Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-05-10

s.,s,,, .,anausns - in body, shs was .
..sss-l Stfruution, and came seldom in
cprssct with the rough characters who fro.
cvcnted her fathers house. And she had
he mind of the family. Her opinion:
were the law of the house. and
she occupied her au,ocratic position with
ont embarrassment and ruled without
check. Old Sims was her nlan-servant,
and her mother was rly a privileged as
sociate and adviser. As for her huge sis
tiers, they continually rebefed and always
obeyed.
There is mysterious law of primogeni-
ture BY which children sometimes emoody
the characteristics of distant ancestors,
and, d scariing the nearer family traits
and circumstances, reproduce the vices,
virtues a ID tountenances which have been
mouldering for century. There must
have been some rare blood in the SIMS
family. for this last scion of race winch
had been subjected to all the influences OF
the frontier, Hardship and toll in the Al
leghanies, ague and laziness in the MIS-
souri, bottoms, and poverty alwavs,-was
totally unlike her family and her surround
ings. The sprawling feet, gaunt limbs,
great brown hands, coarse comp:exlons
and carroty hair OF her sisters and her
mother were things they had apart. No
BODY knew or ever asked how Chuck had
learned to read, or became possessed OF
certain well thumbed books and stray
newspapers. No one ever inquired into
the mystery of how her garments came to
fit her round waist with neatness which
was miracle to the uniuitiated, or why
the yellow coils lay so gracefully upon
her shapely head. Finally. the pervading
force which directed all things in and
around the ranch came to be almost I'M
questioned. A beauty with will is q
power; q beauty with brains and will is
the most complete of despots
The Sims family had been FIVE years in
this locality, and, mainly through the abil-
ity Of the youngest child, now mature
woman, aided by the circumstance of a
fortunate location, had acquired cattle,
money and responsibility. The money and
the responsibility were easily cared tor,
because Chuck carried them both upor
her person; but the herd which was gath
cred nightly into the corral was the lure
Of final destruction. The charmed circl,
Of safety which was drawn around the mil
itary post was an indefinite and uncertain
one, and the incursions of Apaches ar,
governed by no conventionality. Ate
long delay and frequent smaller thetts
came the FINAL swoop which took all.
Old Sims and Chuck started to 20 to tn
post. The presence of the latter was nee
essary to keep the former from gettin
drunk and falling into the hands OF mill
tary minions, to be incarcerated in tn
guard-house. In the perfect peacefulnes
and serenity of the early morning,
seemed impossible that danger and deaf
could lie in wait so near. As the old ma
dug his heels into the Aanks of his mul
and Chuck locked complacently back fror
her seat upon a pony only less willfu
than his rider, the two little dreamed ths
1t was the last time they were to sc
Sims Ranch" As they threaded the
way along the intricacies of the trail
Chuck of course in the lead, the old ma
labored diligently to bring out the capa,
tiles Of his mule wherever the path wa
wide enough to permit his riding besid
his daughter. In truth he had somethin
to say to her concerning those matters j
which girls are interested and about whic
they are always unwilling to talk.
A confidential conversation with h
daughter was one Of Sims's ungratifie
ambitions "a thing which in late years b
had often attempted and rs often failed i
accomplishing. She cared for him, Wa
kind and loving, but seemed to havo n
ideas in common with him; and do WIFI
he would, he could not keep pace with he
When two persons are thus together, thel
is frequently an unconscious idea of th
thoughts Of one in the mind of the othel
and the girl kept steadily ahead. But tn
subject was one which weighed upon tn
old mans mind; and desparing of neare
approach, he presently called out fror
behind -
'sChuck Pr
"Well, what is iii" came from the
depths Of the sun-bonnet in front.
II want ter know now, honest, wha
yer goin to do with them two fellers whicl
air one or t'other of 'em allus round GU
house lookin' fur you. 1t looks as though
Sairey, bein' the oldest, shud hev som,
kind OF chance she did afore 70,
growed up,-but recon. now, there's n,
use thinkin' Nv that till you're gone. Nov
as atween these fellers. I'd like to know
land plaintively-" pears to me lik
I've right to know, which Nv 'em YOUR
going to take. cudent be long a choosir
eft'was me. Wy, Tom Harris is big an
hansum, and rides jest forty miles ever
week fur to get sight NV We. kin tel
from that feller's looks that he'd swim tn
Arkansaw and fight anything fur ye."
The face in the sun-bonnet grew red a
pansy at the mention Of the name; bu
the old, man did not see that and he con
tinued -
But I'm mainly Uneasy on account O
their bein' two SIGH. When Tom an th,
slick-loekin' Teller from Maxwell's is her,
at the same time, they passes looks which
means everything that two SIGH fellers cal
do fur to win. don't like t'other Teller
neither does the old woman. He'd d
almost anything. in my opinion. an
you don't make choice atween 'em soon
them fellers II fight, and that's sartin."
The face, which had been rosy, grew
little pale as he talked. The old man ha
told his daughter nothing she did not al
ready know; but she was startled to thin