The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-04-16

1t was Ben Smith who answered, and his
answer indicated sarcastic incredulity:
''I've heerd tell that sperrits do come
back to their fren's."
- I'll be here in the flesh"
Yes" replied Ben, you'll be mighty
likely to get back from squar meal in civil
lied parts to place whar squar' meals are
at a discount am empty stomicks at pre-
MUM. Pve herd tell o. SIGH things, as
well as sperrits, but l never seed none o.
them" i.. i -r 4a
Stoddard took one step forward, and draw
ing himself to his fullest hight, exclaimed in
voice that rang through the surrounding
rafters, voice that cut the wailing OF the
storm like the clarion note Of bugle sound
ing the change Of battle.
80 It's lie, Ben Smith. Pm soldier OF
Navarino. I've seen the Turk fall before the
scimiter of the Greek. I've fought for the
liberty of a glorious nation, and never
shirked my duty or forsook friend in the
hour Of need. And / tell you here, in this
tomb OF destruction, that the race to which
l belong is race Of knights, as proud, as
pure, as faithful as any that ever couched a
lance in the cause of honor. am the oldest
of my line, though the sinister bar crosses
my escutcheon, and when | am untrue to the
traditions Of my house may my right arm
palsy at the socket and my tongue cleave to
the roof Of my mouth. I am the Marquis OF
Nithsdale by divine right, If not by human
entail. The blood of Bruce is in my veins,
and the highlands of liberty-loving Scotland
can boast of no prouder name" ...,
Nothing more was said-not even a sug-
gestion that he wait until the storm abated
somewhat. When Stoddard had finished
all his preparations, Smith mentioned the
Tuolumne River. Oh l.0-.l. z
"There's no ford, no ferry" he shouted.
"I'll swim it, replied Tom.
The men looked at the speaker with min
gled feelings Of respect and amazement.
They knew that old Tom Stoddart bore the
reputation of harboring ga bee in his bon
metz, His actions in the present crisis, his
heated and theatrical reply to Ben Smith,
his claim to doubtful nobility, had all COM
bined to confirm their suspicious of his in
sanity.
"Good-by, Tom. God speed you, old
boy" shouted the men, as the mad hero
passed out Of the cabin and disappeared in
the storm. ..E .
Gwen never see him again." said Ben, as
they forced the door back in its place and
barred it.
"Who knowsw muttered Jerry Homer.
And yet when, half an hour later, the
storm having abated and the wind ceased to
howl, Sam Billings, who had burrowed his
way out, returned and announced that o
snow was falling, and that the clouds were
beginning to drift, strange wild hope
sprang up in each mans heart.
CHAPTER II.
Gloomy, dispirited, and on the verge of
starvation, the deniZens OF Eureka Valley
crouched in front Of the burning logs when, a
week later, the day dawned cold and sleet-
ing. Two more unfortunates, Roger Martin
and Jack Linstock, had succumbed to the
terrible distemper prevalent in the camp,
and with CLASSY eyes and shiyering frames
sat gazing languidly at the flames. During
the past week the weather had been eX-
tremely moderate. The storm seemed to
have spent its force in that last terrible out
burst, and the sun had shone with cold yet
cheerful rays upon that vast eXpanse OF
drifted snow. The blue smoke curling heav-
| lily from the tall chimney of the cabin hall
buried in the snow, told where despair
lurked in this whited sepulcher of desola-
ton. Ben Smith, the stanchest of the little
band OF unfortunates, was second time re.
viewing the terrible situation. A crue
| irony, that cut like the keen lancet Of a sur.
geon who steeIed his heart to his duty, per.
meated his realistic speech:
Il don't s'pose you felers feel sort O
yearning fur them lesh-pots of Egypt, e7
the sam singers call 'em. Oh, no; you'(
ruther fast an mortify yer hesh-not 'caust
We couldn't hev 'em eff we wanted 'em. "
wouldn't tech rib o. roast OK eff it was
hangin' 'ithin half an inch o. yer noses ye't
die fust. -
eco on, Ben," groaned Sam Billings, ''gc
on; it's like Il feast o. reason to hear We
Did We say all tibet fried coyote was out?"
sob, no, Sam; there's plenty o. friet
COYOTE" replied Ben. "But we don't dint
offur coyote day. We're goin' to fill III
| on turk. OF Tom Stoddart, tibet Markiss O
| RIifAolo or xuat no oil . h.
nothin' but turk ID do us fur to-day, an
he'll be 'long in bout an hour or two, O
mebbe week or soft don't matter; so vel
hev to tighten up an wait till the dinner
bell rings. Ye needn't look so crooked
Martin, ez eff we thought the Markiss was
! lynn wen he promised us chicken roas
| squar. Markisses don't lie, not much! An
the Markiss OF Snifdale is more'n the reg'la
breed o. tibet style o. pups. Oh, he'll b.
| here; don't you never fear"
"He is here" The words sounded lik
an echo; they were so low and weak.
"It's OBJ Toni" shouted Jerry Homer, il
an ecstacy of joy, as he sprang to the doc
| and unbarred it. r..# .-.
| "Derned eff he hezen't KEEP his promise p
laughed Sam Billings, hurrying to assist il
opening the door. AS soon as this was &C
complished, a shapelrss form, covere from
head to foot with flakes of snow, staggered
into the room. The form stood for an in
slant rigid; then it wavered, reelei, ant
| fell prone. A low murmur. ''I'vs mad,
the trip, thank GodW and darkness altered
over the understanding Of the "Mar-uise O
Nithsdale."
Giles tainted, boys" cried Smith, spring
ing to the side OF the PROSTATE man. "Here
some o. you galoots rub his hands. Sam
take off them boots. Strip yerseves, soma
o'ye. an give the Oh man somethn' dry 8,
put on" While issuing these orders, Bel
was rapidly reducing the shapeless form +,
something like humanity.
Turkeys, by the hide of grizzly! !" h,
exclaimed; "three of 'em. Derned eff h,
hezn't packed them birds nigh onto sixt,
mile; am pertatoes an onions-them's fu
the scurvy-an' bread, by lingo! an coffee
or Pm a liar. An'-boys, handle ol' Ton
gently. Git right down on yer knees an
thank him. He's an angel come down from
glory, and we're lot o. mean, mis'abl,
hounds to ever doubt his word. Pm wuss'l
a eoyote-pm Chinaman. Hullo! watt
this? Whisky, by the holy smoke! Here
hold on thar!-pry open them teeth, an
chuck in pint or two o. this. Thet'l fetcl
him. Every drop o. tibet whisky is wuth ,
twenty dollar gold piece to ev'ry one of us
but eff one swig'd save ev'ry life in this We
shebang, not one O. we should hev a smell til
we fetch Oh Tom through"
The whisky revived the old man, and b,
| opened his eyes. In few moments more
| he was able to sit up, and as he rose from
| the floor great spontaneous shout went II,