The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-09-29

all subjects, and general submission to
his commands, he placated Doubtless
the spectacle of your helpless family, the
contemplation of your daughters beauty
and innocence, may touch his fine sense
OF humor and pathos. Meanwhile,
heaven help you, and forgive me-"
L ran up stairs TO the little den that
my hospitable host had reserved for me
in my wanderings. Fingered some time
over my additions, hearing the languid,
gentlemanly drawl of Sylvester below,
mingled with the equally cool, easy
slang of my mysterious acquaintance.
When | came down to the sitting-room
l was surprised, however, to find the
self-styled kearney quietly seated on
Lily of Lone Valley" sitting with
maidenly awe and unaffected interest on
one side of him, while on the other that
arrant firt, her cousin Kate, was prac-
ticing the pitiless archery of her eyes,
with an excitement that seemed almost
real.
"Wno is your deiiciously cool friend ?"
she managed to whisper to me at supper
as | sat utterly dazed and bewildered
between the enrapt May Sylvester, who
seemed to hang upon his words, and this
giddy girl of the period, who was empty
ing the battery of her charms in active
rivalry upon him. "Of course we know
his name isn't Kearney. But how ro-
manticl And isn't he perfectly lovely?
And who is hep
replied with severe irony that l was
not aware what foreign potentate was
then travelling incognito in the Sierras of
California, but that when his Royal
Highness was pleased to inform me, /
should be glad to introduce him properly.
Until then" | added, "I fear the ac-
Fquaintance must be Morganatic."
You're only jealous OF him" she
said pertly. Look at May-she is
completely fascinated. And her father
too" And actually, the languid, world
sick, cynical Sylvester was regarding
him with boyish interest and enthusiasm
almost incompatible with his nature.
Yet / submit honestly to the clear-headed
reason of my own sex, that | could see
nothing more in the man than | have
already delivered to the reader
In the middle of an exciting story of
adventure, of which he, to the already
preiudiced mind of his fair auditors,
was evidently the hero, he stopped sud
denly
/" It's only some pack train passing the
briuge on the lower trail, explained
Sylvester, =" go on"
I" 1t may be my horse is trifle Uneasy
in the stable" said the alleged Kearney;
!" he amt used to boards and covering"
Heaven only knows what wild and deli
cious revelation lay in the statement of
this fact, but the girls looked at each
other with cheeks pink with excitement
as Kcarney arose, and, with quiet alb
sence of ceremony, quilted the table
CANT he just lovely" said Kate,
gasping for breath, "and so witty?'
Witty said the gentle May, with
just the slightest trace of defiance in her
sweet voice. "Witty, my dear? why,
don't you see that his heart is just break
ing with pathos? Witty, indeed; why,
when he was speaking of that poor Mex
lean woman that was hung, | saw the
tears gather in his eyes. Witty, in
deedp'
Tears" laughed the cynical Sylves-
ter, tears, idle tears. Why, you silly
children, the man is man of Ike world
"a philosopher, quiet, observant, unas-
suming."
Unassuming!" Was Sylvester in
toxicated, or had the mysterious st -anger
mixed the insane verb with the family
pottage? He returned before / could
answer this self-asked inquiry. and re-
summed coolly his broken narrative.
Finding myself forgotten in the man |
had so long hesitated to introduce to my
friend, / retired to rest early, only to
hear, through the thin partitions, two
hours later, enthusiastic praises of the
new guest from the voluble lips of the
girls, as they chatted together in the
next room before retiring.
At midnight / was startled by the
sound of horses hoofs and the jingling
of spurs below. A conversation between
my host and some mysterious parsonage
in the darkness was carried on in such a
low tone that | could not learn its i'm
port. As the cavalcade rode away |
raised the window.
whats the matter"'
Nothing" said Sylvester coolly,
"only another one of those playful homi-
cidal freaks peculiar to the country. A
man was shot by Cherokee Jack over at
Lagrange this morning, and that was the
Sheriff of Calaveras and his posse hunt
ing him. / told him I'd seen nobody
but you and your friend. By the way
| hope the cursed noise hasn't disturbed
) him. The poor fellow looked as if he
wanted rest"
| thought so too. Nevertheless, went
softly to his room. 1t was empty. My
, impression was that he had distanced the
, Sheriff of Calaveras about two hours.
.
Josh Billings.
Josh Billings is a very tall. stoOp