Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-04
BRET HARTE'S NEW STORY
MRS. SKAaGS, HUSBAND

The opening and longest storyin Bret Harte's
new volume, published by OsSood & co,
MRS. Skaggs' Husband" il new, and has been
written only lew weeks 1t opens in CalifOr-
drivers, at ANGELS" and closes at Newport,
among villas and bellies, and all the apparatus
OF American wealth. Being too Icing to quote
entire, We shall select portions OF it, in which
the striking traits OF its percentages appear;
connecting them with q brief SUI. mary OF the
emitted parts. IL opens at Angels with this
exhibition of our old friend "IUba BILL" the
stase-Gryer, who is the dies &c rccaina or spe.
eial providence OF the story.
ROOM CHBRuBrM.
IL was the custom OF the driver Of the Wing
dam coach to whip up his horses and enter An
gel's at that remarkable pace which the wood
cuts III the hotel bar room represented to cred
that conveyance. At such times the habitusi
expression OF dsdainful reticence ard lazy Off
cial ssverity which he wore or the box became
vehicle, and enIy the bolcest ventured to al
dress him. It was the Hon. Judge Bseswinger,
member Of Assembly, WHO to- day presumed,
position.
"Any political news from below, Bill?, he
inquired. as the latter slowly descended from
his lofty perch, without however, any percepti-
Die coming down OF mien or manner.
mot Duca," said Bill, with deliberate gravj-
~ 1.-The President o. the United States hezn't
bin hissef tens you Tefased that seat IN the Cab
met. HE Ginrai !eeiin' In perli,ical circles is
too common in Angels tc excite either smile
or frovn. Bill slowly entered the bar-roem
during Cry; dead silence, in which only faint
spirit OF emulation survived.
.'Ie didn't bring up that agint of Roth
sebild's t-iS trip?" assed the blr-keeper slowly,
by way o. vague contribution to the prevailing
mo" responded Bill, With thoughtful exact
iiude. "fie said he coEldn't look inter th at
Bank @ Engsnd-'
The M. Jeanson here alluded to being pres
en- e. the isded reyeleT the bar-keeper had but
lately put out, and as the alleged claim notori-
ously possessed no attracts rs whatever To cap
HAiists, expectation naturally looked to him for
some response 10 this evident CHI sllenge. He
did so by simply stating that he would s'take
sugar" la his, and by waking unste, tIiIy toyari
the bar, as If accepting festive inv itation. To
the cTedt of B:, be Il recorded, that he did not
attempt to correct the mistake, but graveIy
.euCsed glasses with him, and at er saving.
"HeTes another nail in YOUR coffin "a cheer
fui sentiment. TO which "And the hair all of
your bead" was playtuIly added byt he others
he threw OF his liquor with single dexterOls
fresbed-
Hello, old major ~ said BID, sud denly set
ting down his glass. Are YOU there. ,"
IL was a boy, who, becoming bashf ully con-
seiOrs that this erIthet was addressed 10 him,
retrested sideways TO the doorway, There he
an assumption Of indifference that his owncast
but mirthfUl dark eyes and reddenin cheek
scarcely bore out. Perhaps il was OWN to his
sizr; perhaps 10 was to a certain cherui NC out
line OF face and figure; perhaps TO a p eeuliar
trustfulness OF expression, that he did a Ut LOOK
hall his age. which was really Il.
Every body IN Angels knew the boy. Either
urder the venerable title bestowed by ,ill, or
a. Tom IsiiDgtoD, after his adopted fathe q, his
vas familiar presence in the settlement I, and
the theme OF much local criticism aud CON-
meEt. His wsywsTdness, Incidence, and tnac-
ccuntable amiability-s quality at once 7spi-
eiOGs and grstnitous in q pioneer ccmmu nifty
like Angei's-had often been the subjec OF
fierce discussion. A large and reputable / Ia
jority believed him destined for the gallows a
minority not quite 80 reputable enjoyed us
presence without troubling themselves mu "a
about his future; to onS or two the evil predi =
tiOns OF the majority possessed neither novel; v
"Anything for me, BilI?" asked the boy
hall mechanically, with the air OF repeating
some jecular formuiary perfectly understood by
Bill.
