The weekly Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1872-190?, 1873-06-21

ten think more of you and respect you the
g more for it. r~s. ST.
Evalinda went to the Tennessee House.
her parents new home. 1t was located on
a dusty road leading into the diggiu's," and
was frequented mainly by teamsters, who,
with wagon strung on wagon, drawn by long
strings of mules, came creaking and grosn-
ing at eve into the -'corral" loaded with
-four, pork, whisky, and long handled SHOW
els for the miners. Evalinda was soon the
admired of all teamsters. The Tennessee
House took the cream of the road traffic.
Evaliindas were scarce in the mines. The
sight and presence of one were refreshing.
For the ninety miles intervening between
Blue Gulch and Stockton nine houses out
of ten contained no female inmates. Many
mile over an average days journey was
dashed and strained out of the weary mules
that the Tennessee House should be reach
ed by night. .........r
Evalinda was not reserved. Her well fit
ting red jacket flashed on the veranda. The
transfers fancied gay colors. The prints of
her little CATERS were frequently seen in the
dust of the corral. She had an eye for
horses and was appreciative even of mules.
But the Tennessee House became attract
i've to other than teamsters. The neighbor-
ing camps abounded in keen, vigorous.
enterprising men-fortunate miners, physi-
clans, lawyers, sheriffs, and county officials.
The majority were witeless. Their years
lowered betwixt thirty and forty. They
felt themselves "come of age to marry"
From FIVE to seven years had they been
resident in a country of gold, gain, and
excitement, but not of women. Society
there was none. Recreation meant drink
ing, gambling, and the dance house. All
dipped more or less into these mad and
bitter cups of pleasure. The more pru-
dent thought seriously of homes, fresides.
and wives. Evalnda conjured up many
such visions in many brains.
Suitors and marriage offers were numer-
GUS. Many she refused; to some she gave
hope some she accepted: none she mar
ried. For her, by prospective husbands.
were three houses built and furnished.
Evalinda never became their mistress.
Her promises were made in good faith !;
but, as the weddng-day approached, Eva
linda pleaded and argued it away. She
told the non-suited sutton that she could
not make good wife. She painted in
alarming colors her extravaganza and idle.
ness. She pronounced herself born CO.
quette. she could not guarantee the fix
edness of her love toward any man. She
pronounced herself wild, tickle, cratic.
uncertain creature: lamented that so good
a mans heart had by her ever been made
to ache, and wished she had never been
born. Beauty, tears, fuency, feeling-all
thus used in Kaleidoscope combination
turned aside the non-suited ones indigna-
ton and increased his admiration. She
would tell him that he must regard her
as a sister. They might still be good
friends. Some nice, quiet girl would yet
come along to make him a fitting wife.
For herself, she should never marry"
Having driven these daggers home in the
him good night, with a nervous hand
clasp and an affeciionate glance, would
dry her eyes and lunch heartily from the
pantry. Not that she was a deceitful
girl. Her selfdepreciatory criticism was
the fruit of conviction and her emotion
was genuine. But excitement is exhaust
i've it can not be supported on air; it
requires the more solid backing of bread
and beef; there was at times an allure-
ment for Evalinda in matrimony but to
possess power is sweet not to marry was
to reign in and over many hearts to
marry was to reign only in one, perhaps
to be reigned over by former slave
No; Evalinda could not, would not abdi-
cate. IL "a
So she became a confirmed coquette.
This she acknowledged. "She could not
help it," she said. Circumstances forced
it upon her. She did not ring bell. that
all the single men in the Blue Gulch should
congregate nightly at her house."
Evalinda was an efficient aid to the old
people. She was power at the wash
tub, cook-stove, and ironing-table. But all
work and no play makes dull ellis, as
we'll as Jacks. Filtration was the only
available recreation. Men came, saw, and
would be conquered. So Evalinda hirted
All about, in gulch and valley, on knoll and
hill, were the lone houses Of Wireless miners
and husbandmen. Soon after Evalinda
came, new roads, trails, and bridle-paths
were beaten, converging from all quarters
toward the Tennessee House. They were
made by these wifeless miners and farmers,
who came ostensibly to borrow rakes, hoes
hay-presses, and horse-colars from the old
man. But Evalinda was the true magnet
The old gentleman began to wish she would
marry. Her attractiveness cost him ten
per cent yearly in articles borrowed and
broken or never returned.
Her tactics were varied. She conyersed
with young farmers on agriculture with
miners she became geological and mineral
ogical Her ear was attentive for every
source of Information. She started the man
Of ON his h.,hhv op1 allnxraJ b;r,
until he tired himself out, while she looked
on and admired his PAGES. There was Cripps,
a lawyer. Cripps's entertainment was to sit
and bray forth his legal lore, acumen, and
victories. Evalinda for hours allowed him
to roar himself hoarse with selfglorifaction,
so that, on taking his departure, his self
admiration had swelled to double its usual
proportions So, when Grips came down
from his stills and became sensible of other
peoples existence, he believed that he had
found in Evainda a woman who could an
preciate legal talents She was evidently
destined to.become Mrs. Crpps. There was
young DIR. Dean. In discourse he slasbed
off arms and legs for Evalinda. Her percep-
ton in the territory of anatomy and sur
gerry was wonderful She borrowed the doc
tor medical works. She borrowed Black
stone of Grips. So, in time, they fell vic
tins. and she took their sealps. The school
master became caller. His court cards
were reading and elocution. his aspiration
the stage. Evainda would have him read
her .sChilde Harold."s Tozer's soice was
/. all -dreariness and huskiness. 1t martyred
sentiment. Evalinda had never heard such
reading before. She had never before 80
clearly realized the poets meaning. He