Smyrna times., 1882-02-15
The Postmistress of Dutch Greek.
A WESTERN ROMANCE.

freight was made up by minstrel band.
1t was Sunday, and the manifestations Of
anxiety and discomfort among the pas
sengers increased as they listened to the
groaning of the engine and beheld them
selves plunging helplessly into the early
shadows Of a long night. An hour or two
after dark the train suddenly stopped.
Outside there was hOarse murmuring Of
voices, Il weird shadow dance of lanterns
aud then the conductor entered, his feat
ures being hardly discernible 1.-THE rough
storm cloak.
Gentlemen he said ''you might as
well get into comfortable shape for the
night. We are on the upgrade at Dutch
Flat, and snow-boundr ~
This induced series of low whistles,
a few positive apostrophes, and brisk
continuation of natural queries and re-
sponscs. How long would it last? When
would relief come? and, "see here, gem
tleman, who discovered Dutch Flat before
we did?"
Dutch Flats all right said giant
Californian. in d confident accent. I've
known Dutch Flat, boys, for twenty
| years.
A fat passenger who formed an inele-
CANT tableau in an attempt TO stretch his
carcass over the surface Of two seats now
said, Deuce take Dutch Flat''
The big native allowed the bilious out
break to pass unheeded. He continued
" It's certain, gents, that under the cir
cumstaEces this train has done the best
it could. This is one of the oldest camps
in the Sierras, and reckon one of the
richest. Since Colonel Gage opened house
here--I knew the colonel when he first
came from Mssiouri-I've heard it said
that better accommodations this side Of
Chicago were as scarce as Modocs OH a
scalp hunt. l wonder if a fellow could
get down the hill to-night?"
As he passed out of the car the awfu
force of wicked gust sent violent
shudder from end to end After while
the storm seemed TO subside somewhat
SAAO OONa NOA4AASECCu III
The fires were coaxed into assuming tn,
ruddiest of conplexions the good natur
ed element indulged in parting jests, anC
even the minstrel quartet Joined in, softly
singing sweet goodnight refrain. Th,
echo of the song mingled with the sob
bing of the wind and in the strange con
tilct hushed all other forces. When a
length the misery Of the unfortunates hiC
its ugly mask behind the universal court
: ship of slunber, the tempest died from
sight and sound, and all was calm again
Morning at Dutch Flat meant multi
tude Of things. When our passenger pris
ers went forth from their narrow cells an,
scattered about on the gigantic panoram
OF snow, they noticed an exceptional sti
in the h&lf-buried settlement below
Another train was in the blockade ins
beyond the station, and besides this man
local disasters necessitated immediate aiC
Dawn had scarcely appeared when tn
conductor toiled up the mountain froI
VIZ 4 A%AS IA Win Iuc DlR Val
forniaR. The former officially announce
that he could give no promise Of escap
, that day, and the motley crowd, wit
almost a show of gayety, struggled irregu
larly down to where the village lay in th
miniature canon. The Californian too
, Manager FrOhman by the arm.
There's big excitement on the Flat t.
+. day." he said, in a serious tone, and thel
) as if to himself, he muttered, ats bad
it's badr'
= The manager glanced up aud aroun
and saw flush of sunlight on a score
surrounding peaks. The Storm" he +,
marked, with satisfaction" seems quite {
an end"
e. "Oh, it's not the storm" answered th
other It's not the snow, nor the bloch
I ade, nor the buried mines, nor such 4
| that. It's not in particlar the people 0
| the Flat kere-its Cherry"
| "Cherry?"
| The giant studied the inquir:ng look O
his companions face.
II OSANAN yOO PthSS AAAOA bho IOOl VI Lui
| house yonder," he said at length, g
| want to tell you story. Treat the lit
whits-faced woman there as If sist'
| served you ora queen. Cherry Gag
| was not the colonel's daughter-ever,
body knew that-but since she was bah
| waif he has been her father by the law
| protection and love, and every man G
| the Flat to-day stands ready to take b
| place"
| "You mean that he is"
| dead? If the Sierras there don't giN
| him back to us to-day-yes. The story
| not long one. This was to have bee
| her wedding morning. Do you see avs
| to the south-twenty niles or more
| where the gorge looks darkest now again
| the sky? Well, that's Amaranth that
| where he lived-her lover, yoH knal
| No matter about him now. He was
| true good fellow, and the colonel had
: right to be proud of him, and so had sl