The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-06-30
GAG OF NO GO.

SAG OF NO CO."
The deep little gorge was not a thor
oughfare. "A party of prospecting miners
had found that out; in the early days,
by walking to the end of the dark recess
in the mountain; and before they turned
back the place was named ."No &c" ;"
But gold was thereabout, and the stream
that tumbled down from the height pro-
vided water for the delivers pans.
Therefore ssNo Go y became bustling
settlement, though it did not change its
name to something indicative of its pros
perity. A stamp mill was being built,
and machinery was beginning to take
the place of mems arms in the processes
of mining. Some of the miners had de-
serted their cabins and taken to board
ing at the Spread Eagle, house made
of planed boards, and containing a
painted bar-room. s-g So.
Supper was over at the Spread Eagle,
and the mistress, leaning her back
against the bar and her elbows on it,
carelessly faced a crowd of her boarders
and others. A few of these rough resi-
dents of rNo Go" knew that her name
was Agnes Brinkley, but the Brinkley
was hardly ever heard, and the Agnes
was in common usage shortened 10 Ag.
She was not over thirty, and her face
was not hideous. Her blindest friends
could claim nothing further for her
looks. She was six feet in height, her
form was ungainly and muscular, her
red hair was cropped like q mans, and
her coarse features were freckled and
weather marked. Her heavy eyebrows
were now lifted in surprise, for the bar
room assemblage was not only larger
than usual SO early In the evening, but
the men stood in clump, instead of
sprawling over benches, chairs and ta-
bles. --,-s.s-..--
'1'd like to be told what ye mean by
GRIMM an sneakin' round yer like a
pack q hungry wolves" Ag said: ssYe've
had yer grub, .hain't ye?" So
The voice, was harsh. but good-na-
tured, and the rude. words were under.
stood by all to be joose. Her question
brought a hesitant spokesman to the
front. He went SO far toward taking off
his hat as to push it to the back of his
head, and said: ff-F iE f 81
''It's this way, Ag. The boys has
been a-thinkin' as they'd like to give ye
kind O. testi-moni-yal, specially sence
We had the bar-room. painted. They feels
yer public spirit Wal, it's come to a
head, an it's out thar in the wagin. We
did expec' to bring Jedge Low up from
Pinkeyville to make a presentashing
speech, but he's got hung jewry in q
hoss case and can't come. So we'll jes'
have it brung right in, without no more
talk" ~ -s .s.-
Some of the men went out and lifted q
big mirror from a wagon in front of the
house. They had trouble getting it
through the doorway without scraping
the gilt off the heavy frame. Ag's face
flushed when she saw it, which might
have been taken as evidence of delight;
but her suddenly lowered brows and.com
pressed lips would have warned the com.
pany of an outbreak if they had not been
too busy with the mirror to observe her.
/ They leaned it carefully against the wall,
providing in front of one another to see
themselves in it, and then turned TO-
ward Ag. Her black aspect drove tht
jollity out of their faces. The last time
any of them had seen her look like thai
was when she broke q pitcher and the
Pinkeyville champions head.
''Stan' aside" the spokesman cried,
with brave attempt at hilarity, can
| give Aga view of herself.
They stifly obeyed, eyeing the en-
ragged woman. She seized bottle O
whisky by the neck with one brawny
hand and flung it with all her might a
the mirror, shattering both plate an(
missile and spattering the beverage OF
the wall.
''Thar's my feelin's, fully expressed,
she said, replacing her. elbows on tn
bar, swelling her broad chest and glar
ing at the astounded. miners. "Hevir
been insulted in my own house make
| forcible remark. The frames left an
/ We kin tote it right out, er I'll crunch it.
"Why, Ag-" the spokesman began.
"I never made no claim ez I wasn't e
homely ez a hedgehog" she interrupted
and her short, bristkng hair seemed t
be rising like quilts on the ugly beas
mentioned, "an' I knowed I was rough
er'n the toughest of ye. Very well
Ye mustn't make no sport of my looks
however. Ye might o 'spicioned as
I wouldn't take no such joke. A glass fo
me to look inl Why, cuss ye, why didn'
ye have me photographed, an don
with it ?"
'I sw'ar we didn't mean nothin' OF
civil, Ag-all the boys'l sw'ar W
didn't"
The spokesman looked around for COZ
firmation and support, and saw ths
those in the rear were breaking quietl
for the door, 1t was plain that Ag W.
in fury, and would not long contr
herself. Bottles and glasses were With
her reach, and knife and revolver wei
known to hang under the bar. A clol
observer of her character had describe
her as '.hell on impulse" In her pre-
ent condition she was extra hazardou
The retreat became stampede when 81
threw out her arm toward the weapons
and she was left alone.
The retreaters came together under
shed a few rods from the Spread Eagl
High indignation was profanely e.
pressed, and proposition to mob A
and burn her house was received wit
an enthusiastic "Hooray." But Co
servative voice said that she was n
much to blame. taking the view of II