Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-03-27
The San Jaguelo- Mine.

seemed simple thing for people to sup
port themselves. Did not girls and
women do it oftcntimes? Was there ever
any difficulty about it?
Yet, when she herself was left alone at
which direction to turn.
She was a soft-eyed, timid little woman,
with absolutely no experience at all in
The ways of the world; and so she went
to her cousin--a brisk, busting widow,
who kept a wayside hotel On the high
road t, Santa Barbara.
"What am to do?" said she, looking
very small and pale in her deep mourn
ing robes. ''What is to become of me?"
Why don't you go to Joshua's folks"
Mrs. Chcbburn, who was frying crabs
for party of cxcursionists who had ar
rived by the noon stage.
81 have no money!" said Alice. ''Be-
side, wrote to his father, and he wrote
back that we didn't ask his advice about
getting married, and he certainly
shouldn't interfere in my business now.
Such cross, curt, hateful lettcr!"
''Just like them!' sad Mrs. Cheb-
burn, fiercely dredging her pan of crabs
with -four. Couldn't you keep miners
to board"
81 don't think I have courage for
that" whispered poor Alice. Beside,
it would require large house, furniture,
Might sew" suggested Mrs. Cheb-
burn, who had quick, abrupt way of
speaking which was very apt to discon-
cert stranger.
81 am dreadfully slow and awkward
with the needle" confessed Alice. You
zee, Cousin Chebburn, was brought up
in boarding school. can play on the
piano, and speak tolerable French,
and"
so, my" burst in Mrs. Chebburn.
"And p'raps you could paint on velvet
anil make wax flowers, or any such other
accomplishment which would be so use
tul out in these California mountains.
There, Alice, don't cry! don't want to
hurt your feelings child, but peoples
ideas about educating girls are so queer.
Get me plattcr-two big plattcrs-for
these crabs. You can stay here for Il
while. It's possible you may be able to
help me with the homework. But I've
no use for your French and your piano
playing
For all Mrs. Chebburn's short. blunt
speech, the was a kindly sparkle in her
honest, gray eyes, and Alice Main ac-
cepted her invitation in the spirit in
which it was given.
1t was IA strange existence for the girl
who had been brought up in the artificial
surroundings of San Francisco life, this
wild home on the platcaus, with monster
redwood trees keeping watch on the
heights above, passion-vnes swinging
in purple fringes over the edges of the
cliffs, and figs ripening against the sunny
rocks.
With the coming and going of the
daily stage, travellers came and went,
also, of all varieties, and Mrs. Chcbburn,
assisted only by a pair of pallid China
men, and fat old co!ored woman in the
kitchen, ruled, an absolute queen, over
the place.
''1t'> hard work, to-be-sure, she would
say; 'but / am my own mistress here,
and render an account TO no one. If n
miner talks too loud, can turn him out
of the house. If a traveller finds fault
with the fricasseed chicken, can bid
him go further and suit himself better.
'oshua's widow is welcome to home
here, though l misloubt me she'll turn
out POOR, shiftless timid thing"
Bat Mrs. Chebburn was favorably dis
appointed. Joshua's widow proved to
be possessed of better qualities than she
hal thought.
She was quick and dainty with tho
desserts, tasteful in the arrangement o!
the rooms, and affcctionately anxious tc
spare her cousin al that she could oil
work or worry.
II may make something of the girl
yet" said Mrs. Chcbburn "Pcor dear
she's very young to be LETT widow.
What selfish scamp That old ther-i in
law of hers must be. Joshua was as
fine fellow as ever lived! Guess he
wasn't like the rest of his folks though. y
1t was one December evening. when
the heavy winter rain was pattering on
the roof of the house and mtinr down
the S! udde~ing boughs of the ,cd vocd
trees, and the stage was several Ii ,urs b.
hind time
"Surper'll b" cl an spelled" said Mrs.
Chebburn, with Discontinued glance
toward thu kitchen, land then they all
be grumbling. Men are so inconsidcratcn
Just then, howcve", LINN, the tall, $,
and vellowest of the Cinnamon, came
shutting in. with the news that the raj,
had washed away part of the steep and
narrow +, adj that wound through the
gorge, that the stage was overturned and
"a lee folkscc killed.
Linn, you are fool.' said Mrs. Cheb
burn.
''Misscc look for shcsclf, persi TED
Linn, Alice dead! Horscc leg broke.
And presently two or three men came
up the hill, bearing tie senscless body OF
an cd man. who rep 'escntcd the 'allet
Ike C" of Inns terrible tale.
With this exception, the travellers hat
hten more fr' ghtencd than hurt
Is he d. ada" said frightened Alice
With n glance at the yellow pallor of the
'a:", temporarily pi.l,wed on folde
inwl.
no" said Mrs. Chcbburn, who hat
no COZ t. mptiblc knowledge of simple
:u-gc"y, ''he isn't deid But there arr
some ugly bruises on his head, and
think there's a rib or two broken. &c
the little correr room ready. Alice, -
quick MS you can. Light fire and SCI
that the bcdclothcs are well aired ant
ia. there is plenty of hot water"
When Mrs. Chcbburn came down stair
again, to sulcrintend Linn and Chez SUI
as they s'rved the supper and to keel
old Aunty Felicia from Draining thos
[suI- l.. L.