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

''don't talk like that, Geithr'
che sat on the box-seat along O me, ="
said George. ''He'd come out here to
look arter the San Jaguelo mine. So he
told me. He'd powerful gift of the
CAB, and many questions to ask, for he
hadn't never been this away before. 1t
seemed he'd a son come out here spell
ago, and they bought claim together
And the son he got married all of sud
den-like, and then he up and died
'And so this old sinner, mind you,
Mrs. Chcbburn, he mistrusts that the
sons wife don't understand business; so
he has come on to pocket the whole con-
Germ, profits and all-for the San Jaeuclo
mine, don't We know, is treblcd and
quadrupled in value since they first be-
gan to work it.
CANT you goin' shares with the
woman" says |.
" Amt the papers all in my name?'
says he, with ieer. Tve al'ays heerd, ;
says he, that you Western people was
sharp on business
Not that kind o business says I.
4 sw'ar, says l. cf hain't the biggest
mind ever had in my life to pitch you
off the box into the bed of the creek be-
lown
"And. sure as you live, it wasn't fifteen
minute, afore the lurch came, and over
we all went together! Most like jedg-
mcnt, now amt it2 And l declare I'm
most sorry he wasn't killed outright
Mrs. Chebburn was busy spreading a
luscious cream meringuc over the top Of
pineapple pudding-for the desserts
served by the lady of the Redwood
house have acquired quite local celeb
rity-but she looked quickly up.
ye?" said she.
"No," said Geith; "because l don't
know myself. Grasp, I should reckon
or GRIPPE, or Grind. or some such thing"
And he chuckled at the clumsy joke as
he made haste to obey the summons to
supper.
1t was late in the night before the
stage was rightcd and relay of horses
supplied, so that the tide of travel coul
once more flow onward; and the clock
struck twelve when Mrs. Chebburn
went up stairs with the candle in her
hand.
"Who's that talkin'?" she asked, as she
stopped on the threshold of the i'm
promptu hospital ward,
ats the SICK man." said Alice. cite
doctor said he would be more or less de-
lirious for day or two DO you know,
cousin Chebbura, he keeps talking all the
time about Joshuan And look at the
color of his eyes, and the way his hair
grows down on his forehead"
eyes" said Mrs. Chebburn, CHANGING
kcenly from the restless head that rolled
to and fro on the pillow to the pale,
startled face above it.
II know who it is" cried Alice,
wringing her hands-''it's Joshua's
father"
"Hushr' said Mrs. Chebborn. sIkind
O. suspicioncd it was Now, don't cry!
A sick room amt no place to get excited
in. Keep cool-kecp calm, and jest let
F.! Providence work ont its own salvation. -
/ Near-y two weeks elapsed before old
! Sewcll Main rccovcrc 1.-TWO weeks of
pain and suffering; two weeks during
which he looked grim death full in tho
| face.
''Who are yous' he sharply asked,
whcE first he became conscious that a gen.
lie hand was ministcring to him day by
day
IL am Joshua's widow" Alice gently
answered
! II closed his weary eyes. and asked Nc
more. But he thought ofluany things.
! IL should have died if it hadn't been fol
you, shouldn't r." was his next abrup
! question But how does it happen
Joshua's widow he.r, taxing care of me y
! ''Hushw soothcd Alice Don't try
to talk now Don't even try to think 2
But he put out his skeleton hand tt
find hers.
''Forgive me-" sid he, ina choket
voice. "Only say that you forgive me.'
'For what?" she asked, in amazement
! For all that was in my heart sale
he. "For all that might have done, i
God hal not STAYED my sinful hand
Alice they called yon Alice, didn'
thcy?"
Yes"
"You have been like an angel to me
Heno cforwarl, nothing shall ever par
MS. Will you 60 back to the East witt
me, Alice?'
And Alice went, only too Happy tina
Joshua's father had learn ed to love her.
She never knew aught of the darke
SIDE of his cl aracter. Stage drive
Grith never came that way nowadays
and Mrs. Chcbburn was one of the fey
women W no can KEEP their own counsel
Giles good to the child now" salt
she. They're as happy together as i
they We're own father and daughter. VIII
should l interferc?"
And so the San Jaguelo mine made lit
tie Alice rich in her Eastern home. ant
old Scwell Main treasured her as if sh
were rare tropical flower. While ever
year there came some loving token of re
m"mbrance across the Sierras to Mrs
Chebturn, who still p csidcd over tn
Redwood House. and kept the peace
with ever-increasing difficulty, between
.Aunty Felicia and the two sous of tn
san.
"The child doesn't forget me-" salt
Mrs. Chcbburn, with u smile and tear
Helen Forrest Granes.