Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-07-31
A Story of Ten Mile Gulcis
CHAPTER /.

murely. They were accustomed to
it; and many mile had they ira
versed in this way, taking turns at
carving their owner and master. In
deed, the trio seemed inseparable, and
cas- happy as Tom Ruger and his
horses was a phrase that was very
often heard in every mining camp and
settlement. s.
AS for Mr.. Tom Ruger himself,
very little was known Of him save
what had been learned during the
two years that he had sojourned
among them. Where he came from
never was known, nor asked but
once by the same person. All that
could be said Of him might be SUNNI
ed up in the following statement:
"The fnest-lookinS, the best
dressed, and the best-mannered man
on the Pacific coast, and the best
horseman.
These were the words OF mime
host" at the Ten Mile House, and, as
he was gentleman whose word was
as good as his paper, we will accept
them as truth.
As Mr.. Rugerrode down the noun
iain-side that beautiful Autumn day,
dressed in the finest of broadcloth,
with linen Of the most Immaculate
whiteness, smoking what appeared l'
be very good cigar, and lummn9
to himself fragment OF some old
song. lie looked strangely out OF
place.
So thought Miss Fanny Bo!lan as
she looked out OF the stagc-window,
and caught her first glimpse ofshIa
Just where his path intersected the
stage road, and she would have asked
the driver about him had he not beef
so near
Mr.. Kueer caugll:t s:ght of her face
about thac time, and tossing away
the cigar, he lifted his hat to her III
the most approved style.
She acknowledged tae salute by a
bow, and when lie roteup to the side
CT the stage. and made some casua
remark about the h:e wea'h /, she
did noS choose to consider it out OF
1,e way TO receive tnis advance 10
ward travelling acquaintance with
seeming cordiality
"Have you travelled far ?" he
asked.
From the Atlantic coast, sir
"The same journey that intend
to take some OF these days, only thai
l hope to substitute the word Pacific
at its termination. l hope YOU are
near the end OF your journey in this
direction ?"
"My destination is Ten Mile Gulch.
I believe; but you have such horrid
names out here.
81 presume they do appear some
what queer to stranger, but they
nearly all have the merit Of being
appropriate. You stop at the settle
ment ?"
"I do not know. My brother wrote
me to come to Ten Mile Gulch. Is it
the name of town."
both of village and mining
district, from which the village takes
its name. Is your brother miner?'
Yes, sir.
"I presume he intended to meet
you at the settlement. You will no
doubt find him atthe tavern; if not, !
will tell him of your arrival, for my
way leads through the mines"
"Thank you, sir. My brothers
name is John Borlan."
"I am somewhat acquainted with
him. said Mr.. Ruger, though il
this region of strange names We call
him Jack. Ny name is Thomas
Ruger
Tom, in California style?" she
asked, with merry twinkle in her
eye.
Yes, Miss Borlan,' he said, also
smiling "Tom Ruger is we'll known
where rron.as Ruger never was heard
OF. And now I will bid you good
day, Miss Rorlan, 81. l ;'in in some
thing of hurry to reach the settle
menG. II l do not find Jack there,
I will go on to the mines and tell
him. =
"Ah, miss. you don't have such
men as Tom Rueer out where yor
come from, said the driver, as ToNl
disappeared upthe road. And the,':
nags Of his'n can't be beat tins sid,
of the mountains. He makes q heai
O money with EN-.
9. What! ahorse jockey eyclaim
ed Miss Borlan.
1--WE don't call him that, mis-,
Some says he's sporSin man. whic.
amt nothin' ag'in him, for the coun
try's new, We see. He's got heaps o
money anyway, and there amt e
camp nor iowa on the coast that
don't know Tom Ruger. All, ya don t
have sech men as Tommy. He'd be
at home in a palace, now :%ouldn
he? And it's jest the same in a
miners shanty. Ye don't have seci
men as he. Ii he takes likin to
anybody, he sticks to EN- through
thick and thin; but if he gifts ag'in
ye once, neutrality-suspicious.. Ali.
ye don't have no sech men out where
you come from
She did not care to dispute this
point. In fact, after what she had
seen and heard, she was inclined to
believe that there was no such mel
as Tom Ruger out where she had
come from so the made no reply,
and the driver, following out his trair'
Of thought, ratified on about Tom
Ruger until they came in sight OF
Ten Mile Gulch, winding up his nal-
rative with the sage, but rather un
expected, remark, that there werent
no sech men as Tom Ruger cut wilere
she had come from.
CHAPTER II.