fellow, who would not need
lessly harm fly, but who could drop
his man ct hundred yards, just rs
easy"
Well, / had to give in, of course.
and was well lau 3hed at for my fool
ish fears, and that cruel husband Of
mine roared until | thought ho and
tho wind together would raise the
roof rs | told him of my furtivo pre-
parations to carry his silver goblet
and my Bismarck silk out at the
back door.
He drove off down town to hunt
up "bonest Bob Patchen," who went
back to Reno that very night, and |
never saw him agair. But as Harry
came into the house at supper time
he handed me square pasteboard
box, in which / found one of the
most delicate boquets | ever laid
eyes on. None but refined taste
could have selected it; ard in the
bottom of the box was u card, on
which was written, crookedly and
slantwse:
Mn. ROBERT PATCHEN,
Reno, Nevada.