The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-08-06
he added ut is not very fine, but it is
a.. .-,o.l .,. o1,, ..,o,t1

s'WeIl. it Is good enough room, put
it should be fixed up-shonid have been
done long ago-but don't get on very
well with Blethers, ard have not expected
to remain here. or | should have hao 1t
in better fix
Mr. Blethers is the foreman, is he
not ?''
s.Wen. yes. He is foreman. superinten-
dent and everything else in authority. ex
| ctpt bonkkeeper.'' aud the retiring clerk
| looked upon No~man's modest young face
| in n way which said palmer than any
words II pity you, my boy
''If it is not diSagrc'abIe to you. l
wonld like To have you tell me. briefly. in
what style Mr.. Biethers wieldS his att
thority."
| '.In this way. among oiher things. He
runs the camp about az lie piea>es. He
| has a lot of men in here. some of whom
| the most of them. in Il, - viii do just
what he saws: and The few men who diiftr
with him find it 10 their best interest to
| keep mum. If you keep books and make
out accounts to suit him. you're all right
IF YOU don t you're all wrong. That's
about the sizt. of it - and the clerk peereGi
into Norman'S eyes to see how he took
a statement so alarming but Norman
looked as Innocent as a lamb. aud gave no
furt tier evidence of alarm than to ask ii he
could not put his small amount of luggage
into the clerks room.
''Why. of course" said the clerk. go
in aud take possession. The whole thing
belongs To the company. except Il few tricks
[ have in there. and | will give you most
of them if you will receive them. IN get
right ont ot your way
No, no. said Norman. Il am in no
hurry to GIT YOU out-takc your leisure
| will find room in the town somewhere
for a time"
Il see You doun understand this cnun-
try. About the only way to get a good.
clean. quiet sleeping apartment in this
camp is 10 build one ami furnish if. You
! may get bed III II lodging house. divided
| fron other bells Ivy cheap muslin and paper
| partitions. next door TO Il di$orderly drunk
on one side of you. and n husky bull whack-
er, who SnoreS worss, titan II toy hon, on
the other <iCIe-but I'd advise yon not TO. y
~ hat can not he cured must be en-
/ dured.''
| ..WeH. if was boss of the ranch any
| more would propose that you sleep with
me: but Won have just let me oar. ycu SIC. y
..Oh. | see. Bul beg You to continue
to hnsS the ranch. in that regard. as long
as yoi, desire.
..in that case" answered the clerk.
smiling. I'VE are all right. L take pleas
urs. in offering YOU halt my bed Mr.. May
dole and that is the highest i"int of ho>pi-
tality reached among business meu III these
mountains ; the sports and bar keepers
lave heeu known to go further. hnt then
they have manners peculiar IT, themselves.
Norman .1ut his persona, belongings i'll
to the room. AMI then the clerk proces tlt-d
To show him about the place and intrnlu.e
him to the nen-nr. "a they are commonly
called. 1.-The hnvs." After seeing the mill
and the. town he asked abuus the mine, atld
the clerk answered
The mine i further up the canon
I've never been there but once. Bietbpr>
rms that to suit himself | have no au-
thnrirv for going down into il. aud no
t.tS.e e for going underground if | had the
authority You'll have TO get Bethers TO
take Won round. ai.'l if he don't Invite you
down into the mine l guess you'll not go
down.
.No?-' responded Norman. interroga-
lively.
Just here, as they passed along the Md
die of the TRY. hard street. they met stall
wart. broad-shouldered man, with his
hands ranmed halfway down under the
waist band Of his l,antaioonS. and arms
akimbo. walking heavily. yet jauntily.
down the canon. To this rather lofty
parsonage the clerk said
MIR. Biethers. Mr.. Maydole-the new
clerk
Mr. BIethers took his heavy right hand
out of his wastbaud and shook hands with
Mr. Maydole. saying he glad to meet
linn. and then asked il he would not come
in and take a drinK.''
No thank you''-Mr Maytlole did not
drink.
..Wen. come and take a smoke. then ~
Much cbligeI''-Mr Maydole seldom
| smoked.
well. then. come and see me take a
drink said Mr. B!ettierS. with a laugh
| that seemed TO say he WAS doing Il very
| humorous thing.
Very good said Norman. Il will go
| in and see how you do it i'll this part of
| the country.''
Are you a temperance man % asked
Blcthers, aS they entered the saloon.
| ''If you spell with big I, | an not
''I'm not mucl. on the spell. DO you
belong to the renp!ars or the Sons ?''
| mo, do not
| "WelI, then. take drink lie said as
! they approached the bar where the glasses
We're being set up.
Mo- said Norman. Il never drink
unless absolutely nee,! it,
| Blcthers then called upon the f.w loung-
| ers ia the house to com. tIt,. which they
/ promptly did. aud ali except Norman.
swallowed their DEMONSTRATING him. in
| the eyes of that parirul'Yr crowd. Il rather
/ contemplate minority. Then BIethers
| the clerk, and Nurnian adjourned across
| the street to the office. Here Ble'hers
drew from his breast pocket certain papers
which he threw upon tile desk in grand
sort of way, telling the clerk what
record tn make of them. after which lie
turned to Norman and t;iit-,;hi-ed him re-
garding his knowledge ef mines aud mining.
ANU Cilts c.tecIlt~niS etitiLiliS hoIHitiS very
satisfactory To him. Iie said !:
Il knowe'l there was IA new man a-cnm-
ing. hut reckoned yen knowud something
about the business. don't see what in
hell the company means by changing clerks
| Oh me so Often"
''Therc need be no anxiety abs.ut that
in this case. Think said NorInan. in
his quieteet manner "I'il keep the books
straight enough"
Biethers looked at him in his lofty way
which seemed tn say. I'll see about that, -
aid then he went OUT.
Norman got on very we'll with tile clerk.
In fact. he soon began 20 like that person.
and that person hecaine rapidly attached
to- him. and aided him in every way he
could to an understanding of the position
aud the people. They were thrown to-
gethcr day and night for several days, and
Norman had thereby better opportunity
than he had expected 10 find ont. without
| going out OF his way, how matters stood
| In te town. and wins was Win.
''Blethers is going tn put things up on
! you ia this can p, y said tlIe clerk. in one
of the many talks he had with Norman.
"Why do YOU thiik 80 -
Il know he is by the looks OF bin. He