The Portland daily press., 1873-02-01
[trom TIE N Y. MALL
At the Foot of Centres Trail.
A ROMANCE OF THE YOSEMITE.


and took my seat in Bates & Blog's office TO
court the Goddess Themis, he went off to
push his fortune IN the Golden Stale.
Charley was queer sort of a tellow-capa-
bic of great exertion, but deplorably lazy, al
ways making good resolutions and never car
ryns then into execution, without an atom
of vice in his constitution, and yet always
getting into scrapes. After he went to Cali
fornia we correspo de pretty regularly, and
from his letters learned that he was expert
menting in a new business every Other week.
Now h was in a soft goods store in San Fran
cisco; then he ran a paper in Denver; then
he drove a stage between Auburn and Forrest
Hill; then he was a billiard marker in Sacra-
manto, and finally he told me that he was in
for big thing in gold mines at Green Flat,
and enclosed his photograph to show me how
he looked in his working clothes. l could
scarcely recognize my natty friend of former
days in the lanky figure pictured on the card
board. A slou, h cap percned on the back OF
his head, a wisp of handkerchief tied round his
neck, while hirsute appendages of Sainpsonic
dimensions covered and e. crcled the place
where his face ought to have been. But his
big eyes were there, looking out just as true
and honest as ever, and SO knew it was
Charley, even though lie did wear big boots
and carried sixshooter slung at his side.
He stuck to the mines all spring and sum-
mer, and his letters were full of hope and ra-
d;ant with success, until all at once they
stopped suddenly and nothing more was heard
eff him. was wondering what had become
Of him, whether he had come to grie' and
was ashasred to write me bad NJ WIS, or wheth-
er worse fate had overtaken him in the
wilds of the far West, and made inquiries of
some of his friends, but none Of them could
tell me anything about him, so / was fain to
sit still, hoping against hope that he would
turn up.
One evening I was all alone in my room
watching the Pickering light of the freight
play over each familiar article of furniture,
too lazy to get up from my chair to light the
gas, when heard violent ring at the door,
and presently figure stood in the doorway.
At first did not recognize my old chum, but
when / heard the accents of his voice my
fears and doubts all melted away, and wei
coined him as one come back from the dead.
''Why, Charley, is that you? Where have
you been? When did you get in the town?
How's things in general?'
s'Yes; it's me. Got in from California tits
morning Things is firsa rate.''
''Why, what swell you are. Why didn't
you come tight here? Where have you been
l know there's something up.''
"Guess you're about right. Hit it thar,
pard. You bet."
And then he relapsed into silence ard de-
molished a lavender kid glove in trying to take
1t off.
'sWhat' up old man? Let's have It, Go
ahead"
swell, / amt right sure what's up" I've
struck lead and it looked no end of good,
and now when take the dust to the store it
wo sell.
"Please to interpret, and bear in mind that
I am not as learned in mining lingo as you
are''
ssWell, then, here goes" But it didn't 90.
ua Won do,,t lonl, El-o
s'No. Got half million to my credit with
Clews''
''Woman?'
eyes" and she's the best little woman n
The world. at least thought she was" And
here the other kid glove burst up in most
decided manner.
Snow, see here; you have come to a pro-
fessona man, and if you want solace and adj
vice make clear breast of it and tell me- all
your story"
''Wel, then, you know my last letter to
you was from Green Flat, the one with the
photo"
'sYes I cot il. There you are over the
mantel-piece> in the costume of the period"
THAT mine turned out r. al good thing.
We washed out about seventy thousand in
two months, and then we got rid OF the COLI
Germ to 'Friscan company at million and
half, so l am pretty happy that way"
''Glad to ht ar it, but about her ladyship?"
70 'sWell, when the thing was done, and the
money IN the First National, we all wen off
to the Bay, and Irish Ned got shot one night.
He lived just long enough to make his will
and split his share between me and old Tom
Norris
81 regret the untimely depar ure of Irish
Ned, but congratulate you that he was able
to dispose of lis property so satisfactorily
But the lady?"
Pm comm to her. There was lot of
legal toolin' after Neds death about the i'll
q lest and the probate of his will, and got
tired of loafng at Frisco, so made tracks
up country aud had look around the Flat
That was rcther worse in the way of poison,
so one morning went and took Bucker out
of the corral, hitched him up, got on top, and
set off for slashing gallop. All of sudden
took notion I'd never seen the Yosem
lite Valley, and as it wasn't much of ride
from the fiat, went right on. Bucker and
/ got along first rate, and we were down at
the loot of the Centres trail just after sun
down two days afterwards"
''Here the romance commences. Go on.
I begin to see light"
''There wasn't much to be seen there,
can tell you. Those high cliffs and those big
trees cut it rough on sunshine. Why, 1 nearly
rode over her before / saw what was do
ing"
sue was lying III d Dupulc III tuS
middle of the road, and only Bucker shyed
we'd have given her hoofs and no mistake"
Her? Who? Intoxicated Injun Squaw?"
Here Charley burst into cursory remarks
which shall not repeat, and then went on.
''No, the darlingest, dearest little atom OF
feminine humanity that ever claimed the as
sistance of mortal man."
"Bravo! Encore! So you did not pass by
on the other side, like the man that fell
among thieves?"
mo; got off and and tied Bucker to
tree, and then picked her up
"What did she say? This is becoming dra-
matte"
'.She didn't say nothing. She was in a
faint and all over mud"
81 ne,,lon yonr grammar. But what did
you do?'
,'well, took chaw, and then | went
down to the river and filled my hat with |
water and splashed it right in her face"
.,e W nat did she say to that?'
She said 'Ohp'
Don't wonder much. What nextH'
, wen, thought she might have got too
t sauc ~ wafer, so poured some whiskey down
tunes" How did she take it p,
'She cou med like fits and tbo,, so+ nm
straight and looked up.'' 'N0'i ''' Wy
swell, what next?n
"She said oh dear and tried to OF rr
but she couldn't do it, and then she screano up,
and fell back" e"'1'o
pheasant How did you proceed?,
81 talked civil to her. I'd almost forgotten,
how, bat my Sunday 60 to meeting manners
came back to me wonderfully, and 1 tried to
persuade her was not Hoodlum lot.''
'.In which presume yeu succeeded"
eyes. After awhile she put up her back |
hair, and then told me that she had tumbled |
off her horse and strained her ankle and |
didn't know how to get to Hutchings' Hotel"
Charming situation. You enac.ed the |
role of ministering ANGEL
"You bet. Whipped out my oowle, and
had her boot and and stocking in tatters IN
two minutes. Took the sleeves off my shirt |
and bound cold water bandage on. Then
kicked Bucker in the ribs, and when he was
getting bis breath hoisted her up, and 50 we
Proceeded along the trail until we got to
HHutsbinos. where We found the house in a
mus and papa awful skeered."