Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-02-25
Ale Wallaoc's Love.

tba. visage err mine for! Can't yer
rasp tina. countenapce
Obviously he couldn't. For nearly
an hour ne had strapped his ranors ana
moved diligently, bu. barber though
he was OF thousand. barber extraor-
binary to Leaping Antelope Run, he
seemed to make no Roadway against
Abe's bristling badge of manhood.
GER yer razors won't cut, shoot EN-
off. Year me? Shoot 'em off," and
the handsome, sunburned miner COM
posed himself for the novel operation.
lis the barber ut home?" asked a
low, sweet, musical voice, entering the
door at that lzoment.
He started. No yellow water run
ming from his pan had ever looked so
sweet to him as that voice. It perco-
lated him, and he arose from the chair
new man.. The rough life passed
away from him. The crust formed by
his habits and hardened by his sur-
roundings was broken.
Permit me, madam, to assure you
that this individual before you is the
barber" said Abe, and his new dignity
sat easily upon him and seemed part
OF him.
81 am On my way from Boston to
the Sandwich Islands" said the young
girl, quietly, land our carriage broke
down. I thought would improve the
opportunity and havo my hair banged.
On! no, no." she exclaimed, as Abe
gallently drew forth thousand dollar
draft on New York. mot for the
world. I've six millions Of dollars, not
only in my own right, but in my pocket
I will pay for any services"
AS the barber proceeded with his
task, Abe walked the shop nervously
A presags o. danger oppressed him.
The chestnut curls on his forehead grew
damp with anxiety. He knew life, in
his rough way, and he know BARRIERS.
The fair young girl would be no match
for the frontier hair dresser, IL the
worst should come. And why should
it not come? had she not millions in
her pocket? He glanced at the tiny
feet planted squarely and firmly on the
stool before her, and recognized char
acter. He knew nothing Of Boston,
but he understood feet.
And do you live in this funny
place, te he?" asked the girl, smiling
at Abe's reflection in the glass.
II do sighed Abe. - Misfortuaes
have cast my bark OF life high upon
this barren shore, and left me with only
the shelter the sea-wecds afford
ste hey how odd. Ouch +
But Abe grasped him and laid him
upon the floor. The barber had made
dive for the dainty packet ard had
failed.
Lsapiug Antelope Run was aroused.
Such an attack found no apologists
among the wild, rough miners. What
ever they might be Inherently, they
would tolerate nothing Of the kind in
| the barber.
"Away to the dull thud!' demanded
one more intelligent than the rest. And
they echoed the cry till the moonlit air
was shivered and the beams crept away
convulsively. They may have cxpec.
ted him to beg, but he eyed thera stern.
ly.
"Oa, my! what will they do with
him ?" asked the beauty with one eye.
She had no need to speak. The thrill
of that eye struck chord in Abe
Wallace.
They'll sprain his neck, darling,
murmured Wallace in tender accents.
This feeling was new to him, but he
understood it.
"Gracious! and may I see him ?"
whispered shs with the other eye.
Abe's answer was lost in the sullen
roar of the crowd.
O1t under the grand cid trees that
fringed the mines. Out under the
whispers of the leaves. Out through
the shadows. The winds swept down
the Sierras, velvet winds, but pitiless.
They shook swee. voices out OF their
satin garments, but not pleading tone
for that human barber, soon to be
neither barber nor human.
| The rope was around his neck. Will
ing hands were ready. A cloud foated
across the face of the moon, but she
struggled from behind it, held by the
horror of the scene.
Hold!" commanded Abe. And
then addressing the barber. he asked,
"You sre Justice OF the Peace, are
you not?"
ct am responded the condemned,
in low, steady tones.
"Then marry u.s." said Wallace,
drawing the Boston girls arm within
his own.
"You do take this woman for your
welded wife 2" asked the barber, with
strange glitter in his eyes.
81 do" responded Abe.
"You do take this man for your
welded husband ?" inquired the barber,
with peculiar smile.
"Te he! suppose so; to he! whis-
pered the musical voice.
"Then 1 pronounce you man and
wife. Go to the devil!'
The rope frightened, bat as he went
up the barber uttered wild, demoniac
laugh.
Then with the shadow of the Sierras
gathering around him, he hung dead.
Try as he might Abe could not shake
off the influence Of that laugh. 1t was
G ghost in his life.
my God!" he screamed, as lie
sprang from his seat day or two after
ward. II understand it now"
Understand what, lova?" asked his
beautiful bride, looking up from the
bite of an apple.
- know Why he laughed. J. know
why sle barber laughed with his dying
I - 4