The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-02-12


haps you would like to make me an Of
fer for my interest in the Ajax and let
me attend to your business in the East,
if lean; would beverv glad to-" :
"No; much Obliged, partner; but no
one can do what L u going out for, ex-
cept myself. Same time, might be
able to handle my own property better
if I had the Ajax, too, seeing as how
the two claims joined each other on the
same vein. wonder if old Stacy would
sell out cheap enoughr' NO..
40, l guess SOL said, especially
if he is at all anxious to get away. I'll
speak to him for you"
"He said the other day." continued
Bob, as though he were carefully weigh
ing the proposition, "that he'd sell to
me on time if 1 could get good man to
go my security"
"Would he take me, do you think P''
/ "Take youp A great sight sooner
than any other man in camp"
"Well, then, Bob. you give me q
mortgage on the mine, and if his fig-
ures are not too high I'll indorse your
note and turn you over my interest be-
side. The mine Is solid yet, guess,
though haven't been to il for a week. "
That's the gals fault" grinned
Bob; s. but if she wasn't good wouldn't I
want to buy. I believe I'll 60 down
and see the old man-it won't take
long" and Bob buttoned up his coat
and started out
Half an hour later Bob returned with
the necessary papers by which Stacy
conveyed his third interest in the Ajax
mine to him for 81, 900, payable within
thirty days. indorsed Bob's note for
the amount, he assuring me if the mine
continued to pay, as it had in the past,
he could easily take it up when due, be-
sides which, reasoned to myself, that
| would soon be Stacy son-in-law, and,
in case of Bob's failure to meet the note,
the old man would not be hard on me.
l also transferred my third interest to
Bob for a like amount, and secured my
self for both sums by q mortgage on the
property, and SO l went to bed that
night and dreamed of the little wife /
soon expected to have.
l saw Nellie the next day, and though
she smiled sweetly and blushed most
prettily wasn't satisfied, as owing to
her getting things in readiness for the
trip next morning there was no oppor-
tunity for quiet little conversation. l
told Stacy 1 was going out, and he
laughed and said Nellie had spoken of
it. and he didn't know but what it
was a good scheme for his gal, cause
it;could hardly be expected that me
and Bob would be good company" and
SO the matter was settled and col
lected my traps together, and those 1
didn't care to take with me distributed
among the boys. They all knew what
l was going out for. and good-natured
witticisms were freely indulged in at
my expense. But liked it, and rather
enjoyed my triumph over the Colonel
and the Judge and the others who had
tried to win the little treasure that
had carried of, but had miserably
failed. ~
sat in my cabin that evening-the
last should ever spend IN Mineral
City-and somehow 1 got terribly blue
and out Of spirits. 1t felt like parting
with old friends. Every tree and every
rock seemed to have hold on my af-
fections, and the rough logs of my little
home had q warm place in my heart.
1 couldn't shake of my low spirits, and
so went down to see my little one and
from her sweet face and pretty eyes
draw the consolation felt l needed. l
found her looking tired from her ar
ranging and packing efforts, but she
sat on the doorstep and were soon chat
ting in a warm, confidential way. As
was about to go l took her little hand
in my big palm and said:
Are you really glad that I am going
out with you?'
s.You knowI am," she said, earnest
fingers involuntarily pressing mine, and
somehow before fully realized what I
was doing had leaned forward and
pressed q hot, passionate kiss on her
pretty lips, and with a little exclama-
ton expressive of surprise and not of
anger she turned and vanished. / was
happy fellow that night.
Our trip was begun next morning,
and in due course of time we all of us
came to a halt in New York. What
delicious time had had of it, and how
considerate Stacy and Bob were. They
never intruded their presence, but let
me have Nellie to myself, as though
they had no connection whatever with
us. 1 felt grateful to them and medi-
tated often upon what i could do to
show my appreciation of their thought
fulness and good feeling. Nellie was
little paradox, however-an enigma /
couldn't solve. had proposed to her
half a dozen times on our way East, but
though she plainly showed that her
heart was mine and permitted me to
squeeze her hand, whisper soft moth
ings and kiss her goodnight when she
retired, she would give me no answer
to my pleadings, but kept me of with
a coquetry in itself most attractive.
And so the days spun around and 1
seemed to be no nearer than when we
left the old mining camp, and got ir-
ritable and out of sorts, and one day
Nellie suggested that had better run
on and see my family and get sweet
ened up little, and 1 savagely replied
that would, and l should not return
until she sent for me, ETC., etc. She
smiled sweetly, and looked ten
derly out of her pretty eyes, and
1 took the train for Philadel-
phia, in a terrible temper, and yet feel
ing sure that 1 would be back again
within forty-eight hours, and 1 was. l
asked the clerk to send up ny card,
and he said it W ould be useless, as the
lady, with her father and the other
gentleman, had left the night before.
for the South, he thought. They had
left letter for me however, and-I
snatched the letter and tore it open.
There were several enclosures, reading
as follows:
THURSDAY,
Ny DEAR CHARLEY-You must pardon my
terrible Irritation with you of the past few
weeks, but 1t was the last ever should have
and you are the dearest of fellows to finish
up on dare say you will feel little vexed,
but you'll get over It, Charley, and when Bob
and myself get settled down to housekeeping
which trust will be a long time yet-you
must come and see US and be q good friend to
your penitent NELLIE.
The next was:
DEAR PHILADELPHIA-You've had q good
time with my intended wife and haven't i'm
terfered; you indorsed my note for IS, 900
and won cheat you out Of It. trusted you
and you came to "time;" you trusted me
and here am smiling. 1 enclose you this
my note that you endorsed and deeds con-
veyfng to you the whole OF tie Ajax. She's