The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-02-09

agement of their part OF the telephone
was given to Young lady by the name
of Frances Goldsmith.
On the afternoon of June goth 1880.
Miss Frank, as she was usually called,
sat in the little telephone office waiting
for the nightly crowd of manly gossip
ers to come in.
The little rocking-chair in which she
sat went humping to and fro noisily
and nervously upon the pine floor, and
the tiny slippered foot beat nervous
tattoo in unison with 1t.
'It's too bad" she cried, itnpetu-
ously, sits too bad for Charley to work
down in that old hole in the ground all
the winter and then sell out for a pal
try thousand. And he's doing it Just
so he can be married this summer, too,
and a pretty little wave of blood
swept over the sweet neck and face.
''He shan't do it. Charley don't
know anything about mine and he
might have little bonanza and not
know it, just hear the dear simpleton."
1oGTowN, CAL.
NY PRECIOUS FRANK:-Bonn is negotiating
with me for my claim, and he Offers 81 900
cash. have not yet accepted it, but have
about made up my mind that | had better do
so. You know if had that much cash, 1
could have the face to ask YOU hasten that
long-hoped-for happy day. For your sake,
darling, believe it will be best for me to take
this offer. II do, you may look for me down
Yours forever,
CHARLES MOTLEY.
"Hello, Frank" shouted a smothered
voice close to her ear, ''are you there
yetP"
Frances jumped to her feet and ran
to the telephone.
''Dear me, / left the receiver hang
ing down, and they could not ring the
bell"
She put it to her ear and shouted
back through the transmitter:
Eyes, I'm here; what is itP'
"Don't you forget to send that thou
sand up ON the stage tonight to Log
town. Tom says there's at least So.
600 in sight. Motley is school-marm,
and don't know it. Don't forget now
Good-by."
Franks pretty eyes and mouth spread
wider and wider Us these words came
out of the wonderful little instrument
"For goodness sake! who is he talk.
ing to? Qh-h-h y-e-es! why it must b,
to Frank Downey, the express agent al
Bokey. They've been talking together
and Downey has stopped and switched
my end on. Motley is u school-mhrm
is he? There's $4,000 in sight ant
Charley don't know it, and the money
is going up there on the stage from
BoEey tonight. Oh dear, what shall
doP I'll 60 up there. l will. It's only
eight miles, and it's twenty from Bo
key. It's five o'clock and the stagI
gets there at nne."
Frank was a California girl, and therl
were no perlls to her on the eight mil,
trail to Logtown, and if there had been
the slur cast upon Charley's keenness
and the eager desire to save that $50,
coo in sight for him would have beef
sufficient incentives to induce her tt
dare them, though she knew they awaitet
her. Running over to the post-oflice
she hurriedly engaged the young clerl
to take care of the instrument for her
and, dashing back to her room, she sool
appeared ready for her eight-mile wall
to Logtown. A little silk cap surmount
ed her head and over it was stretched
black veil to protect her face from tn
sun and from the evening breeze afte
dark. Spreading her jaunty paraso
she threaded her way along the narroN
trail which led through the chaparrs
into the dark woods.
The sun was yet very hot, althoug
almost down behind the hills, and tn
trail was steep and rocky; but Fran
pushed on, muttering to herself whe
| FalA 4 Il,
down and rest: ''Charley's schoo
marin, is heP Ten thousand dollars i
sight and he don't know it, Ell? Wei
he shall know it, and have all the cred
of the discovery, too, there nowp" U
up, down, down, around and aroun
wound the mountain trail, and Fran
wound with it, until tired, dusty. breath
less, hoarse and almost crying, she sa
the county highway in the sombC
moonlight, just below her.
Just as she reached the roadside an
was about to push through the chapa
raj which here reached to her shoulder
she heard the rumbling old stage coaC
coming round bend close to her.
With despairing resolve to go in
least with the stage if she could not b
fore it, she pushed her closed paras
through the bushes and waved it to II
driver, shouting at the same tim
hoarse from her excitement: "Stol
, Stop!"
{ But to her establishment and disma
, instead of stopping the driver reacho
down into the boot, and, with a Ecu
, yer, take it!i' threw a heavy box in
t the road, and, flashing his four-in-har
, into run, disappeared down the ca
: yon.
Poor Frank crouched down into Il
. chaparral in despair.
5 ''Oh, dear! ] haven't walked the
l and I've lost the stage and poor Charl
t oh, dear me!''
g The spirit of genuine California g
f is not easily overcome with despair, al
: Frank was a genuine California z
: and she was not to be beaten until S
e was
g She got up, pulled her black VI
{ tighter over her moist face and brave
e started on again to Logtown. 1t W
: not far, and not a half hour elapsed /
s fore she saw the lights of the little can
o scattered around in the canyon belt
e her.
j. Breathless and painting she hurried
IS the tavern. A great crowd of men we
e excitedly swearing and threatening
the porch. Some were in the sire