The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-02-04
j" "sTAoYs GAL"

The colonel, / think, was the first
person to propose to her. He did it in
the oratorical style for which he was
noted in the camp and was promptlyrre-
fused, much to his own and the boys
astOnishneht. believe the iudge was
the next, but as he had fortified his
courage with large quantity of whisky
his breath was strong enough and his
words thick enough to ensure speedy
reieci ion. He was considerably NOR
titied at it and never able to explain the
cause of his defeat, but when Mexican
woman drifted into the camp shortly
afterward and engaged, in washing for
the men the judge tried his hand again
and was accepted. Ittook him q mOntll
TO get loose- from the bonds and h,
sw0re he would "never give any otber
female critter chance to hook him
again." and he carefully avoided all
Indian squaws and homely senoritas
who occasionally passed through Min
eral City. After the Judge dozen or
more ofthe boys offered their hands and
fortunes to ''Stacy's gal " and farcd in
precisely the same manner, while old
Stacy himself quietly chuckled and ''bet
on his gnl'every trip" as he afterward
explained.
She Had come into camp a week or
two previously to the greatest surprise
of everybody, including her father.
Old Stacy good many years before,
some eight or ten, had lost his wife, and
so great was his grief that he could not
be induced to remain longer in the place
she had made little heaven for him
So he placed his daughter-his only
child-in the fashionable female semi
nary of the State, provided her with
everything that was necessary for her
comfort or happiness, and then struck
out for the San Juan silver mines to for
get his loss among the excitements and
privAtions of the frontier. Stacy was
one of the fortunate few out OF the un-
lucky many that enter a mining country,
and in few years he was possessed of
properties yielding him an excellent in
come from their hard, white quartz.
He regularly corresponded with his
daughter, and kept her supplied in
pocket-money far in excess of her needs
or requirements, but he never went back
eon a visit, and when that young lady
was duly graduated with high honors
she determined to seek out her long
absent paternal progenitor. With an
independence and courage, the wonder
ment of the boys, she travelled across the
plains, took passage on the stages and
finally rode into Mineral City on horse
back, the first white woman in camp
and the object of the shy alteration of
the men.
It was some time before the bows
could stand their ground and face her,
instead of scampering away at her APP
proach, as had hitherto been the case !;
but. the Western miner is not long in
geBing accustomed to strange things.
and 1t was not over ten DAYS after her
arrival that the colonel inundated him
self on the altar of his affections. En-
couraged by his example and unterri-
fed by his unceremoniOus defeat, the
hoys one after another tried their luck,
though, as l have before mentioned,
with no better success.
Stacy was partner. of mine in the
Ajax mine, in which there were three of
us interested, and as we were doing con-
siderable development on the vein l
was Cf necessity much in his company
and consequentlyin that of his daughter.
She was very pretty girl, with dainty,
delicate ways far more beftting a house
on Walnut street than a rough mining
camp; but she loved her father with an
earnest, clinging affection that would
not listen.t TO her leaving him. and so she
continued to reign queen ofMineral City
all through the summer of 1875.
don't know when it was that was
unduly attracted toward Nellie. think
it was when she asked me to call her
thereafter by that name. She made the
request so innocently, so sweetly, and
so tenderly, alleging that as l was her
fathers partner, gentleman by birth
and education. and such kind friend tc
her, it would be ever so much nicer foI
me to say Nellie, instead of Miss Stacy
which sounded so formal. that i came
very nearly adding other words TO the
name that our short acquaintance would
not justify. After that spent most O
my evenings with Nellie, and sometime.
of an afternoon we took delicious littl,
rambles together on the mountain sAdei
and 4ntO the heavy timber lining th,
valley or canon of the Uncompahgre
One evening, as we were returning