The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-12-17
ABE wALLAcEs LOVE.
By BRET HARrE..

SWatS er matter WlQ yer g! ue-
manded Abe Wallace, with a not unat-
ural petulance under the circumstan-
ces. "What er yer lingerin' around
that visage er mine for? Can't yer
rasp that countenance 2"
obviously he couldn't. For nearly
an hour he, had strapped his razors
and moved diligently, but barber
though he was of thousand, barber
extraordinary to Leaping Antelope
Run, he seemed to make no headway
against Abe's bristIing badge of man.
hood.
stEf yer razors won't cut, shoot 'em
off. Year me? Shoot 'em of" and
the handsome, sunburned miner COM
posed himself for the novel operation.
els the barber homer" asked low,
sweet, musical voice, entering the door
at that moment.
He started. No yellow water run
ming from his pan had ever looked as
sweet to him as that voice. Itperco-
lated him, and he arose from the chair
away from him. The crust formed by
roundings was broken.
s.Permit me, madame, to assure you
that this individual before you is the
barber" said Abe, and his new Dig
nifty sat easily upon him and seemed a
part OF him.
81 am on my way from Boston to
the Sandwich Islands," said the young
girl, quietly, and our carriage broke
down. Thought 1 would improve the
opportunity and have my hair banged.
Oh! no, no." she exclaimed, as she
gallantly drew forth thousand dollar
draft on New York ssnot for the world.
I've six millions of dollars, not only in
my own right, but. in my pocket. l
will pay for any service."
AS the barber proceeded with his
task. Abe walked the shop nervously.
A presage of danger oppressed him.
The chestnut curls on his forehead
grew damp with anxiety. He knew
life, in his rough way, and he knew
BARRIERS. The fair young girl would be
no match for the f'ontier hair dresser,
if the worst should come. And why
should it not come? Had she not mil
lions. in her pocket? He glanced at
the tiny feet planted squarely and
firmly on the stool before her, and re-
cognized character. He knew nothing
of Boston but he understood feet.
"And do you live in this funny
place, to her "' asked the girl, smiling
at Abe's reflection in the glase.
"I do" sighed Abe. "Misfortunes
have cast my bark of life high upon
this barren shore and left me with
only the shelter the sea weeds Afford"
tsTe he! How odd. Ouch J"
But Abe grasped him and laid him
upon the floor. The barber had made
dive for the dainty pocket and had
failed.
Leaping Antelope was aroused. Such
an attack found no apologists among
the Wild, rough miners. Whatever
they might be inherently, they would
tolerate nothing of the kind in the har-
ber.
"Away to the dull thud !" demand
ded one more intelligent than the rest.
And they echoed the cry until the
moonlit air was shivered and the
beams crept away convulsively. They
may have expected him to beg, but
he eyed them sternly.
"Oh! my! what will they do with
him ?'' asked the beauty with one
eye. She had no need to speak. The
thrill of that eye struck a chord in
Abe Wallace.
"They'll sprain his neck, darling"
murmured Wallace, in tender accents.
The feeling was new to him but he un-
derstood it.
"Gracious and may / see him ?'
whispered she with the other eye.
| Abe's answer was lost in the sullen
roar cf the crowd
| Out under the grand old trees that
| fringed the mines out under the whis-
pers of the leaves; out through the
shadows, the winds swept down from
the Sierras, velvet winds, but pitiless.
They shook sweet voices out of their
satin garments, but not pleading
tone for that human barber, soon to be
neither barber nor human.
The rope was around his neck,
Willing hands were ready. y cloud
fioated across the face of the moon.
but she struggled from behind it, held
by the horror of the scene.
ssHoId :" commanded Abe. And
tnen addressing the barber, he asked
"You are justice OF the peace, are you
not?"
"I am," responded the condemned
in low, steady tones.
aThen marry u.s." said Wallace,
drawing the Boston girls arm within
his own.