, 1872-12-29
"1Irs. Skaggs' Husbands"

CUTS IL lue UOlet QaE-Tuoul I1pIEStuLE4 u EiEu-
ulous humanity as the usual rate OF speed OF |
that conveyance. At such times the habituEl ex-
preston Of disdainful reticence and lazy official
severity which he wore on the box became in
tensided as the loungers gathered about the Te-
licle, and only the boldest ventured to address
him. It Was the Hon. Judge Baeswinger, member
Of Assembly, who to-day presumed. perhaps
rashly, on the strength Of his official position.
" Any polit1csl news from below, Bill?" he
asked. as tho latter slowly descended from his
lofty perch, without, however, any perceptlble
coming down OF mien or manner.
"Not much," said Bill. with deliberate gravity.
1.-THE President O. the United States hezn't bin
hisself sens you refused that seat in tho Cab
met. The ginral feelin' in perlitical circles IS
one o regret"
Irony, even of this outrageous quality, was
too common in Angels to excite either smile
or a frown. Bill slowly entered the bar-room
during dry, dead silence, in which only faint
spirit OF emulation survived.
this trip?" asked the bar-keeper slowly, by way
of vague contribution to the prevailing tone Of
conversation.
mo-" Responded Bill, with thoughtful exacti-
tude. lie said he couldn't look inter that
claim q Johnsou'a without first constdtln' the
Bank O England"
The Mr. johnson here alluded to being pres
ent as the faded reyeler the bar-keeper had
lately put out, and as the alleged claim notori-
ously possessed no attractions whatever to capi-
talists, expectation naturally looked to him for
eome response to this evident challenge. He
did 30 By simply stating that he would "take
sugar" in his, and by walking unsteadilY toward
tho bar, IS If accepting festive invita-, q =.
he did not attempt to correct the mistake, but
grayely touched glasses with him, and after say
ing "Here's another nail IN your cofhn,"-a
cheerful sentiment, to which " And the hair all
others,-he threw of his liquor with single
de1terous movement OF head and elbow, and
stood refreshed.
"Hello, old major!" said Bill, suddenly set-
ting down his glass. Are you there?"
sus IL 3 e5 s spb T ~ss adressed S S
retreated sideways to the doorway, where he
stood beating his hat against the door-post, with
an assumption Of indifference that his downcast
but mirthful, dark eyes, and reddening cheek
size, perhaps it WIS to 4 certain chorubic outline
Of face and figure, perhaps to 8 peculiar trust
fulness Of expression, that he did not look half
bis age, which WAS really IA.
Everybody in Angels knew the boy: Either
under the venerable title bestowed by Bill, OF as
"Tom IHlinSton," after his adopted father, his
WAS familiar presence in the settle.
mont, and the theme OF muth local
criticism and comment. His waywardness,
Incidence, and unaccountab1e amiabilitT--
a quality at once suspicious and gratui-
tous in pioneer community ike Angers-bad
often been the subject Of fierce discussion A
large and reputable majority believed him des-
tined for the gallows q minority not quite SO
themselves much about his future to one or
two the evil predictions Of the majority possessed
neither novelty nor terror.
''Anything for me, Bill? p asked the boy, half
mechanically with the air Of repeating sqme joe
"Anythin' for you n echoed Bill, with nh over
1Ssa severity ssyb S' 1E %s Ss''ssS9d Hs Spa
my opinion there won't be anythin' tor you ez
long ez you hang around bar-rooms, and spend
Git 5Ht! !" >l''<''' ''''' "'''' ''''01' ~
The reproof WAS accompanied by 4 suitable
e1aggeration OF gesture (Bill lad seized q do
canter) before which the bog retreated. still
"Dern my skin, if he hezn't gone off with that
hummer johnson, " he added, as he looked down
the road.
"What's he expectin', Biu7" asked the bar.
* letter from his aunt Reckon he'll hev te
take it out in e1pect;a. Likely they are glad t<
| get shut O. him."
| "He's leadin' shiftless, idle life here" in.
terposed the member OF Assembly.
| ''Wel1," said Bill, who mover allowed any ONT
| but himself to abuse his protege, "seein' ht
amt expectin' no offs from the hands OF an en-
sbhiftioss lfc.' After delivering thi
Parthian arrov with q gratuitous twang
|
fonsive personality, Bill winked at the bar
keeper, slowly resumed a pair Of immense
! bu1gy bucGskin gloves. which gnve his finger
! the appearance Of being painfully sore an
| bandaSod, strobe to the door without looking a
| anybody, called out, All aboard" with per
| functorv air of supreme Indifference whether til
invitation WAS needed, remounted his boz, ant
| drove stodly away.
[Tom is tho youthful horo Of tho story. an
does not die or come to any bad end. i'll spite Q
til of int
| and the still moro questionable conduct now t.
be described. No sooner does the stage 60 Of
than ''Johneon, " whose real name turns out to b
Jack Adams, the first Of Mrs. Skaggs' husbands
! begins to 20 off too, into inciplent dclirin,
trenens Whereupon Tom, as below described
at once becomes the in1promptu surerir
tendept.]
| CALIFORNIA INEBR1ATE ASYLUM.
By this timo Tom, half supporting the unsts
ble johnson, who developed tendency to .occa
siona1y dnsh across the glaring road, but check
ed himself midway each ting, reached tho corrt
which adjoined the Mansion House. At its ia,
Their extremity WAS pump and horse-trougll
Here, without word being spoken, but evident
II in obedience to some habitual custom. Tor
led his companion. With the boys assistance
johnson removed his coat and ncck-cloth, turne
back the collar OF his shirt, and gravely place
his head beneath the pump-spout. With equs
gravity and deliberation, Tom took his place
the handle. For few moments only the splash
ing of water and regular strokes OF the pun
broke the solemn1y 1udicrous silence The
there was i pause in which johnson put hi
hands to his dripping head. felt Of it critically
il it belonged to somebody else. and raised b
it." said Tom, in answer to the look. "Ef
don't" replied johnson, doggedly, with an Il
Of relieving himself Of all further responsibi1it
in the matter, "it's got to, thet's all"
Il sit " referred to some chan ye in the phys
ognomy ot johnson, sit" had probably bee
fetched By the process just indicated. Tt
head that went under the pump WAS large, an
clothed with bushy, uncertain-colored hair; t
face WAS flushed. puffy, and e1p1esaionless, ii
eyes injected and full. The head that came OF
from under the pump was Of smaller size an
different shape, the hair straight, dark, an
sleek, the face pale and hollow-cheeked, tho eyt
bright and restless. In the hagsardt norvou
ascetic that rose from the horse-trough thc1
WAS very little trace Of tho Bacchus that ha
bowed there / moment before. Familiar as To-
must have boen with the spectacle, he could nj
help looking inquiringly at the trough, as if 9;
pecting to see some traces of the preTlot
johnson in it's ehal1ow depths.
l. narrow strip OF willow alder, and buckley
"a nero dusty ravelled fringe Of the green maj
l 1: r. L.. 49,