The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-09-16
LUMLEY'S PARDNER.

have forgotten the name he broug h
with him from the states, but nobody
here ever called him anything else but
"Lnmley's Pardner."
We miners have familiar knack OF
rechri' tening, and name once altered
sticks to man as long as he sticks to
the mines so, even after Lumley had
thrown up his claim and left the dig
gings, a good three years ago, Lumley y
Pardner still remained, fnger-post to
trace the distance back. After all, John
Jones, or Lumley's Pardner, what mat
tered it in that doubtful tide of immi-
grafton setting in toward the wild re-
gions, where the first confidential ques-
ton after intimacy seemed to warrant
the liberty, was invariably, "Say,
comrade, what was your name before
you came here2"
You see. l knew Lumley's Pardner
when he first came into the mines.
was up at Woods Diggings at the time
when he and party of two or three
more came around prospecting. l re-
member thought what fine stalwart
young fellow he was, straight as a
young pine tree, and no foolishness
about him either, for he had been
roughing it year or two down on the
Texas border. l never saw the boys
more downright pleased over n new
conner than when he bought claim and
went in with lis. He was not a man to
talk much about himself, nor one You
would feel free 10 question but there
was honest square dealing looking out
OF bis clear, gray eyes, for nll the
trouble and unrest laid up behind
them.
Lumley was as different as man
could be. / have noticed that men
take to nnlikes IL mating among them
selves, as well as in choosing mates for
life. he came into the diggings a week
or so later. and they somehow fell in
together. Lumley was what you might
call nm extra clever fellow. He looked
scarcely more than boy-those fair
skinned people never show their age
with his handsome, womanish face,
bright blue eyes and trim-b built figure |;
but he had confidance until you could
not rest, plenty of the gift of CAB, and
something about him-I believe peo-
pc call 1t magnetism at least, when
YOU were with him you believed inst as
ho did, and then wondered at yourself
nfterward for doing so.
Lumley always had knack of twist
ing folks round his little finger for all
that, the lines of frmness were quite
lacking about his mouth. Lumiey's
Pardner now, with his close.set Inns and
square massive jaw-you might as we'll
nope to move mountain as him against
bis will. He would be strong to do, or
to bear you could easily see that.
do not know as it was exactly fair.
l never meant to eavesdrop, but it hap
pened IN this wise: One night went
over to Lumley's shanty-it was amaz-
ing. strange how soon his name got
tackled to everythipg-to see about a
broken pick he wanted mended. I used
to do the smithiDg in those days. AsI
opened the door saw there was no one
IN, and being tired with my days work,
dropped down on log Just outside,
iit my pipe, and sat leaning back against
tne pine boards waiting for Lumley to
come back. guess 1 must have cot
drowsy and fallen asleep, for the first
thing l heard was voices. and Lumley's
Pardner speaking out bitter and short.
In way we seldom heard him speak
- reckon it's of no use to ask if
there's any letters come to nv name"
ne said. There's no one 10 write TO
iopened my eyes and saw two CLEANS
OF light streaming out through the open
door and the one loop hole OF a window.
and then l knew that Lumley and his
mate must have passed me by and never
seen me in the twilight. Raising myself
up, 1 saw Lumley through the window,
sitting down to the pine table beside
yellow dip, with two or three letters ly-
ing before him, and one open in his
band. Then it flashed across my mind
mat one of the boys from a camp be-
yond bad gone into the station and was
aoe with the mail that night.
Lnmieys Pardner sat over the far
ue h;a o. the table with a gloomy look in
I's tye' Being in the same boat rystlf,
Anew how lonesome il was never to
r lave news from hcme. and wondered to
,iI mysel! now a manly, Hne-looking fellow
ike MIN should be without a wife or
sweetheart waiting with a woman's nrice
him some where. ~ p'''
Lnmiey was busy reading his letters.
thought had better stay outside. He
was that intent a. first that hs seemed
not to have heard the others words bu.
'ftsr moment he lifted his face with
one Of the proud. bright looks ~