The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-11-07

they were passing over ana cOntriYed
TO get them TO ask a question OF
two about herself. When they learned
she had come all the way from New
, York on the newly-opened railroad,
e their interest was al its height; aud
when they learned she was going to Join
: her husband in the Chloride District,
their sympathy was thoroughly en-
listed.
"Wonderful-sucha a journey! How
she could be six days on the cars, and
yet be able TO take such stage-ride as
this, is astonishing"
Such were the Americans comments.
The Jew thought of the waiting hus-
band-for your Israelite is a man of do
nestle and family affections. "Her
husband looking for her and she behind
time! How troubled lie must BET
Didn't he know how it was? Wasn't
his wife of on a visit once, and didn't
write; and he running to the express
office every morning and evening for a
letter, and getting so anxious as to tele-
graph? Such an expense and loss of
time!-and all because he felt so uneasy
about his wifen'
The bullet-headed young Irishman
said nothing. He was about half asleep
from brandy and last nights travel; too
stupid to know that his hat had flown
out at the window, and was bowling
along in the wind and dust half a mile
behind-all the better for his head, which
looked at a red heat now.
The lady had lifted the rude men I'D
to her level, when directly they were
ashamed of their brandy and other
vices, and began to show instructive
traits of gentlemen. BY the time they
arrived at the dinner station, where half
an hour was allowed for food and rest
out of the eighteen or twenty, she had
at least two humble servitors, who
showed great concern for her comfort
The day began to wane. They had
travelled continuously over a long
stretch of plain between two mountain
ranges, over n country entirely unin-
habited except by the Stage Company's
employees, who kept the stations and
tended the stock. This lone woman had
seen but one other woman on the road.
Plenty of teams-great ''prairie schoon-
ers," loaded with every conceivable
thing for supplying the wants of an is
olated non-producing community, and
drawn by ten or fourteen mules-had
been passed during the day.
As night fell, Mrs. Hastings saw
what she had never before seen or inn
agined-the camps of these teamsters by
the roadside; horses and mules staked or
tied to the wagons; the men lying prone
upon the earth, wrapped in blankets,
their dust-blackened faces turned up to
the frosty twinkling stars. Did people
really live in that way?-how many su-
perfiuous things were there in q cityl
The night was moonless and clear
and cold, as at that altitude they always
are. Sleep, from the roughness of the
road, was impossible. Her companions
dosed, and awoke with exclamations
when the heavy lWchings of the coach
disturbed them too roughly. Mrs. II.
never closed her eyes. When morning
dawned, they were on the top ofa range
of mountains, like those that had been
i'm sight all they day before. Down
these heights they ratified away, and at
four in the morning they entered the
streets of Chloride Hill-a city of board
and canvas houses. Arrived at the
stage Office, the lady looked penetrat-
ingly into the crowd of men always
waiting for the stages, but saw no face
she recognized. Yes, one-and that the
face of the gentleman who sat down op-
posite her at table in Elko.
Permit me-" he said; 81 think you
inquired for Mr.. Hastings?"
81 did; he is my husband. / expected
to find him here" feeling that sense of
injury and desire to cry that tired women
feel, when jostled about in a crowd Of
men.
Leaving her a moment 10 say some
thing TO an employee of the Office, the
stranger returned Immediately, saying
to the man: "Take this lady to Mrs.
Robb's boarding-house." Then 10 her:
"I will inquire for your husband, and
send him to you if he is in town. The
hack does not 20 over to Deep CaflOn for
several hours yet. Meanwhile you had
better take some rest. You must be
greatly fatigued." Fatigued. her head
swan round and round; and she really
was too much exhausted to feel as dis
appointed as she might at Jacks nom
appearance. Much relieved by the pros
pect of a place TO rest in, she followed
the man summoned to escort her, and
fifteen minutes after she was sound
asleep on a sofa of the boarding-house.
Three hours of sleep and partial bath
did much to restore tired natures equi-
ibrium; and although her head still
felt absurdly light, Mrs. Hastings en-
jOyed the really excellent breakfast pro-
vided for her, wondering how such
delicacies ever got to Chloride Hill.
Breakfast over, and no news of Jack,
the time began TO drag wearily. She
was more than half inclined to be an
/ gry--only Irelenting when she remem-
oered that she was two or three days be-
hind time, and of course Jack could not
know when to expect her. She had full
directions and If she could not find her
way to Deep Canon, she was 4 goose.
/ that was all.
I SO she sent for the driver of the b,cl,
told him to get her baggage from the
express Office, and started for Deem
/ CaflOn. Who should she find in the
hack but her friend of the morning,
81 could not hear OF your husband,ii
said he; "but you are sure 10 find him
at home.n
Mrs. Hastings smiled family, and
hoped she could. Then she gave her
thoughts to the peculiar scenery of the
country, and to the sharpness Of the de-
scent, rs they whirled rapidly down the
four miles of calon at the bottom of
which was the town of that name-an-
other one of those places which had
''come up as a flower'' i'm a morning.
She longed to ask about her husband
and his ''hOme;" but as there were sew
eral persons in the stage, she restrained
her anxiety, and said never q word until
the stage stopped at the door Of n saloon,
where all the passengers alighted. Then
she told the driver she wanted TO be
taken to Mr.. Hastings house.
He didn't know where that was, he
said, but would enquire.
Did he know DIR. Earle?
That's him, ma'am| pointing out
her friend Of the morning.
How can / serve you ?" he asked,
raising his hat politely.
Mrs Hastings blushed rosily, between
vexation at Jacks invisibiiity and con-