The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-04-21
THE ROSE OF TUOLUMNE.
A NEW STORY BY BRET HARTE.
From the New YORK Times.
CHAPTER L.

CHAPTER /.
1t was nearly 2 O'Clock in the morning.
The lights were out in Robinson's hall,
where there had been dane --Dg and revelry
and the moon, riding high, painted the
black windows with silver. The cavalcade,
that an hour ago had shocked the sedate pines
with song and laughter, were all dispersed;
one enamored swain had ridden east, an
other west, another north, another south
and the object of their alteration, left within
her bower at Chemisal Ridge, was camly
going to bed.
/ regret that am not able to indicate the
exact stage of that process. Two chairs were
already filled with delicate enwrappings
and white confusion, and the young lady
herself half hidden in the silky threads of
her yellow hair, had at one time borne a
faint resemblance to a partly husked ear of
Indian corn. But she was now clothed in
that one long, formless garment that makes
all women equal, ana 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 pretty; the foot below, albeit shapely,
was not small. "The flowers, as a general
thing, don't raise their heads much to look
after me-" she had said with superb frank
ness, to one of her lovers.
The expression of "The Rose" tonight,
tc the window, and making the smallest
possible peephole through the curtain, looked
out. The motionless figure OF a horseman
still fingered on the road, with an excess of
devotion that only coquette or a women
very much in love could tolerate. "The
| Rose" at that moment was neither, and,
after a reasonable pause, turned away, say
ing, quite audibly, that it was 'too ridicu-
/ lous for ANYTHING" AS she came back 10
| her dressing table it was noticeable that she
walked steadily and erect, without that
slight affection Oflameness common TO peo-
pie with whom bare feet are only an episode.
Indeed, it was only four years ago, 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
| secure recesses demanded, "W hos there?''
An apologize murmur on the other side
of the door was the response.
| "Why-father-is that you?D
There were no further murmurs, afirma-
tive, deprecatOrv and persistent.
wait" said the Rose. She got up, un
locked the door, leaped nimbly into bee
again, and said, "come"
The door opened timidly. The broad
STOPPING shoulders and grizzled head of
man past the middle age appeared; after
moments hesitation, a pair of large, diffiden
feet, shod with canvas slippers, concluded t.
follow. When the apparition was complet,
it closed the door softly, aud stood there;
very shy ghost indeed, with apparently NOR
than the usual spiritual indispositiea to be
gin conversation. The Rose resented thj
telfigibly;
.sDo. father. declarei''
"You was abed, jimmy" said Mr., McClos
ky, slowly, glancing with a singular mxtur
of masculine awe and peterual pride upoi
two chairs and their contents. "You wa
] abed and ondressed."
81 was" rn
Surely" said Mr.. McClosky, seating him
self on the extreme edge of the bed, and pain
fully tucking his feet away under it
Surely" After pause, he rubbed short
thick, stumpy beard, that bore a general re
semblance to a psdly-worn backing brush
with the palm of his hand, and went oil
l"You had good time, Jinny?"
! .sYes, father"
"They was all there?"
Yes, Rance and York and Ryder anC
Jack"
"And Jackr' Mr. McClosky er desvore,
to throw an expression or arcn inquiry int,
his small, tremulous eyes, but meeting th'
unabashed, widely-opened lid of his daugh
ter, he winked rapidly and blushed to tn
roots Of his hair. ni
ayes. Jack was there aid Jenny. with
out change of color or the least selfcon
seriousness in her great gray eyes, land b,
came home with me-" She paused mo
ment, locking her two hands under her head
and assuming more comfortable position
on the pillow. "He asked me that sam,
question again, father, and said YES IT.
/ to be-soon. We're going 20 live at Fou
Forks. in his own house. and, next winter
we're going to Sacramento. / suppose it,
all right, father, eh?' She emphasized th
! question with a slight kick through the bed
clothes, as the parental McClosky had fallel
into an abstract reverie.
eyes, surely" said Mr.. McClosky, recover
ing himself with some confusion. After
pause he looked down at the bed clothes
and patting them tenderly, continued; "Yo,
couldn't have done better, Jenny. They
isn't girl in Tuolumue ez could strike IL Z,