Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-10-04
MiseeIIaneous. g
Nancy Jones Baby.
A CALIFORNIA GULCH STORY.

and bent their heads at each rude blast Of
I the storm. Masses of black clouds hung
/ like funeral pail over the mouutains,
! and the rain poured down In torrents.
! Rabbit Greek bounded down its narrow
| bed. carrying all before II, whirling and
/ writning Hike a huge serpent, taking It's
way with rapid leaps. bearing on its foam.
| Ing bosom a mass of rubbish. Great logs
aud stumps OF trees, caught from their
resting places on some hillside, were borne
| on til lost to sight. Now aud then
! slo@cc-bOx came floating down until dashed
! to pieces ag ainst a bowlder, telling of dis
/ aster To some poor miner further up the
/ gulch. On, on. swept the rushing waters,
/ taking In their rude embrace all that
/ crossed the path OF their fury.
Sudden aud awful had been the coming
/ Of the storm, a. II delay had strengthened
\ its power and given new caergy TO It's
/ hrcencss. Then came the change from
warmth to cold--from rain to snow-and
| soon the rugged hills were clothed In
I " hiie. and iu the guiches were piled huge
| drifts. The trees wear heavy with iheir
/ burden. aud when some blast more rude
/ than Others stirred their branches, the
/ grateful limbs lifted their heads and tossed
aUout with Joy nj their relief.
! Inc town OF Rabbit Greek stand. an-
sheltered on The hill>ides, aud in its un-
! protected state had been exposed to the
, fury of the storm. The small rude houses
/ were rocked by every blast till they
/ tTrmb'cd on their slight foundAt ious.
In the principal har-room OF the town
were gathered the greater part OF the male
I population. Ii WAS large room, with
I table, scattered around IT, sides In the
| centre stood billiard table. the boast aud
pride OF the proprietor, aud be mad often
been heard 70 say:
''>ce that billiard table! IL cost fort'ua
I To set that ere piece ot furniture up in my
{ saloon" Aud then, as surprise aud wonder
were depicted On the face of his listener,
the owner Of that " ere table would give
The aston shing Information tha, "She was
packed across the mountains on n mule
In The corner stood the mammoth stove.
snd alongside of IL pile oi logs. for
ample We're the heating Accommodations OF
odd Mckcnzles saloon, and the larger
/ part Of the crowd were gathered around
the warm sides taklus In Its cheering heat.
The smiling hosts rubicund couutcnance
shnne ike "A new brass tea kettle, as he
rushed around attending 10 the wants OF
hl, patrons. lie hnAlly addressed one Of
the CROWD near the stove with
Il say. JAKE. IT. started tn good. You
were la luck II you had been day later
I 1tA "btiAA 4AfN hsI ~ NVtilt SNta Cil ruph
shoes
The answer came In a voice singularly
low and sweet, for the person spoken To
a. Jake was 4 man OF great s.Lc, and as
he stood with his back 10 the stove his
heavy Goa. almost reaching the floor, be
looked like giant. There was an inde-
scu9Abe air OF refinement aud grace about
the man. and the face that lpoked OUT
: from under the broad brimmed hat VA.
one handsome and yet sad
"ies, Mac; was lucky. ss you say
and IL IL keeps on in this way long. We
shall be block aided for a couple OF weeks"
One or two more of the crowd here gave
their opinion as 10 the chances FOR a hard
winter; but their conversation chmc 20 an
abrupt termination the door Of the ss-
loon opened with a rush, and In came a
hgure winch at first looked Ike n mass of
SNOW, but by dint of much shaking aud
stamping OF feet, Il finally assumed the
shape OF man. who, as lie pulled on his
heavy coat. disclosed TO the crowd the
we!l-Ano~n features OF the only doctor on
/ Rabbit Greek.
4 run OF salutations greeted him from
| all sides for DR.. Holmes Was a man re-
! spected by old and young. He had pale,
reiiued face, with the sharpcst OF gray
! eyes looking out from jet-biacs e,e brows,
and people said when the Doctor got riled
those gray eyes snapped aud giared, Civ
/ ing the person who met his displeasure
some insight into the character OF the IN AL
they had 10 deal with.
Amer the doctor had said, How are
| you boys!" he turned TO Mckenzie and
called Tor a drink. when his eye caught
sight of the tall fsure by the stove, and
! then came;
why. Jake Morse, how are your
The same low. sweet voice answered
"Flrst-rate, Doc: how are you? Come get
near The stove aud put warmth into your
| bones. who is sick in towpl Its bad
night for even a doctor To be out"
The doctor made his way TO the stove,
and, as be did so. said:
Well | will tell you something that will
surprise you aud every one in Rabbit
| Creek
The crowds which had scattered in diff
fereut parts OF the room, engaged in play
lag cards OF talking over the last news
from Frisco. gathered round the doctor.
or neglected their occupation to hear what
he had To say. tor surprise at Rabbit
Greek was "A novelty. MchinZie handed
the doctor his drink. and as he stood with
the steaming glass In his hand he said. in
a low voice:
Nancy Jones has got a baby"
For moment everything vas as quiet
as the graye-thc only sound was the click
click OF the spoon AS the doctor slowly
| stirred up the contents OF the glass. IL
was only for q moment, and then Ip
jumped Pat MoraL. a little red-whiskered
lrlshmal, who had a face In which humor
aud good nature were the chief character.
istics, and noted as being the noisiest aud
srallest man in the camp. Getting on one
| oi the many tables, he, iD a loud voice,
called Tor
Three cheers for Nancy Joness baby"
Then. as if every mans life depended on
it, they one and all gave three such cheers
as would have frightened u civilized being
out of his wits. Then followed n scene of
confusion All manner of questions were
poured upon the poor doctor. What Is it
"a boy or grl?" and Pat Moran says.
Ill it is boy, docther. darlpt, call him
aither me-" The doctor stated that it was
girl. and a very nne one. At this aRsTer
Pat Moran expressed his disgust to the ef-
feet that "he had the divirs own luck"
and that ''he should niver rest quiet In his
grave till he stud godfather tu baby,
for sure It's next to being the father OF
one."
Then followed propositions to drink the
health Of mother and child, which were
checked by the doctor, who. after contin-
ued Efforts made himself heard. Pat Mo-
ran, equal To the occasion, took the top OF
his favori.e table and yelled:
whist We dvils! an sure the Doc
wishes to address yees on the topic Of the
day"
i'hen DIR Holmes said:
Boys. l am sorry to destroy all your
pleasure, but | have seen that to-nigh
down at the'Log House. which has made
me. dOcter. as | am. and used to sorrow
aud suffering, shed tears. It's with great
psiQones tell ysu that Nancy Jones and
her 10y must both die"
As the docter said this. q low hum
passed around the room, and one could see
the grun and rugged faces of those men
change color and grow pale, while their
hands clenched together to prevent the
feelings they wished to conceal. Then
Jake Morse said is a low voice;
Doc, what's the matters Can't ?you
save one of theem; can we do anything? l