Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-04-27

..See here, old fellow, can't stand
this any longer, must 60 and find
Edith 1t is now over six weeks since
I have heard a word from her and
am worried to death -
Charlie" you are wrong to feel SO.
You have sent the money to bring your
Edith here, and if she followed your
directions, she could hardly have COM
municated with you yet. You'll find
that am right, SO don't be down.
hearted
Charlie did not answer, but pretend.
ed to be satisfied with the view which
had taken of the case.
The next morning as we were ON the
way to our claim, we saw "a large
crowd of miners gathered in the vicin.
ity of tall old oak tree which had
been left standing in the camp.
Curious to know the cause, we hur.
ried up and forced our way through,
the crowd.
In moment the scene was made
plain to us.
A tall ruffian, a miner, was standing
in the midst of the circle with his
grasp on the shrinking shoulder of a
lad who appeared to be about fifteen
years of. age. The poor child was
trembling from head to foot. and sob.
bling as if his heart would break.
Charlie could stand it no longer, nor
could l, so making our way to the side
of the lad, we asked the cause of the
tumult. -~. .-,. -@-,~
The miner frightened the grasp on
the lad, and then said:
''Why, you see, mates, this young
hound broke into our tent this morn.
ing, and he has stole our gold and hid.
den it away. Amt it 50! We little
varmint, ye!'
The lad could hardly speak for his
sobs, but he managed to stammer out
sob, gentlemen, do not believe hint
1t is true that was in his tent, for l
had just got into camp, after having
been robbed and beaten on M! way
here. saw that the tent was open,
and creeping in, lay down and went
to sleep. When l awoke, | saw this
man standing over me. That is the
truth, SO help me God!''
Charlie did not hesitate for a mo-
ment. Said he:
''You hear, my men,! Can't you see
that the child's story is true. If Big
Ben has been robbed, I'll make it
good, but he must give me up the boy.
Come, Ben, how much did you loose =
But this was not what the ruffian
wanted. lie wished to see the boy
logged, and then turned over to his
tender mercies as q drudge.
-
Charlie, and said:
''Ye can't have the boy. He is my
prisoner. I caught him in my tent.
So let us alone, and go on your ways"
Charlie looked thoughtfully at the
lad for moment and then said he:
"You cowardly scoundrel! Will you
fight for the boy p
Eyes I'm fight for him, provided
that if you lose, get him and that re-
volver you wear,' and the ruttian
looked at the crowd with a wink.
At this, the boy broke away from
Ben, and rushed up to Charlie, beg
ging him not to fight.
But Charley quickly gave the boy
over to my custody, and making ready
for the contest, stepped up to his adj
versary.
For 4 few moments the battle waged
tiercely, but Charley was much the best
boxer of the two, and in Il few mo-
ments, big Ben lay at his feet insensi-
BILE. the blood rushing from his mouth
and nose.
The miners declared the fight 4 fair
one, and my chum and l took the lad
to our tent, while Ben's friends took
charge of him.
Little was said between us till our
tent was at last reached, and Charley
was wondering what we would do with
the boy.
But no sooner were we under shelter
and free from the gaze of outsiders,
than the lad rushed up to Charlie, and
clasping him around the neck. he ex-
claimed:
"Oh, Charlie-Charlie, my dearest
Charlie do you not know who it is
you have saved! l had such hard
work to refrain from telling you be.
fore that dreadful crowd of men. am
Edith. and have done as you command
ed me!''
l will not attempt to describe the
JOY of my friend, and his subsequent
happiness as the proud husband of
Edith; suffice it to explain how she
had reached her lover.
The man to whom her father had
promised her was inpatient for his
bride, and poor Edith, as soon as she
received the money from Charlie, had
cut off her hair, put on suit of boys
clothes and started on her perilous
journey.
All had gone we'll until within a
short distance of her destination, when
she was robbed of hermoney land forced
to walk the rest Of the way. Ar
irving in camp weary and footsore,
she crept into the first open tent she
saw, and tried to get an hours sleep.
The rest we knew.
Charlie and Edith soon returned to our
native city, and in the beautiful and
stately wife of my friend, we could
scarcely recognize the poor and friend
less boy whom we saved from a fog.
ging in California mining camp.
Miscellaneous Notes.