Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1874-10-17
NANCY JONES BABY.
A California GuIch story.

From the Sacramento Union.
The wind came bowling down
the mountain side, and with hOl-
low moan rushed through the can
yons. The tall pines tossed and bent
their heads at each rude blast of the
storm. Masses of black clouds hung
like a funeral pail over the noun
taius, and the rain poured down in
torrents.
Rabbit Greek bounded down It's
narrow bed, carrying all before it,
whirling and writhing like a huge
serpent, taking its way with rapid
leaps, bearing on its foaming bosom
a mass of rubbish. Great logs and
stumps of trees, caught from their
resting places on some hill side,
were borne on till lost to sight.
Now and then q sluice box came
| floating down until dashed to pie ces
against a boWlder, telling of disas-
ter to some poor miner further up
| the gulch. On, on swept the rush
ing waters, taking in their rude
embrace all that crossed the path OF
their fury.
Sudden and awful had been the
coming of the storm, as if delay had
strengthened its power and given
| new energy to its fierceness. Then
| came the change from warmth tC
/ cold-from rain TO snow-and sOoI
the rugged hills were oiled with
| huge drifts. The whirling masses
| were borne on and scattered. Tie
trees were heavy with their burden
and when some blast more rude than
others stirred their branches, the
/ grateful limbs lifted their heads anC
tossed about with JOY at their re
/ lief.
/ The town of Rabbit Greek stands
! unsheltered on the hillsides, and il
its unprotected state had been ex'
! posed TO the fury OF the storm. The
small rude houses were rocked by
/ every blast till they trembled OF
their slight foundations.
! In the principal bar-rOom OF the
town were gathered the greater par
of the male population. 1t was ;
large room, with tables scattered
around its sides; in the center stood
a billiard table, the boast and the
pride OF the proprietor, and he haC
often been heard to say:
"See that billiard table? 1t cos
a fortune TO set that ere piece o
furniture up in my saloon" And
then as surprise and wonder were
| depicted on the face of his listener
! the owner of that 'ere table
would give the astonishing inform
alton that "shC was packed acrOs!
/ the mountains on g mule"
In the corner stood the mammoth
stove. and alongside of it a pile o
logs, for ample were the heating &C
icommodations of "Old McKenzie's'
saloon, and the larger part of thi
crowd were gathered around it
| warm sides taking in its eheerin!
heat. The smiling hosts rubicunS
countenance shone like a new bras
tea Kettle, as he rushed around at
tending to the wants of his patrons
He finally addressed ono of tn
crowd near the stove with:
81 say, Jake, it's started in good
You were in luck if you had beel
day later you would have had 4
CONF over on snow-shOes."
The answer came in q voice sin
gulariy low and sweet, Tor the per
sou spoken 10 as Jake was a man O
) great size; and as he stood with hi
back TO the stove, his heavy coat al
most reaching the floor, be locke
like a giant. There was an inde
scribable air of refnementa and grac
about the man, and the face tha
Looked out from the brOad-brimme
hat was one handsome and yet sad.
"Yes, Mae; was lucky, as yO
say; and if IL keeps on in this wa
long. we shall be blOckGded for
couple of weeks.
| One or two of the crowd her