The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-07-16

you anticipate me, madame. 1t
was as memorial that l sent my first
bit of treasure, but / expected to get it
back again within two years, the girl
with it.
And did you?'
&c No; nor even received line of ac-
acknowledgement that my offer had been
accepted. Nothing finds gold quicker
than gold, when man has once got a
fair share of it, and in two years l had,
in various ways. secured $4,000. In
vesting it, as thought safely, returned
to Philadelphia in all the pride of con-
quering hero. My story ought to end
here; to wind up with the chime of we'd
ding bells and beautiful Rachel as
my reward for serving; but had
scarcely arrived when 1 heard, Incl
dentally, that Jennie had gone with her
father to Europe, nor left no sign that
she ever remembered me-"
{" You certainly did not let that fact
dampen the ardor of your pursuitP'
queried Ruth; you followed her, Of
course
II did no such thing, madame.
returned to San Francisco and plunged
into the excitement of gold hunting with
a recklessness that a woman cannot un-
derstand. Six months after and l lost
every dollar, but by the time | had
learned that experience is worth moth
ing as solid capital until it has beer
dearly bought, whistled my rhyme:
Loss and gain, pleasure and pain,
Balance the see-saw of life"
in the sensitive ears of my faithful Fritz
Rugged his brown head close to my
shouldcr-don't laugh, that dog wa:
my friend-rolled up my sleeves, and
again went to work with a vigor that
knew meant certain success if the vein
held out. 1t did, and five years after
ward had bank account which rar
largely into the thousands. l invested
it in land. BY that time / was bach
elor of thirty. Hard knocks and my one
big disappointment had shaken all the
romance out of me; when l again wen
East it was on business connected will
the construction of this railroad"
And YOU have quite outlived you
boyish fancy, as your heart began tt
lose its youth ?" said Ruth, with tn,
least bit of cyuicism in her tone.
II think Fritz knew" said the con
ductor, quietly. 81 had become al
most a misanthrope for his sake. Ii
left him to go into societv-such as WI
had-for a few hours, he either
whined like sick child or kept up sucl
an incessant barking and baying that t.
save him from being shot as nuisanc,
1 went to no place where it was impos
sible tor him to accompany me. The
old fellow went with me even to New
York, and on the journey often caught
myself cogitating how he-born i'll |
wilderness of wild mustard, and as font
of camp life as an Indian-would take t,
the constra mt of an old city. Well,
had not been in New York week be
fore there was a strong tugging. at m.
heart to run down to Philadelphia. No
that it was home to me. for my parent
had died before first left it. callet
the desire the charm of association,
and it led me.
There, as I first went down Arcl
street, my poor dog lost his wits and TIL
sober dignity of his maturity. He ha'
a remarkably fine scent. l Away
knew that; but no sooner had he turne'
into that particular street than, witt
nose close to the ground and rigid tail
he ran zig-zag to and fro, as though h
was on the trail of an cratic fox.
called him, but he gave no heed. Peo
pie got out of his way. The gamin
shouted, and, with a wild, shrill bark, b
suddenly bounded into the doorway o
a large dry goods store. l bounde'
after him in time to see him rush up t.
lady in black, who was examining
some gloves, and danced around her wit
signs Of extravagant joy. There are tone
that live without the aid of phone
graphs. Roy! Roy! Dear Royr wa
all she said, but I'd have sworn tn
voice was Jennie's if had heard it o.
Mount Blanc. white hand was lai
on his head and my ring was on tn
hand"
He paused.
"Yours? Sir, I hope you did nc
claim it," said the practical collocutol
Il did, and the hand which wore il
just as l originally intended" Nor di
Alexander, in his hours of conquest
ever smile more serene approval {
himself than our conductor at this stag
of the story.
"But the conduct of Fritz, and tn
, lady's silence, and all the queer cor
. comitants which exist only in fiction
how do you reconcile them with a
ow'r true tale?" said Ruth, the trut
,, loving.
"Fritz was Roy; the Roy who ha
. often been caressed by Jennie befor
his young master, Jennie's cousin, g
the gold fever, when did, and came
! California, never to return. Jennie ha
written, but her letters had neve
reached me. She thought me deat
Why the dog came to me when Ii
: master died, is enc among the riddle
I of my life which / viii disentangle
, the hereafter"
'.And to-day, where is sheP''
"On our rancho, near Sacramento
and believe one of the happiest wome
: in the State. We have boy ten yeal
old, whose name is Fritz, and all tn
Al l. Al Il 4 r.