The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-08-19
AG OF NO CO."

The deep little gorge was not thor
oughfare. A party of prospecting miners
had found that out, in the early days.
10y walking to the end of the dark recess
in the mountain; and before they turned
back the place was named "No Go. "
But gold was thereabout, and the stream
that tumbled down from the height pro-
vided water for the delivers pans.
Therefore "No Go" became a busting
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 planned boards, and containing o
painted bar-room.
Supper was over at the Spread Eagle,
and the mistress, leaning her back
against the bar and her elbows on it,
carelessly faced crowd of her boarders
and others. A few of these rough resi-
dents of "No Go J." 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 mgainly and muscular, her
red hair was cropped like mans, and
her coarse features were freckled and
weather marked Her heavy eyebrows
were now lifted in surprise, for the bar
room assembhge was not only larger
than usual SO early in the evening, but
the men stood Ill clump, instead of
sprawling over benches, chairs and ia
bles.
''I'd like to be told what we mean by
GRIMM an sneakin' round yer like a
pack O. hungry wolves" Ag said: "Ye've
had'y grub, hain't ye?"
The voice was harsh, but good-na-
tured, and the rude words were under.
stood by all to be joose Her question
brought n hesitant spokesman to the
front. He went so far toward taking of
his hat as to push it to the back of his
head. and said:
''Its this way, Ag. The boys has
been thinlSin as they'd like to give We
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 ont 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 a
boss case and can't come. SO we'll jes'
have it brung right in, without no more
talk"
Some of the men went out and lifted q
big mirror from wagon in front of the
house. They had trouble getting it
through the doorway without scraping
the gilt off the heavy frame. Ags face
flushed when she saw it, which might
have been taken as evidence of delight;
but her suddenly lowered brows and DOM.
pressed lips would have warned the coH,-
pany OF an outbreak if they had not been
too busy with the mirror to observe her.
They leaned it carefully against the wall,
crowding III front of one another to see
themselves i'll it, and then turned to-
ward Ag. Her black aspect drove the
jollity out of their faces. The last time
any Of them had seen her look like that
was when she broke pitcher and the
Pinkeyville champions head.
''Stan' aside" the spokesman cried,
with brave attempt at hilahty, San
give Ag view of herself"
They stiff1y obeyed, cycling the en-
ragged woman. She seized bottle OF
whisky by the neck with one brawny
hand and flung it with all her might az
the mirror, SCATTERING both plate and
missile and scattering the beverage OF
tho wall.
''Thar's my feelin's, fully expressed,
she said rerlacinp her elbows ON thu
bar, swelling her broad chest and glar
ing at the astounded miners. "Hevin
been insulted in my own house / makes
forcible remark. The frames left an
We kin tote it right out, er I'll crunch it,
"Why, Ag-" the spokesman began.
81 never made no claim ez WASH I ei
homely ez a hedgehog" she interrupted
aud her snort, bristling hair seemed y
be rising like quffls on the ugly beas
mentioned, can knowed was rough
er'n the toughest Of We. Very well
Ye mustn't make no sport Of my looks
however. Ye might o. 'spicioned rs
wouldn't take no such joke. A glass fo
me to look inl Why, cuss we. why didn'
We have me photographed, an dom
with it?"
II sw'ar we didn't mean nothin' on
civil, Ag-all the boysn sw'ar w
didn't."
The spokesman looked around for con
firmation and support, and saw tina
those in the rear were breaking quietl
for the door. II wns plain that Ag WI
in a.fury, and would not long ccntrc
herself Bottles and glasses we're With
her reach, and a knife and revolver wer
known to hang under the bar. A clos
observer of her character had describe
her as ''helLon impulse" In her pres
ent condition she was extra hazardous