Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-02
The DAILY REC0RD-UNI0N
OUINTUPLE EDITION
For the New Years RBooRp-USIosl
THE PosToFFICE
SAINTS REST.

family man moren the rest of US, and it's more fit
and proper you should go. Just show him your
hand. and tell him the hull population here1 back
you, Jim. Speak up and tell him your feelin's and
say if he don't respect EN- Saints Restl be down
on hin at the polls like hi"
And Jim Moore had come sixty-fye miles OF right
hard riding from Saints Rest to Harding's Hill to
put in his plea. The ends OF his long hair were
burned dry and wiry by the sun, and the yellow
dust lay in the rim OF his hat and upon his broad
bent shoul srs and had gathered in every fold and
crease OF his clothing and every wrinkle OF his face
The roads were deep with dust in summer as they
were with rnire in winter. He had a certain hest
tation about him, little dropping OF the lower lip,
awandering, seeking look in his eyes, fitting OF
the hand across the mouth occasionally, that be-
spoke the floating thread Of shiftlessness in his
nature, the ends of which he was ever urging him
self to gather home. Perhaps this was why he had
never been able to have stronger influence over his
willful daughter Angie, whose eyes and temper
flashed together, and who ruled his tumble down
house and five wild younger children as they pleased.
'Mark, father" said Angie "speak him fair, but
hold on to him like a bulldog. Don't take no for
an answer, no matter how he puts it," and then she
flashed back into the Kitchen and with the palm OF
her hand hushed tumut in its first beginnings, and
her father rode away somewhat stunned by the re-
sponsibility thrust upon him.
when he entered the barroom at the Blackhawk
he was not so much struck with its elegance as he
was with his OWE odd and homogeneous presence.
He saw his sun burned hair and skin, the dust on
his clothes, his aimless, lounging STEP and realized
how far he was beyond his accustomed element
There was air of quiet snap about the room, as
though the burst OF champagne without its pop per-
meated the atmosphere. Men with the air OF know
ing what's what and Just when TO do it sat round'
unbending and relaxing themselves as having but
just now finished arduous business but it was eager
relaxation, and like the innocence of lemonade that
has stick in it. group of three in the center OF
the place were engaged in suave and smiling CONVEX
sation, but subtle sharpness pervaded among them
that seemed to the newcomer like the fash OF
knives.
It's politics, murmured Jim, and stepping over
to the bar he said to the Respondent animal Gagged
behind it, 81 want to see a party of the name of
johnson"
'0ur candidate E" was the triumphant exclama-
ton in reply. Brown puts up at the Golden Eagle.
Mr.. johnson is proud to receive his constituents.
Just in from"
Saints Rest, answered Jim promptly.
"Come to advise Mr.. johnson of yeur place solid
for him, I make no doubt Here, Jack, say. Our
friend Mr.. - ahem just in from Saints Rest,
comes with pledge to Mr.. johnson. Show him up,
why can't YOU ?"
One man out of the group OF three advanced, and
- olf tha
itor warmly by the hand smiled at him from ear to
ear, and with great ease OF manner and much cor
diality introduced the stranger to himself He made
himself SO much at home with Jim Moore that the
latter warmed all through as having had swallow
OF spirits.
"My name is Racket" said the new acquaintance,
"aud as Mr. johnson is friend of mine, he viii see
you on my introduction. Did you happen to have
any little business with him-any business of i'm
portaneeT'
Yes" was the slow reply, az came all the way
from Saints Rest over yender since mornin, pur-
pose to hold business with HIM That rayther looks
like important business, don't it?' 1t seemed to
him Mr. Racket was making almost too close in
curry.
Mr. Racket smiled a great deal to cover up the
rebuke, and grew still more cordial. All yes,
yes; hum, hum" he said. Fact is, johnson is
very busy very deep in politics is johnson; parties
coming in by dozens to claim his leisure; immense
popularity no doubt in the world OF his election.
Obliged, you know to have friend on the outside
OF be never could get through the day. Part of his
business, you know, must go through me"
1t was such broad hint that even jim Moore
tookit, and he said squarey, See here Mr. Racket,
came over to see johnson; but if that's not to be,
if you're friend of his say so plain enough, and
can go home again"
"Ob, now, now, Moore-in fact, NAV even call
you Jim-of course. if you must see my man, you
must but if you could just give me little suspi-
cion, now. of your errand, so that l might, as it
were lead him up to it," He clapped his hand upon
Moores dusty shoulder, and held him at arms length
while he looked adm ringy into his face
no. said Moore, the mule in him rising, =" l
came to talk with johnson, must hev no or yes
from him, or go back without any answer. 1t
might count him something, and again it might
not"
az Oh, certainly, certainly I'll see sou through
the interview, and put in good word for you at
the start but you must handle johnson carefully.
He's easy to hurt"
And so having foiled the middle man" Jim
Moore was allowed to see the principal 1t had been
agreed at the Rest that Moore had bottom enough
to carry the matter through, and, as before said,
being good deal of family man, he was quite a
proper representative. Perhaps Angie Moore had
bit of her strong nature from her uneasy, loung-
ing father, after all.
It was quite a relation that Mr. Racket had to
give the group in the Blaokhawk barroom, after
Jim Moore bad ridden away.
''rm damned" said Mr.. Racket, if it wasn't a
postoice he was after up to Saints Rest What in
thunder they want postofiee the outside of the
world for the people who live there probably know.
Perhaps they get letter once year. all told. And If
that old duffer didn't say in many words to John
son Mr. johnson, if you'll promise us post
Office, the Resti go for you solid, and there's sixty
votes of US, countin in the ten miles square wen
beat up to find EN-. Otherwise we're agin you, and
hev my instructions to offer the seld Rest to Mr.
Brown, the other man
Gle wasn't afraid Of honest square talk and
johnson couldn't bluff him off nor keep him from
saying his say, neither 1t was out and out case
of give and take, ana johnson was obliged to come
It strong in plain language when he answered.
LORD a Postofice Why, Tor sixty votes they
might have had bank for the asking.i They paid
no regard, however, to the delieacy of my position,
and the speaker smiled grimly as half approaching
the joke of not being recognized. He fell an easy
victim, though to that stranger and his little game
concluded Mr. Racket
So it was that PostofIice was, in time, established
at Saints Rest for the sixty votes had been duly
or johnson, and that gentleman being elected
ny majority OF fifty, felt grateful enough to re-
member his promise and exert himself toward the
desired end 1t was slight matter enough, but
there was in reality no reason for a Postoffice,
Saints Rest being the heavenly appelation of a
cluster OF not more than twenty houses the bank
of river which was sluggish and shallow in sum
mer, but river indeed in winter, swollen and
angry and often dangerous to travel, if trave
ever came that way. The little village was an
old mining camp, and heavily weighted row witt
the deafness that settles in time upon all old min
ing camps. 1t seemed to sleep ard dream in the
hollow down by the river bank The few men
made garden or orchard, or wandered off with pict
and pan, in dull hope to 60 through the semblanct
of prospecting, as il from habit. The fewer women
washed clothes, wore their little gossip threadbare
and bore children patiently. There had been tall
about keeping school for the children, but moth
ing was done about it till the subject was brough
near to mind one day by jun Moore's daughter