The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-03-15

B Dema weather, amt ~ he added
now fully embarked on the current {
prevailing sentiment. "Mighty roug
papers on the boys, and no show 10
money this season. And tomorrow
Christmas"
There was q movement among tn
men at this announcement, but whethe
of satisfaction or disgust was not plain
"Yes," continued the Old Man in tn
lugubrious tone he had, within the las
few moments, unconsciously adopted
Eyes, Christmas, and to.night's Christ
mas eve. Ye see, boys, kinder though
that is, sorter had an idee, jes
passin' like, you know-that may b
ye'd all like to come over to my house
! tonight and have sort Of tear round
But suppose, now, you wouldn't
Don't feel like it, may be? he added
with anxious sympathy, peering into the
faces of his componions.
swell, | don't know responded
Tom Flynn with some cheerfulness
"P'r'aps we may. But how about your
wife, Old Man? What does she say to
it?"
The Old Man hesitated. His conjural
experience had not been a happy one,
and the fact was known to Simpsons
Bar. His first wife, a delicate, pretty
little woman, had suffered keenly and
secretly from the jealous suspicious of
her husband, until one day he invited
| the whole Bar to his house to expose
her infidelity. On arriving, the party
found the shy, petite creature quietly
engaged in the household duties, and
| retired abashed and discom6tted. But
the sensitive woman did not easily re-
cover from the shock Of this extraor.
binary outrage. 1t was with difficulty
she regained her equanimity sufficiently
to release her lover from the closet in
which he was concealed and escape
with him. She left boy of three years
to comfort her bereaved husband. The
Old Mans present wife had been his
cook. She was large, loyal and aggres.
sive
Before he could reply, Joe Dimmick
suggested with great directness that it
was the "Old Mans house." and thai,
invoking the Divine Power, if the case
were his own, he would invite who he
pleased, even if in so doing he imperiled
his salvation. The powers of evil, he
further remarked, should contend against
him vainly. All this delivered with
terseness and vigor lost in this neces-
sary translation.
SIN cour'e. Certainly. That's it."
said the Old Man with a sympathetic |
frown. "Thar's trouble about that. !
It's my own house, built every stick on
it myself. Don't you be afraid o her,
boys. She may cut up a trihe rough
ez wimmen du-but she'll come round"
Secretly the Old Man trusted to the
of liquor and the power of
courageous example to sustain him in
'uch an emergency.
As yet, Dick Bullen, the oracle and
eader of Simps on's Bar, had not spoken.
He now took his pipe from his lips.
'Old Man, how's that yer Johnny get
i'm on? Seems to me he didn't look so
oeart last time l seed him on the bluff
,savin' rocks at Cinnamon. Didn't
eem to take so much interest in it.
Thar was gang of 'em by var yester-
lay drowned out up the overland l
finder thought o Johnny, and how
led miss 'em! May be now, we'd be
n the way eff he was sick?''
The father, evidently touched not
My by this pathetic picture of Johnny's
but by the considerate
lelicacy of the speaker, fastened to
ssure him that Johnny was better and
hat a little fun might liven him up"
N hereupon Dick arose, shook himself,
nd saying, I'm ready. Lead the way,
I'D Man; here goes" himself led the
ray with leap, characteristic howl,
nd darted out into the night. As he
'assed through the outer room he
aught up blazing brand from the
earth. The action was repeated by the !.
est OF the party, closely following and !
blowing each other, and before the
stonished proprietor of Thompson's :
rocery was aware of the intention of ..
lis guests, the room was deserted.
The night was pitchy dark. In the
rst gust of wind their temporary
orches were extinguished, and only the
ed brands dancing and fitting in the
loom like drunken will-o' the. wisps in
icated their whereabouts. Their wav !.
I'd up Pine Tree canon, at the head Of +.
hich broad, low, bark.thatched cabin
urrowed in the mountain side. 1t was !,
ne home of the Old Man, and the en-.
'ance to the tunnel in which ne worked
hen he workeda at all. Here the crowd >;
aused for moment, out Of delicate =
eference to their host, who came up ).
anting in the rear.
"P'r'aps yed better hold on a second
1T yer, whilst l 60 in and see that a,
lings is all right" said the Old Man. r.
it'll an indifference he was far from ~
cling. The suggestion was graciously "
'cepted, the door opened and closed q,
! the host. and the crowd. leaning their 7,
lcks against the wall and covering y
,der the caves, waited and listened. 6,
For few moments there was no sound IN
It the dripping of water from the q
YES. and the Stir nd r.sAla &C 1880