The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-07
DRIVEN TO HER DEATM.

DRIVEN TO HER DEATH.
The entire community at Angel camp
California, were in a state of ferment. "A
woman was 20 remain among them to live
or die, as the case might be. Her illness
contracted on the perilous journey across
the plains, made rest and quiet impera-
tive. The party she arrived in company
with were apparently strangers to her
and, without vouchsatng any information
regarding her, proceeded on their way.
She was slight, girlish thing, golden
haired and dainty. Her sweet face, 9TH
erwise perfect, was marked with
deep lines of suffering, that told of keen,
bitter pain in the past, and present bur-
den of hopeless care.
For weeks she remained IN state oil
helpless weakness that gave no signs OF
recovery or portcnded decline. Gradu-
ally, however, she rallied, and when she
appeared out of doors for the first time
her presence seemed to cast a halo ofsun-
shine over the whole camp. During her
long illness every person in tine camp
WED with each other in doing her acts OF
kindness, and there was not man but
cnyled Big Jim Mills, who had given up
mis- quarters to her on the day of her arrl,
val. But their envy knew no bound.
when she timldly approached Jim, and
clasping his brawny hands in her delicate
grasp. thanked him again and again for
for goodness. Poor Jim's honest, man
" face grew redder than the roses on the
hillside. and for days after he would LOOK
with awe at his hands, as if sacrcdness
had come to them through the fairy iis'
gers. re-
Quietly she fell into the routine life OF
the camp and by her gentleness won the
love and respect of all. No one ever
thought of her leaving them, Wand had
such a possibility been limited a, 1t would
have caused more CONSERVATION than
full.sized earthquake. OF herself and
cent. When first asked her name she
hastily answered after u painful cmbar-
rassment, "Im only a wail; call me what
YOU wishr Old Scrubs, who had put
the question, with penetration that as
tonished even himself, slowly repeated
"Waifl that's kinder an odd name, but 1t
sounds right pert, anyhow" Old Scrubbs
kept the "lIappy Miners Rest" and was
equally noted for drawing fine bead on
his beer or any turbulent invader o! his
.ouiet, orderly house" That night he
informed the boys that the strangers
name was Wait, and so it remained. The
thankful glance she bestowed upon him
when next they met made Old Scrubs
fairly dance for Joy, and he was heard to
remark to Snarley THAT If he was TWEEN,
tv wears younger, he hoped to be bursted
if he wouldn't shine up To the gal him.
self" Snarley sighed rs he thought OF
his experimental that line, and said "he d
often heard tell of angels but never had
much faith IN 'em, till she came, and ne
believed if another SIGH one should drop
down among 'em that his old woman
would turn into regular tat-tisted
cherubim."
Mis- Snar e. had indeed wonderfully
changed for the better since the advent
of Wait and her ready tongue wagged
much less frequently and tercely than II
used to in days of yore, The young
Snsrlcvs, from dirty, ragged little rui'
fans, were transformed to Clearly, we'll
behaved children, and their faces were
often brushed by the wiry boards OF the
miners rs they stopped to kiss them. Mrs
Snarley being the only woman in the
camp before the arrival of Walt, was
quite indignant at first at the new acqui-
sition of her sex, and made many re-
marks regarding the Same more iorclblo
than polite. Now she, was much given
to roproaching herself for having SC
soundly berated IAN angel unawares.
The rash individual, however, who had
the temer,ty to remind her OF her con-
duct on that occasion, could pin his faith
upon receiving vigorous lashlnS from
her elastic tongue.
Among so susceptible community II
was impossible for gentle, womanly be,
like wsifto Inv, without awakening
tender love in many hearts. Perhaps ev'
ery man in the camp felt twinge OF the
spirit divine. but only three made any de-
monstrstions. Those were Big Jim Mills
Handsome Dick, the gambler, and Mis-
souri, Bill, the best man in the csmr
when il came toa scrub and no back
down fight. These two latter persona
ses soon withdrew from the contest, aho
il WAS generslly conceded that Jim was
the lucky man. Consequently, when
one dav Jim. after along fit of abstrac'
ton. threw down his pick and strobe to-
wards Waits domicile, none we're sur
prised and all wished him success. What
transp;red within the next half hour Tor
ever remained unknown. but when jim
annesred in sight again all knew that hi
hsa been unsuccessful. He did not have
the downcsst look of one rejected, but
puzzled, AS if he could see no earthly
reason why things should be so mixed
Stranger vet, as jim turned to 60, Wan
nulled his head down TO hers and I'M
printed long kiss On his burning fore
head. Sazed and wondering, he slowly
walked over TO the Rest with his hat II
his hand. as thinking that its rude toucf
would dlspel the lingering pressure
of those soft lips. During the ions
evening that followed he sat apart from
his companions, moody and silent. III:
hat was still IN his hand, and he wouic
now and then press his forehead as it thu
glory of that clinging caress yet ournee
ON his swart brow. Snarley contden
tally told Old Scrubs next morning
cha, his old woman had come hom'
from visit to Wait and said she ha'
found her stretched upon the bed, mosn
ing and sobbing as though her hear
would break"
After tins episode in the life of TIT
camp, it settled into its wonted existence
| There was less money lost at poker anI