, 1880-12-19
ABE WALLACE.
4 Story OF the West After tho n.nn..
Bret Aarte.

Story OF the West After tho m.on..
Bret Harte.
Brooklyn Eagle
What's er matter wild yer ?" demanded
Abe Wallace, with a not unnatural petn.
lance under the circumstances. "What =,
yer !!ngerln' around that ylsage er mine for
Can't yer rasp that countenance ?u
Obviously he couldn't. For nearly an bo,.
he had strapped his rnzors and moved an
gently, but barber though he was of a thon.
sand, barber extraordinary to Leaptng Anta.
1ope Run, he seemed to make no beadvsr
against Abe's bristline badge OF manhood
~" Eff yer razoTs won't cut, shoot 'ern ~
Year me. Shoot 'enf OFF, and tha - MI ~
some, sunburned miner composed htmsalf
for the novel operation. ''A'st&
rs the barber at home ?" asked a lov
sweet. musical voice, entering the door 4
He Started. No yellow water rpon,,.
from his pan had ever looked as sweet e
him as that voice. 1t percolated him, aud bs
nfose ne from from the cha chair an new man. The rough
| formed by his habits and hardened by his
surroundings was broken. '
''Perlnit me, madame, to assure you thxt
this individual before you is the barber :
! said Abe, and his new dignity sat easi]vnnnn
t him and seemed a part Of him. S~A
! II am on my way from Boston to the Sand.
wich Islands, said the young giri. ouietix
.. and our carriage brcke down. thoukhtf
would improve the opportunity and have nv
hair banged; Oh! no, no." she exclaimed. as
! draft on New York. mot for the worid
I've ST, COZ, 600, not only in my own right but
in my pocket. I will pay for any serYice.D
As the barber proceeded with his task, Abo
danger oppressed him. The chestnut curis
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
worst should come And why should It aos @
come? Had she not millions in her pocket
He glanced at the tiny feet planted souareIy
and firmly on the stool before her, and recog-
nized character lie knew nothing Of Bos-
ton, but he understood feet
'.And do you live in this funny plaee, te
he?" asked the girl, smiling at Abe's redec-
II d." sighed Abe. Misfortunes h.ye
cast my bark of life high upon this bar1ea
..,re he! how odd. OUGHT"
But Abe grasped him and laid him upon
the floor. The barber had made dive Tor
the dainty pocket and had failed.
Leaping Antelope Run was aroused. Such
an attack found no apologists among the
wild, rough miners Whatever they might
be inherently, they would tolerate nothing Of
LQe klnu III Inc OnrDef.
Away to the dull thudI'' demanded one
more Intelligent than the rest. And they
echoed the cry till the moonlit air was shiy-
cred and the beams crept away conVulsive;y.
They may have expected him to beg, but 10
eyed AZ them ,ast stternbyi rrhyyt .v,,, +hav ,t, ,
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" mur-
INJURED Wallace in tender accents. This
ffend fse{lqE +, was new to him. but he under
GRACIOUS! and may see him? 81 whls-
pcted she with the other eye.
:, Abe's answer was lost IN the sullen roar Of
Out under the grand old tress that frinsed
the mines. Out under the whisper Of tbs
leaves. Out through the, shadows. The
wind swept down from the sferras, velvet
winds, but pitiless. They shook sweet voices
ing tone tor that human barber, soon to be
nel ther barber HOT human.
Tie rope was around his neck. Willing
hands were ready. A cloud floated across
from behind it, held by the horror Of the
sCCfle.
"Hold!" commanded Abe. And then ad-
lresslng the barber; be asked: -. "You are
u am" responded the condemned, In low,
'sThen marry u.s." said Wallace, drawing
he Boston girls arm within his own.
on do Take this woman for your welded
yife?" asked the barber, with strange
litter in his eye
s. dO,'' responded Abe.
" You do take this man for your welded
usbanA?" inquired the barber, with pecu-
ar smile.
"Te, he! suppose so, te, hel" whispered
he musical voice.
Then I pronouRce you man and wife. Go
The rope frightened, but as he went up ths
aIber uttered wild, demoniac laugh.
Then, with the shadow of the sierras
altered around him, he hung dead.
Try as he might Abe could not shake Of
1e Influence of that laugh. It was a ghost
/ his life.
:" Ny God!' he screamed as be sprang
ON his seat day. or two afterward. II
Understand it now"
"Understand what, love? asked bis
eautifnl bride, looking up from the bite OF
j apple.
~ know why he laughed. know why tho
arbcr laughed with his dying BREATH" be
oaned.
Gracious goodnessl What was it for"
lc demanded, with dimpling smiles
- because he died without giving us , mar
WI Mith i, e.; wild t shrek the Boston girl sank
The ba rhar wac o1-or uod d-RrooI1.t>, EnnIe