Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-05-07

L
Nicholas and my heart was jest sing
ing Peace on earth and good will to-
| ward men,
'Abner,' says my old lady when
she sees my pile, Il don't believe that
little gal down TO Jake Pearson's ranch
is got blame thing. Jake is that
mean that he'd never squander dol
lar for fool toys, and 1t jest natchelly
makes me tired to think of our brats
rolling in goodies aud that little yeller
haired gal without even molasses."
II saw her bluff and raised 1t.
'Gimme that there doll, old lady, l
seq, 'and tin horse and about two
pounds of that Confectionery, and we'll
see IL she don't have Christmas yet,
all the same.
81 put 'em in a sack and waltzed a.
long the road tell ! KEN to the place
jest above Pearson's ranch, which lies
at the foot of the mountain, and after
stumbling down fur about a hundred
Yards | could almost look down Pear
sons chimbly, directly underneath me,
and all at once / heard the little gal
scream.
"Pearson hadn't lived in them dig
gins more'n six months, and we neigh
bors didn't know great deal about
him but our wimmen folks they'd
spied out the land a little. as VIM
men will, and they flowed that Pearson
was a-liying in the shanty all alone,
'cepting fur this little seven year old
gal, and they swore up and down than
he didn't treat her right. They knew
he was a rascal the frst time they seed
him, and once or twice he was seen a
whippin' her with luther strap. We
men didn't take much stock in their
talk but we laid low and Flowed that
the first time we ketched him red-hand.
ed a-whippin' ary gal with luther
strap 'ud be a mighty unhealthy time
for Pearson.
swell, sir, boys, he wus doing that
very thing when lit down on him
with the buckle end, too, mind you
and if hadn't been a law-and-orde
abiding citizen, swan I'D shot him
then. But lowed it wuz best to have
witnesses, and eff I'd killed him
'thont no one by to see fair play, it
might haye caused talk. So / jest TUX
the strap frum him, aud kinder scared
into dpcencY with touch or two or
his own shoulders, and then TUX him
to one side and guv him the knick.
knacks.
"'You put them in the kids stock
ing tonight 80 she will find 'em when
she wakes up in the morning. sez /.
It's Christmas morning, and we are
all Christians up yer In these diggins,
sez I, 'and if you don't I swear I'll
smash your head
she snarled and showed his teeth
like bull dog that wants to bite but IL
afraid to, and I swan to man, gentle.
men, wuz downright put out tha
we'd let that little gal live all alon'
so long with sech a human hyena
But, as I said before, didn't like to
take the law into my own hand all a.
lone, so waltzed off and hunted up
some of the neighbours, and told them
jest how the land lay, and asked their
advice. They all said the same thing.
"'We'll go down and talk to him
right off, sez they.
6. Bring the little gal up to ou
ranch. after you get through with
him, sez my old lady she hin have
home with US so long as she pleases.
'Thet druv the nail home and clinch
ed her On the other side. The win
men wuz with us. So we TUX along
stout lariat, with running moose il
one end, kinder handy fur talking tt
sech carrion ez Pearson, and jest a
night wnz beginning to sot in we 60
under way toward his ranch. The
wuz six of us-Hank Fletcher. Cal,
Bledsoe, Stumpy Bluebaker, old MAJ
Basset, Injun Pete and me-jest {
nough to be judge, jury and execution
er."
Cap. paused here to light fresh ci
gar but before the flame Of tn
match had taken hold on the tobacc
he tossed the burning match aside.
"Jest excuse me fur about two SCI
onds, gentlemen, whilst 1 waltz in an
! see eff my little gal is a.hankerin' fc
, anything that kin get her,"
The girl was contentedly cuddled u
in a corner of the green plush covered
seat fast asleep, with her head restin
on a soft black and white plaid shaw
, With her delicate features and beaut
full yellow hair, she would have bee
, considered lovely anywhere, and afte
seeing her it was easy to understan
the look of tenderness which lighted u
the old ranchman's face whenever h
mentioned his ''little GAL"