The Portland daily press., 1880-10-23
THF PRESS.
En- Masque.
A STORY BY L. j. FARJEoN.

Jackass Flat, large plain in the vicinity
of the Castlemaine gold field, was riddled
with holes. each shaft employed two men,
who worked from sunrise to sunset, in the
hope of coming upon rich pocket. AS
rule hey had little to grumble at. When
the rush first set in, the half dozen gold
miners working on the fiat had succeeded in
unearthing some toerably large nuggets,
and were ma >ingla Ia hundred pounds week
man. All were not so fortunate, but there
was scarcely claim on the fat in which
fair wages were not being made, sufficient to
pay for meat three times day, drink, and
tobacco and for an indulgence in the newest
fashions in water tight boots, fine flannel
guernseys and cabbage tree hats. The sink
ing was shallow aud easy; there was no
rock or tough formation to get through, and
the golden gutter was generally reached at a
depth of from twelve to twenty feet from
the surfrce. 1t occupied but few hours to
peg your claim, dig your sheft, erect your
windlass and lay bare the precious gutter in
which the gold was found. Some of the
wash dirt yielded two penny weights to the
tub, some two ounces. On Jackass Flat
there were a great many prizes and few
blanks.
AS consequence, therefore, everybody
was in the best spirit, and men sung over
their work. The finest singer on the Flat
was Shad Ryley, whose top G would have
made professional enor's mouth water.
Shad did not know the value of that las he
had not been brought up to the stage, but
there was no doubt that, had his voice be n
cultivated, he would have made sensation
in fashionable circles. He had everything
in his favor-voice, figure, face. He stood
six feet in his stockings, was broad in the
shoulder, had an eye as bright as sunlight,
and laughing mouth that women that way
inclined could scarcely resist. Between him
and his brother Pat there was wonderful
resemblance, but Pat was built on smaller
scale. He stood not more than five feet
three; he was Simmer in limb, and his feat
ures were more delicately cut. 1t was true
there was an important gap IN the ages of
the brothers. Shad confessed to thirty, and
Pat was not more than twenty, though the
y 'ung fellow was rather shy about his age;
boys like to be considered men before they
have arrived at that estate, and that may
have been the case with Pat. He did not
look twenty, end it was plain there was
plenty of time before him for his whiskers
grow. Shad had fine pair of them and
could have grown a noble mustache. Per-
haps it was vanity that prevented him; it
would have hidden his laughing mouth.
The brothers were among the fortunate
ones on Jackass Flat Their claim paid
them at the rate of twenty ounces per week
and their hearts were light and mer. y. The
first fifty ounces of gold they made went
flying away across the water, in the shape OF
a drafts, payable to the order of a certain
Matthew Brady, and its mission was to
bring out the whole family of Bradys, blind
mother, lame father, their son Matt and not
fewer than seven young Irish lasses, every
mothers daughter of them. With tears and
smiles they bade adieu to their native land,
and turned their faces to the gold fields,
where they were to make their fortunes and
live happy ever afterwards.
There were no greater favorites ON Jack
ass Flat than the Ryles, and it was pleasant
to see the care the man took of the lad, CIV
ing him all the light work to do, although
Pat was not behindhand in wilin gness
With everybody who knew them it was Pat
and Shad TO their faces and behi d their
backs they were spoken of as the Ryley
boys. Shad of course stood for Shadrack
and Pat for Patrick, but to have called them
by their full Christian name would have
been like giving them slap in the face,
which would lead to a shindy They had
Irish spirit with their Irish blood, although
singularly enough they hadn't much of the
brogue-just the slightest touch OF it to rem
der it captivating to the ear.
The fayorite resort of the gold diggers af-
ter sundown when their work was done,
was the Rose, Shamrock and Thistle, a
wooden hotel, the master of which was
woman. This was as it sheuld be, as most
OF her customers were Irish. She herself,
Rachel Cary by name, was a woman of De-
Won; comely creature not more Than lwen-
ty-five years of age. Her brother had built
the hotel in the township adjoining Jackass
Flat, and catching colonial fever, died of it,
He left the bOfal n hic xub
herself capable woman, and conducted the
Rose, Shamrock and Thistle with spirit
She was not exactly Bordicea, for she was
tender-hearted and had fallen victim to
the snares OF Cupid. She pined to change
her name. Cary was good enough its way,
bat not TO be compared with Ryley. If you
have any idea that she fell in love with the
proper man of the two, the one who was
suited to her in years and strength, you are
mistaken. She fell in love with the wrong
man-too often the way with wilful woman.
Over head and ears IL love with Pat Ryley
she fell, the foolish creature, snapping her
fingers at the circumstance of his being a
mere STRIPPING, while she was a full grown
woman, at least five years his senior 1t was
somewhat reversing the order of things, but
what are five years, or fifty, for that matter,
or hve hundred if you please, when Cupid
is playing pranks with you! 1t is game,
however, that two must play at if it is to
lead to agreeable and satisfactory results.
Rachel Cary made hot love to Pat, and
Pat blushed, and twiddled his fingers aud
held back, and was ashamed-as sometimes,
not always happens with raw lads-and abb
solutely had scarcely word to say for him
self. What made the matter worse was that
It might have led to collision between the
brothers, for Shad Ryley was as much in
love with Rachel Cary as that headstrong
woman was in love with Pat. 1t was in
everybody's mouth, and no man on Jackass
Flat could see how it was going to end. Shad
Ryley told Rachel so.
"Everybody's talking about it," he said to
her.
Let them TALK" she replied, with toss
of her head.
"They say they don't see how it is to
end, said Shad Ryley.
Il know how it is to end," she said softly,
AID turned away with sigh not an un-
happy Ole, by any means, for she had made
up her mind to be Mrs. Ryley; a d, desl ite
Pats shyness, she was confident it would all
come right.
I'm matrimony, l suppose" said Shad
Ryley.
SIT shan't be my fault if it doesn't" she
retorted as bold as brass.
They had grown into the habit of talking
to each other in this fashion. She knew
well enough that Shad Ryley loved the very
ground she walked upon and that she could
be as saucy to him as she pleased; but she
had discovered that it would OF do to be
too soft and contiding with this strong man,
Who was ready to take advantage of any
feminine weakness into which she might be
betrayed.
Rachel" said Shad, "don't you see that
Pat isn't-that is to say"
isn't in love with me?' interrupted Ra-
chel defiantly. 'Is that what you are trying
to say?'
Yes; that is what l was trying to say"
Don't you think can make him in love
with meT. she asked, turning her melting
eyes upon Shad.
Indeed, aud think" he replied with
much tenderness, "that you could make
stone love you if you cared to try''
"Well, then," she exclaimed, as though
that settled the question. She was secretly
pleased with him for his fattery, which was
at ce il sidious and sincere.
He grew cool presently AID returned to
the attack:
''But don't you think. Rachel, that YOU
little too-that is, that Pat is little
too"
She helped him out of his difficulty once
more