The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-09-18


o. Wind. howl not 80 loud and thrill
Over this little novsr-decbcd hill
The maidzn sleeps
The Seotsman.
LUMLEY'S PARDNER.
I have forgotten the name he broaeh
with him from the states, but nobod,
here ever called him ANYTHING eIse bn
"Lumley's Partner"
We miners have familiar knack a
rechristening, and name once altered
sticks to man as long as he sticks q
the mines 80, even after Lumley hai
thrown mp his claim and left the dig.
GngA good three years ago, Lumley'f
Pardner still remained, q fneer-post e
trace the distance back. After ali. John
Jones, or Lumley's Pardner. what mat.
tered it In that doubtful tide of immi-
grafton eetting in toward the Wild re-
glons, where the first confidential cues
non after intimacy seemed to warrant
tDe liberty, was invariably, "Say,
comrade, what was your name before
you came heref"
You see. I knew Lumley's Pardner
when he first came into the mines. ]
was up ut Woods Diggings at the time
when he and . party of two or three
more came around prospecting. re-
member thought what q fine stalwart
young fellow he was, straight as q
young pine tree, and no foolishness
ADDE'S him either, for he had been
rr0aghng 1t year or two down on the
fexas border. 1 never saw the boys
more downright pleased over q new
conner than when be BOUGHT a claim and
went in with us. He was not A man to
talk much about himself. nor one Won
would feel free to question but there
was honest square dealing looking ont
OF bus clear, gray eyes, for ali the
trouble and unrest laid up behind
them,
I!umley was ~ different as a man
could be. I have noticed that men
take to unlikes in mating among them
selves, as well as In choosing mates for
Life. He came into the diggings q week
or 30 later. and they somehow fell in
together. Lumley was what YOU might
call an extra clever fellow. he looked
scarcely more than q boy-those fair
sk1nned people never show their age
with his handsome, womanish face,
bright blue eyes ard trim built figure
but be had confidence until you could
nos rest, plenty Of the gift of CAB, and
something about him-I believe peo-
Pc call it magnetism /; at least, when
you were with him you believed Just as
ne did, and then wondered at yourself
afterward for doing 90,
Lumley always had knack of twist
ing folks round his little finger for all
tDat. the lines OF frmness were quite
lacking about his mouth. Lum1ey's
Pardner now, with his close-set ips and
square massive jaw-you might Is well
hope TO move q mountain As him arsinst
his viii. He would be strong to do. or
to bear You could easily see that.
do not know as it was exactly fair.
1 never meant to eavesdrop, but It hap
pened in this wise: One night I went
over to Lumley's shanty-it was amaz-
ing strange how soon his name got
tackled to everything-to see about a
broken pick he wanted mended, I used
70 do the smithing in those DAYS. ASH
opened the door I saw there was no one
IN, and being tired with my days work.
dropped down On . log Just outside.
nt my pipe, and sat leaning back against
the pine boards waiting for Lumley to
come back. guess I must have got
GIowsy and fallen aaleep, for the first |
tnlng heard was voices, and Lumley's
Pardner speaking out bitter and short.
In way We seldom heard him speak
Il reckon it's of no use to ask if |
there's any letters come to ny name"
me-"
!oPened my eyes and saw two CLEANS
OF light streaming out through the open
coor ana the one loop hole OF window.
ana tnen 1 knew that Lumley and his |
mate must have passed me by and never |
seen me IN the twilight. Raising myself |
up. l saw Lumley through the window,
yellow dip, with two or three Letter. IL.
ing before him, and one open in his
hand. Then it flashed across INV mind
that one of the boys from a camp be-
yond bad gone into the station and was
due with the mail that night.
Lumleys Pardner sat over the far
side OF the table with gloomy look in
hiseye. Being in the same boat rsvself
l knew how lonesoms it was never to
b ave news from home. and wondered to
myself how q manly, fne-looking fellow
IKE him should be without wife or
weetheart waiting with woman's pride
him some where.
Lumley was busy reading bis letters.
1 thought had better stay outside. He
was that intent a. first that he seemed
not TO have heard the others words, but
after moment he lifted his face with
one OF the proud, bright looks that
were Lumleys own. cay, comrade 2" |
he cried cheerily; and don't you tell |
me it isn't all your own fault. Don't
dare to envy me my wife and child"
He tossed the picture across the ia
BILE. The other picked it MP. L saw a
man die once, stabbed through the |
heart. just such q look came into the |
face of Lumley's Pardner, rs he glanced |
at the picture in his hand. Lumlev.
bending over his letter, never saw Il.
When he had finished reading he held |
put his hand. The other did not even
raise his eyes, but kept them hxedly |
On what he held.
81, too, once thought to have q wife |
and child" he muttered presently, less
10 Lamley than to himself.
The words following that look. were
q whole book Of revelation to me. Hap
PLY. Lumley did not notice. His face |
showed some surprise, mingled with |
that placid satisfaction the successful |
always wear
"Ah r. he returned, shaking his head
knowingly, els that the way the land
lies? / knew You were always close
but disappointment never
suspected that. She, whoever it Was,
had precious bad taste when she looked |
the other way !" and he ran his ewes adj. |
over the others splendid pyo.
portions and manly, handsome face
"She never refused me-" broke in
Pardner, in q low, smothered
tone, his eyes still fastened intentlv on
he picture. "I-never asked her
put abe knew my mind, and I Thought