Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1880-08-26

with my prize. Mat came next with a
vest and a large green necktie, and last
ly Visaha and the student put in an APP |
pearance, each with bundle OF some
description under his arm. We COM
pared notes, and found that we had |
enough to dress one man.
1t is unnecessary to state where the
articles came from, or to describe the up |
roarious time we had that evening around
the FIRE, relating our foraging experiences
and trying to get fit out of the hetero-
geneous articles we had secured. The
pantaloons had evidently been made for
giant. They came clear up to the stu
dents armpits, and there was then, as he
remarked, room enough left in them to
accommodate bale of hay. The shirt and
vest worked very we'll but the coat which
Visalia had secured was short and mar
row, and absolutely refused to cover up
the great folds IN the voluminous panta-
looms, and its sleeves did not reach much
below the elbow ON the smallest man
among US. Taken as whole, the outfit
looked best on Visalia, and i: was cOnse.
quently decided that he should go in and
take the first dance, the rest of us await
ing our turns outside.
About nine clock We went down the
river and crossed over the bridge into the
town. Every thing was life and motion.
The hotels and stores were lighted, bombs
were bursting. and everybody in the val
ley-Indians included-was out in his
best war paint and feathers. A Temporal
nv dancing floor had been laid Eear one OF
10 81 NV nd
green's band stationed within sent music
out inte the night to mingle with the
murmur of the waterfalls. We could
see the shadowy figures of dancers
through the canvas, and hear the patter
of little feet. What made it really I'M
bearable was the discovery that the town
was full of swells, in claw-hammer coats
and kid gloves, who were going IN and
out from the dancing-room and making
themselves merry with young ladies
on whom We believed we had a primary
claim.
Visalia was, however, equal to the
emergency. He took our blessing and
left us, disappearing through the door of
the tent. For half an hour our suspense
was fearful, and then baggy shadow
fitted past on the canvas, and we knew
Vlsalia had found partner. A few mo-
ments afterward he made his appearance,
looking savage and desperate.
"What is the matter?' we asked.
Nothing, nothing" he replied; dts
your turn next, believe, governor" adj.
dressing the student, and he began to Iii.
vest himself of his coat and vest rs rapid,
ly as possible.
The figure cut by the student when he
had donned his garments which Visalis
threw him was something indiscribable
have never been able to understand how
he had the moral courage to go into that
ballroom, and can only account for it OF
the superstition that he did NOT knew
what fright he was. Visalla forgot hi
: illhumor, and lay down ON the ground tt
laugh, and Mat and I suffered as we hav,
never suffered since. The student howev
er, was not to be dismayed. He threw
himself into the breach and we lost sigh
OF him. We imagined that we heard
smothered laugh as he passed through tn
door, but we forgot the claw hammers
knowing that nothing human could bea
the sight unmoved. We could Gear iron
7 our position outside, that the litter tina
, greeted his entrance gradually grew int
! laugh, and we were in monetary ex
pectation of seeing an animated pair o
pantaloons bounce out through the opel
: door and come tearing along through tn
7 darkness to our hiding place among tn
rocks.
Nothing of the kind happened, how
ever. The student was made of differen
4. stuff. He had gone in to have dance
8 and he proposed to carry out the pro
!, gramme regardless of consequences
t Marching straight up to one of the pref
test girls in the room, lovely campo
: in our nelghborhood, he asked her han'
d for the set which was just forming, ant
r she promptly rose and took her place o.
3 the floor. "The act of that brave girl,
t as the student atterward expressed il
"should live in history, for it averted
e tragedy. If she had failed me, l hat
e fully made up my mind to kill ever
9 Sinking claw-hammer in the room, an,
D knew could count on Visalia for
}, helping hand.''
u When the music started up, we coul,
i see fellows slipping out through the door
v holding on to themselves as tnougl
n stricken with cello, and pent-up vel
n would occasionally ring out on the nigh
air like cry of agony. The figure wa
q soon ended, however, and the student re
n turned TO us flushed and happy. 1t wa
q my turn next, was not possessed of tn
g audacity of either Vlsalia or the student
e and trembled at the ordeal before me; bu
II there was no honorable way out OF tn
It dilemma, as we had entered into a so
q emn compact to stand by one another.
declined, however, to don the unmer
It tionables in which the student and Visa
liza had figured, contenting myself wit
l. the shirt, coat and green necktie.
My advent in the dancing room, lk
l that of my predecessors, was greeted wit
something more than smile by III
It loungers around the door; but to my SUI
d prise, the ill-conceBled derision drov
l away my timldiiy and filled me with
l species of desperate confidence. 1t e.
ID cited my resentment, and enabled me
of understand the incomprehensible auda'
1ty of the companions who had gone !
= before me. On reaching the inner san,
q, tum, my first encounter was with
!, charming creature named Smith. W
k made our own acquaintance the day b.
c. fore in under the Nevada Falls, and wei
re on the most friendly terms. She did NJ
8, even glance at my brOgan boots, but hel
of out her hand, with bewltching smile
ID "Why, Mr.. Cornelious, how late you are
1t II had little business" faltered.
70 "What shame that you should be (
II formal in Yosemite! Here is Miss Ma
ct turtium, who has been looking for ye
E. all the evening"
Is At this instant the lady in question d.
E. tached herself from the arm of CLAW
9, hammer and saIuted me. "Where is N
l. Visalia2" she asked. ~ thought / sa
n him here while ago.
A 81 really can not tell you, Miss Nastu
j. tium," answered. 81 expected to fin
him here"
he "And what has become of the student
n chimed in Miss Smith, glancing hasti
re around the room. II have not seen hi
for half an hour. And your friend M
| hoe not ,aur in on anroaraucn fh1s ava