Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-09-18

when L apply 1Or SITUATION.
: There was a halt, a supply of fresh horses,
and prompt, lively start But the after
noon was intensely hot, and the team soon So
bered down. Mrs Page did not offer again
to take the lines. She was overwarm and
weary, perhaps; quiet and a little sad, at any
rate Mr.. Rice was quiet, too, and thought
full. The passengers inside were asleep. The
coach ratified along at a steady pace, with the
dust so deep under the wheels as to still their
rumble. At intervals freight wagon was
passed down to one side, at turnout, or
rabbit skipped across the road, or solitary
horseman suggested alternately road agent,
or one of James's heroes. Grand views pre-
sented themselves of wooded cliffs and wild
ravines Tall pine trees threw lengthening
shadows across the open space on the noun
tain Sides And so the afternoon wore away /;
and, when the sun was setting, the passengers
alighted for their supper at Lucky Dog-a
mining camp pretty we'll up in the Sierras
ave both stop here" said Sam, as he helped
the lady down from her high position letting
her know by this remark that her destination
was known to him.
II am rather glad of that" she answered
frankly, with little smile, and considering
all that had transpired on that long drive !;
Sam was certainly pardonable if he felt al
most sure that her reason for being glad was
the same as his own.
Lucky Dog was one of the shambling, new
camps, where one street serves tor string on
which two or three dozen ill-assorted tenements
are strung, every fifth one being place IN
tended for the relief Of the universal Amerl-
can thirst, though the liquids dispensed at
those benefcent institutions were observed
rather to provoke than to abate the dryncss
of their patrons Eating houses were even
more FREQUENT than those which dispensed
moisture to parched throats so that, taking
a cursory view of the windows fronting on the
street, the impression was invariably conveyed
of an expected rush of famished armies, whose
wants this charitable community were only
willing to supply, for sufficient consideration.
The houses that were not eating and drinking
houses, were hotels, if we except occasional
grocery and merchandise es Adjustments. In
to what out.of:theway corners inhabitants
we're slowed it it was impossible to conjecture,
until it was discovered that the men lived at
the places already inventoried, and that wo-
men abode not at all Lucky Dog-or if there
were any, not more than half dozen Of them,
and they lived in unaccustomed places.
The advent of Mrs. Page at the Silver Brick
Hotel naturally made sensation. An as.
semblage of not less than fifty gentlemen of
leisure crowded about the entrance, each more
intent than the other on getting look at the
arrivals, and especially at this one arrival
whose age, looks, name, business, and inten-
tions in coming to Lucky Dog, were discussed
with great freedom Sam Rice was closely
questioned, but proved reticent and non-com-
INITIAL The landlord was besieged with en-
quiries-the landlady, too-and all without
anybody being made much the wiser. There
was the way-bill, and there was the lady her
self; put that and that together, and make
what you could of it.
Mrs. Dolly Page did not seem discomposed
in the least by the evident interest she inspired.
With her black curls smoothly brushed, her
black robes Immediately neat, with pretty
color in her round cheeks, and quietly ab-
sorbed expression in her whole bearing, she
endured the contracted gaze of fifty pairs of
eyes during the whole dinner, without so
much as one awkward movement, or the drop
ping of fork or teaspoon. So it was plain
that the curious would be compelled to await
Mrs. Pages own time for developments.
But developments did not seem likely to
come overwhelmingly. Mrs. Page made fast
friend of the landlady of heSilver Brick, by
means of little household arts peculiarly her
own, and before fortnight was gone, had be-
come as indispensable to all the boarders as
she was to Mrs. Shaughnessy herself If she
had a history, she kept it carefully from Gu
rious ears. Mrs. Shaughnessy was evidently
satisfied, and quite challenged criticism of her
favorite. Indeed, there was nothing to criti-
else. 1t was generally understood that she
was widow who had to get on in the world
as best she could, and thus the public sympa-
thy was secured, and an embargo laid upon
gossip. To be sure, there were certain men
in Lucky Dog, of class which has its repre-
sentatives everywhere, who regarded all un-
appropriated women, especially pretty women,
very much as the hunter regards game, and
the more difficult the approach, the more ex-
citing the chase. But these moral Nimrods
had not half the chance with selfpossessed
Mrs. Dolly Page that they would have had
with different style of woman. The grosser
sort got sudden congo; and with the more
refined sportsmen she coquetted just enough
to show them that two could play at game
of "make believe" and then sent them off
with lofty scorn edifying to behold-to the
mingled admiration and amusement of Mrs.
Shaughnessy.
The only affair which seemed to have
kernel of SERIOUSNESS in it, was that of Mr..
Samuel Rice Regularly, when the stage was
in, on Sans night, he paid his respects to
Mrs. Page And Mrs. Page always received
him with graceful friendliness, asking after
the horses, and even sometimes going so far as
to accompany him to their stables. On these
occasions she never failed to carry several
Jumps of sugar in her pocket, which she fed
to the handsome brutes off her own pink palm,
until there was not one of them she could not
handle at her will.
Thus passed many weeks, until summer was
drawing to close. Two or three times she
had gone down to Pineywoods Station and
back, on Sans coach, and always sat on the
box, and drove part of the way, but never
where her driving would excite remarks. 1t
is superfuous to state that on these occasions
there was happy heart beneath Sans linen
duster, or that the bantering remarks of his
brother drivers were borne with smiling equa-
nimity, not to say pride; for Sam was well
aware that Mrs. Dolly Pages brunette beau
ty, and his blonde bearded style, together fur
nished not an unpleasing tableau of personal
charms. Besides, SANS motto was, "Let
those laugh who win y and he seemed to HIM
self to be on the road to heights of happiness
beyond the ken of ordinary mortals-espe-
cially ordinary stage-drivers.
81 don't calkalate to drive stage more than
year or two longer" said Sam to Mrs. Page