.'Apythin' for you - echoed Bill, with an
oyeracte1 severity equally well understood by
d9mmy1any1nn Tor YOU So ,6- And And Il id my
ez you hang around bar-TOsms, and spend
your yalooable time with loafers and bumners
The reproof was accompanied BY a suitable
exsggerati0n OF gesture BIZ had seized a de.
csnter) before which the boy .etreated, still
goOd-hu noreGly. Bill followed him TO the doer.
"Dern lay skin, Al lie hezn't gone OF with that
hummer. johnson" he added, ss he looked
DOWN the road.
what's he expeciin', BiIl?, asked the bar
keeper.
"A letter from his amt. Reckon he'll hev to
take IL out in expectin'. Likely they are glad 10
get shut o him
Hes Ies1iu' shiftIess, idle life here, inter-
Iosed the member or Assembly.
well, said Bill, who never allowed any one
but himself to abuse his protege, 'seein' lac
Amt eNpectip DO offs from the hands CT al en-
hshtensd constituency, il is rayther .shifiless
Hie-''
After delivering this Partaian arrow with a
gratuitous twanging OF tie bow to indiea its
offensive personality, Bin winked at TIE bar
keeper, slowly resumed pair OF immense, bull
gy buckskin gloves, which gave his fingers the
appearance OF being painfully sore aud rand
body. called out, Gan aboard" with a per-
functory air Of supreme indifference whether
the invitation was needed. reRognted his box,
AID drove s-oiidly away.
HON is the youthful hero OF the story, and
does not die or come 10 any bad end, in spite Of
the doubtini circumstances OF his introduct!or,
be described. No sooner does the stage 90 OF
than johnson" whose real name tEsns out to
be Jack Adams, the first OF Mrs. Skaggs' hus-
bands. begins to go of, too. into incipent delr-
lum uemens. Whereupon Tom, as below de-
scrised, at once becomes the inpromptc super
intendent.l
CALIFORNIA ISxBaIATx ASYLUM.
By this time Tom, half supporting the GnstI-
able johnson, who developed a tendency to ecea-
tionaly dash across the glaring road, but check
Cd himself midway each time, reached the corral
which adioined the III ansion House. At its far
ther extremity was q pump and horse trough.
Here, without 9 word being spoken, but evident
ly In obedience to some hAbitaal cEstom, Tom
led his companion. With the boys assistance,
.
his head beneath tie pump-spout With equal
gravity and elaboration, Tom took his place at
The handle. For lew moments only the
splashing Of water sld regular strokes OF the
pump broke the soismnly ludicrous silence.
Then there vas pause, in which johnson put
hls hands 10 his dripping head, felt OF il criti-
caliy, as II II belonged 20 somebody else, aud
raised his eyes te his companion.
THAT ought 70 fetch it," said Tom, in answer
- the look. SCI IL DON'T replied johnson,
dssgedly, with an ar OF relieving himself OF All
further responsibility in the matter, sits got to,
that's ALL"
III ait, referred to some change in the phys;-
oanomy Of johnson, "it' had probably been
fetched" by the process Just Indicated. The
head that went under the pump was large, and
clothed with bushy, IN certain coiore& hair; the
face wss flushed, puffy, and expressonless, the
ewes in ected and full. The head that came out
from under the pump WA OF smaller sue and
different shape, the hair straigh', dark: and
sssk, the face pale and hollow-ehseked, the
eyes bright and restless. In the haggard. ner-
yous ascetic that rose from the horse trough
here va very little trace OF the Bscchus thar
hsdbovsd there Q moment before. Familiar ~