The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-07-01
SEMI-WEEKLY MINER.
NIKE

NIKE.
She was a little beauty, and old Colonel
Johns wanted her-wanted her q he
wanted a Sevres vase or picture, he fancied
to adorn his home. And it is seldom out
Of a picture that you see such rolling curls
Of dark gold, such sparkling brown eyes,
such q face OF Oleander tints, such a beauti-
fully nodded figure, though Of petite pro
portions.
Mike Gay wa the daintiest piece of flesh
and blood you would come across in many
a long days journey, though 'the child, :
the old Colonel would have old you,
"came OF the most miserable and destitute
family ON Long Shore"
The truth was he had a grudge against
David Gay, Mixes father. When both were
poor boys they had a favorite playmate,
Mamie Lane. Colonel Johns had entered
the navy. David, a sailors Vol followed
ing inherited money. and the latter con-
tinued poor, Mamie chose David and
married him.
1t wal the only disappointment of Col
onel Johns life, and it rankled as long as he
lived.
By and by David died, leaving Tour SONS
and Mike. Deciding to overlook his first
slight; the Colonel soon offered himself to
Mamie, now pale and He had
grown purse-proud and arrogant; and
Mamie, no longer liking him, refused him.
Then the Colonel's love turned to hatred.
For ten years he persistently in-treated the
Gays; but one dayhe passed her cabin door
on the beach and saw the growing bud,
Mike. Instantly he was fired with a desire
for possession.
He had been married seven years, but
had no children. Mike he determined to
have. The girl was Is. He offered to adopt
her. Mrs. Gay, though pressed by poverty,
refused TO part with her child. But O
the mother died, and Seth, her elder
brother, a sordid, selfish and brutal fellow,
declared that she must 60 to the Colonel's.
Were all going to sea. Take yourself
of" he growled.
The truth was, the Colonel had bought
Mike, giving Seth a good price to deliver
the beautiful child to him, and when his
carriage came for her what could she do
but go?
No one dreamed in what despair of soul.
Small and OF childlike beauty, she was more
than a pet and a toy. A strong and true
heart beat in the girls breast.
In a terrible storm a ship a been driven
inland, and, going to pieces upon the rocks, !
nearly all the persons on board persisted.
One of the passengers washed ashore had
been brought to the Gays cabin and re-
stored to life. He was young and manly |
and sunny-haired.
In his convalesence he told Nixie;of many |
beautiful lands and places. He filled her |
life with a brightness it had never known
before, and when he went away he whis-
pered: "Nixie, don't forget me-"
Forget him! Day and night the girls
soul hungered for the brave eye, the exquis-
lite smile, the gentle manners of Percy In
80. IL ,lo 1v-Du, that - I'll ~-~11 I
bility she would never see him again.
She kept her secret well, but in what pas
sion OF grief only she knew. For, though it
seemed that her very heart was consuming, |
she could not hope that the proud young
Englishman would ever come back to that
remote shore.
Yet to leave the cabin would cut her loose
from all possible connection with the past.
If the winds of Heaven blew Percy Ingra-
ham that way; he might stop at her door,
but he would look no farther-for her. Yet
Colonel Johns carriage bore her from her
lowly home, never to return. Before going
to sea, her brother sold it, and it was razed
to the ground.
Though porn and bred among such rude
associations, the girl was fine and gentle.
Her father had been honest and independ-
ent, and her mother modest and %virtuous. |
Now, at Colonel Johns her soul revolted |
asb ChC NV IuOE6hICy vi III TICH ulhu I
and the poorly concealed depravity of his
wife.
They were kind, lavished upOn her dress
and jewels, taught her to dance and sing to
the guitar, and, lonely and sad though she
was, she forced herself to smile and tried in
nocently to please them.
One thought partially reconciled her to
this ife-she had the advantage Of wealth.
They included improvement of mind and
rnannnr-farUh% har RI ho a 1olv For tho l
sake OF Percy Ingraham, this wild, graceful
girl SO lOnged to be a lady!
She came in from her magnificent garden
early one morning. Her golden curls were
knotted back with a ribbon pink as her
cheeks. She had to report that madam's
fayorite flower, the dahlia, was in blossom.
But the whOle house was in confusion; the
servants running up and down stairs, the
COlOnels voice raised in curses, which could
be heard all over the establishment.
A discovery had been made-madam's
chamber was empty, her dressing-room
stripped OF it's jewels! Madam had eloped
with a younger and handsomer man!
The Colonel raved furiously-not because
he loved his wife, but because she dared to
run away from him. He uttered threaten
ing VOWS; he beat his breast and tore his
hair like an excited Frenchman. Finally he
tore poor Mike from her seat.
oCC, opPCl, We IL COAC CScu Will uCl"J
We'll be married. You shall be mistress
here. l can get a divorce, of course, and I'll
buy you a diamond ring tomorrow. You
shallhave a dress of royal purple velvet and
ermine. I'll buy you the handsomest
horses and carriage in the country. Say,
when shall the wedding be-"
The Colonel was ford, bull-necked and
so years old. The delicate girl grew white
with fright; but she dared not oppose him
in words and was silent.
eyes, I'll make a rich woman of you,
Mike. Every wish shall be granted. Tell
me what you would like to have"
II think l should like a saddle horse"
she said family, trying to %temporize and
keep peace.
She dreaded his fury. She had no shelter
for her head.
"A saddle-horse you shall have. I will
send east, west, north, south, for the hand
soonest brute in the country"
Henceforth she must sit at the head OF
the table and receive marked attentions
from him.
On the third day he burst into her pres
ence.
"Ive a horse for you, Mike! Bought
groom and all. The man wouldn't sell him
unless he vent to take care of him. Come
and see."
He put his arm about her shrinking waist
and drew her out upon the balcony.
A most beautiful creature stood uponthe
terrace, held by it's former owner as the
Colonel explained. He was a poor young
man, who had raised the animal from a
colt, the Colonel went on to say.
"1'm not fond OF the saddle. I'm too
too-feshy," the latter confessed. "But
this fellow will always be ready to 60 out
with you. l shall keep him for that pur-
pose and to take care of Monarch"
He urged Mike to 60 down and see beau
tiful Monarch, pat him with her tiny white
hand and see how gently he would take
sugar from her dainty fingers.
All the time the new groom respect
fully held the bride, with his face turned
away.
"You can take a ride this afternoon at 5;
the aim will no oo;no down and will MT