The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-04-25
The Rose of TuOlumne.
BY BRET HARTE.
CHAPTER ]


there had been dancing and revelry, and the
moon, riding high, painted the black win
dows with silver. The cavalcade that ar
hour ago had shocked the sedate pines witt
song and laughter, were all dispersed; one
enamored swain had ridden east, another
west, another north, another south, and the
object Of their alteration, left within he
bower at Chemisal ridge, was calmly going tt
bed.
regret that am not able to indicate the
exact stage OF that process. Two chair.
were already filed with delicate enwrappings
the VINE confusion, and the young lady her
self, half hidden 10 the silky threads of heI
yellow hair had at one time borne faint re-
sembance to a partly-husked ear of Indian
corn. But she was now clothed in that one
long, tolmless garment that makes all women
equal, and the round shoulders and neat
waist that an hour ago had been so fatal to
the peace of mind of Four Forks had utterly
disappeared. The face above it was very
not small. ''The flowers, as a general thing
don't raise their heads much to look attel
me-" she had said with superb frankness tt
one of ner lovers. t.
The expression of ''The Rose'' tonight
was contentedly placid She walked slowly
to the window, and, making the smallest
possible peep hole through the curtain !, oked
out The motionless figure of horsemar
still fingered on the road, with an excess o.
devotion that only coquette or woman
very mnch in love could tolerate. "The
Rose' at that moment was neither, and after
reasonable pause turned away, saying
quite audibly, that it was ''too ridiculous fol
anything" As she came back to her dress
ing-table it was noticeable that she walked
steadily and erect, without that slight affecta.
ton OF lameness common to people with
whom bare feet are only an episode. Indeed,
it vas only four years ago that, without shoes
or stockings, long limbed, colty girl. in a
waistless calico gown, she had leaped from
the tail-board of her fathers emigrant wagon,
when it first drew up at Chemisal Ridge.
Certain wild habits of the Rose had outlived
transplanting and cultivation.
A knock at the door surprised her. In
another moment she had leaped into bed,
and, with darkly-frowning eyes, from its Sc
cure recesses demanded, ''Wht's there?'
An apologize murmur on the other SIDE OF
the door was the response.
''Why father = is that you?"
There were tulther murmers, affirmative,
dep ecatory. and persistent.
wait, sal the Rose. She got up, un-
locked the door, eaped nimbly into bed
again. and said, Come"
The door opened timidly. The broad,
STOPPING shoulders and griZZled head of a
NAH past the middle age appeared; after a
moments hest alton pair of large diffident
feet shod with canvas slippers concluded to
follow, When the apparition was complete
it closed the door softly, and stood there-a
very shy ghost indeed with apparently more
than the usual spiritual indisposition to begin
a conversation. The Rose resented this i'm
fIgTDTy:
''Do, father, declarev'
''You was abed, jimmy" said Mr.. Nc
Closky, slowly. glancing with singular mix
ture of masculine awe and paternal pride up
on the two chairs and their contents.
''You was abed and ondressed."
81 was"
'Surely," said Mr.. McClosky, seating him
self on the extreme edge of the bed, and pain
fully tucking his feet away I'm Ter it, ''Surely."
After pause be rubbed short, thick stumpy
beard, that bore general resemblance to a
badly-worn backing brush, with the palm of
lis hand, and went on, "You had good
time, Jinny?"
'sYes. father"
''They was all there?''
''Yes, Rance and York and Ryder and
jack
'And Jackr' Mr.. McClosky endeavored
to throw an expression of arch inquiry into
his small, tremulous eyes, but meeting the
unabashed, widely-opened lid OF his daughter,
he winked rapidly and blushed to the roots Of
his hair.
eyes, Jack was there" said Jenny, with
out change of color or the least selfconscious-
ness in her gray eyes, land he came home
with me-" She paused moment, locking
her two hands under her head, and assuming
a more comfortable position on the pillow.
HE asked me that same question again, ia
Their, and said yes lis to be-soon. We're
going to live at -Four Forks, in his own house,
and next winter we're going to Sacramento.
I suppose It's all right, father,eh ~" She en-
phasised the question with slight kick
through the bed-clothes as the parental Nc
Cosky had fallen into an abstract raverie.
eyes, surely" said Mr.. McClosky, recover
ing himself with some confusion. After a
pause he looked down at the bed-clothes, and,
patting them tenderly, continued. 'You
couldn't have done better, Jenny. Thereisn't
q girl in Tuolumne ez could strike it ez rich
ez you hev-even ifthey got the chance" He
paused again, and then said, ''Jinny?'
Eyes, father"
"You'se in bed and ondresseed %
"Yes."
''You couldn't" said Mr.. McClosky, glanc-
ng hopelessly al the two chairs and slowly
rubbing his chin, "you couldn't dress your
self agan-could yer-?''
why, tatherr'
KINDER get yourself into them things
again ?" he added hastily mot all of 'em,
you know, but some of 'em. Not if l helped
you ?-sorter stood by, and lent hand now
and then with a strap or buckle, or a
neck-te, or shoe-string," he continued,
still looking at the chairs, and evidently try
Ing to boldly familiarize hin elf with their
contents. --s..rH
care you crazy, father?'' demanded
Jenny, suddenly sitting up with portentous
switch of her yellow name. Mr.. McCosky
rubbed one side Of his beard, which already
had the appearance of having been quite worn
away by that process, and family lodged
the question. -l-.
jimmy he said, tenderly stroking the
bed clothes as he spoke, ''this yer's what's
"a stranger to you. lovey, but man ez I've
known long time. He's been mere about
an hour, and he'll be here until o'clock,
when the up stage passes. Now wants ye,
jimmy dear, to get up and come down stairs
aud kinder help me pass the time with him.
Ever since knowed him he Was the most
unsatisfactory critter to hev round"
what do you have him round for then ?"
interrupted Miss Jenny, sharply.
Mr. McClosky's eyes fell. EFF he hadn't
KUN out OF his way tonight to do me good
tuih, 1 wouldn't ask ye, jimmy. | wouldn't,
50 nTlp nle! But l thought ez l couldn't do
and sorter fetch him, jimmy, as YOU did the
others.'' ~ '0N "'0 VIC
Miss Jenny shrugged her ,retty shoulders
rs he old or young"
Hes young enough, jimmy, but he knows
power OF things"
" nat does he do 90
MOI much, l reckon. He's got money
III lhe iilli' al -Four Forks. He travels round
good deal. Pve heard jimmy, that he's a
poet.,-writes them rhymes, YOU know" Mr..
McClosky here appealed submssively. but
directly. to his daughter. He remembered
that she had frequently been in rrcent Of
printed elegaic couple known as ssmottoes. y
containing Enclosures equally saccharine.
g, Miss Jenny slightly curIed her pretty lin
she 81 had that fiue contempt for the illusions s
ol iancy which belongs to the nerfectiv
hesaulHSny young animal.
h;s Sot, continued Mr.. McClosky, rubbing
Iio heau rehectively, mot ez I'd advise We
ylnny, 10 say anything to him about poetry.
LII am twenty minutes ago ez L did. I set
the Whlskey afore him in the parlor.
wound up the music box and set it COIN.
Then L SEE to him, sociable-like and free.
Just consider yourself in your own house
and repeat what you allow to be your finest
production aud he ragged. That man. JIMMY.
jest ragged. Thar's no end of the names he
callea me. You see, jimmy" continued Mr..