The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-07-04

OF some slight grace, some timid wish TO please
Some eager look half vain
Into your Leart, some broken sObs like these,
Sometime.
AN OREGON ROMANCE.
The lives of the pioneers in the re-
mote mining districts of California were
! generally devoid of romance or excite
ment, sase that witnessed at the gaming
tables, and to relieve the monotony of
mountain life they generally passed q
few months in Frisco (San Francisco),
or soiourned for season with the Web
| feet, otherwise known as Oregonians.
J Mr.. Charles Bradbury, of Indian Town,
northern California, had been fortunate
! in mining, and as winter was approach
| ing, when little could be done in his
! claim, he left it in care of his partners
| and set out to visit relative who resi-
| ded in the Willamette valley some three
| hundred miles distant. 4 party had
been made up to cross the Siskiyou, on
the summit of which the snow already
lay deep. This, it was understood,
would be the last party which would
undertake the passage of the noun
tains before they should be closed for
the winter.
Near the time of starting they were
joined by Young man named Alfred
Boise, whose paIents resided in Oregon.
He had recently been suffering from in
disposition and vas cautioned not to un-
dertake the trip, which was sufficiently
arduous even fer the most vigorous
but his anxiety ogereame his prudence
and he set out with the others. Before
the summit was reached he became
Cr,TFa harrcfn1 III
for the kindly assistance of Bradbury
he must have periihed. From this oc-
currence they beanie strong friends.
and at young Bois,'s urgent solicitation
Bradbury accompanied him to his home
near the head watrs of the Umpqua,
where he was cohially welcomed by
the family. a sster of his friend.
named Adaliza, wa a charming girl of
seventeen or eighteen summers, and at
once won the admirtion of the suscepti-
BILE Californian. BIS stay was length
ened from the few days which he at
fiEatns sEln Eposea Lay ysElne to several
long his visit to avisitation, he bade
his new-found frienls a reluctant adieu
and continued on his way to the Villa
mette. Here he Purchased a fine horse
and not unfrequenay tested his speed
with that of the best horses in the
neighborhood, andalways to his entire
satisfaction.
Bradbury renamed few weeks
with his relatives, tut the spirit of IN
rest possessed him, and he soon turned
his face southwark, urging as an excuse
that his business at Indian Town de-
nanded his presence. His business, !
however, was not 50 pressing but that
he turned aside to halt awhile at the
rancho of his friends, the Boises. His
admiration for tbs fair Adaliza had
deepened to the ender passion, and
this fact he was not slow to declare.
But she replied;
You Californials like nothing bet
ter than to come hee and make love to
us web-foot girls, and when you have won
our hearts, you go off to your cabins
and your claims and never come back.
But" said Badbury, 81 will
marry you before Igo back, and when
1 have provided home for you, you
shall come to me, 1 will come after
you"
But she would give no direct answer,
but remained on very +. iendly terms
with him, and theyoften rode together
to the neighboringyillage and to other
points about the valley.
OuS udy bucl Htb SlOWiy w
ward home, and Bradbury was urging
his suit, and pleading for an answer to
end his suspense. They were nearly
mile from the rancle, near which grew
two large live-oak trees, standing veig
near each other. Said Adaliza
eff you will pas those twin live
oaks before do, Twill go with you to
California some day.
RraH h11ry 1a1 hiroGalf I1nnn his
lorsemanship, ,..and accepting the chal
Ienge with wave Of the hand and Ia
comic, I'm your man ! " dashed spurs
into his steed and sped like an antelope
over the plain. The girl was taken by
surprise at his sudden movement, but
gave her horse the word, and he too
stretched neck and nerve till the hol-
low earth rang" It has already been
intimated that Bradbury was well
mounted; his companion was no less SO,
and they rode on as only those can ride
Bradbury's suoqen movement had
given him the advantage by few rods.
but he soon realized that it would be no
easy matter to maintain it. The girl
was urging her horse by whip and voice,
| and having been the winner in many a
botIy contested race, he bent to his
work in true race-horse style, "reach-
ing long. breathing loud like creviced
wind blows.
Little more than one-half the dist ance
was passed, when Bradbury became
aware that his competitor was pressing
hard upon his flank, and he knew that
his weight was b ginning to tell on the
noble beast, which seemed to realize the
value of the stakes for which he ran.
For quarter of mile he held his own;
Miss Boise. however, coming once or
| twice yery near, but not maintaining
her position at Bradbury's side. The
| coal was almost reached and he was
| Confident of victory. But he had not
counted on his opponents skill as a
race-rider. She had restrained her
horse for the final dash and now came
on with a burst of speed that placed her
fairly at Bradburys side and seemed
sure to give her the victt ry. Indeed,
the victory seemed already hers, for
with long and steady leaps her horse
was sweeping past at the moment they
were to pass the goal. AT this period
however, the fore.leet OF Bradbury:
horse went down IN the burrow of {
gopher, he stumbled upon his knees
fbe oyirtb parted and Bradbury wen
oyer fbe horses head and into the al
like n rocket, landing beyond the goa
and a yard or two ahead of his fai
ooronetitor I.rrrr Striking upon the mellow
earth he performed series of evolu
lions. bnt regained his feet with no in
;nrv save a pretty severe shock from
the abrupt manner of dismounting.
He had sufficient presence of mind t
excIe;m with his first breath: 81 be
1;ave you're mine y while Adaliza, rein
inc in her steed with steady hand
snrane T lightly to the ground, and in