The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-04-21
VOL. XXII4.-NO. 24.


was in sole charge of All Wing, sheath
en- Chinee, who acted as Parson Jim's
cook and ehambermaid. All Wing was
himself perchanee in some Chinaman's
paradise, for his sleepy features, usually
utterly void Of expression, were Illuminated
by yellow smile. The parson was off, as
he frequently was, on rip down the valley,
and the parsonage, being well removed
from the main portion of the settlement,
was seldom visited during his absence.
The dreaming Celestial was therefore much
surprised, and indeed frightened, when he
was awakened from his slumber by vio-
lent hammering at the barred door He
cautiously drew back the wooden bolt, and
peered out into the warm, starlit night.
Close to the door he beheld stalwart man,
with long black hair and heavy mustache,
holding in one hand the bride of large
horse, while ON his left arm he carried a
girl-evidently dead or in fainting con-
dition.
"Where is the parson?" asked the stran-
ger in firm but quiet voice.
'sParson Jim he go away muchee; he no
come home till Sunday replied the sur
prised Chinaman
We'll, hold my horse, and hold him
tight. This young woman is very sick,
and I'm going to lay her on the parsons
bed"
He entered the room, and tenderly laid
his burden on the camp cot which Parson
Jim used for bed. Then he tore fly
leaf from an old book which he saw lying
around, and producing short end of a
pencil from his pocket, wrote hastily and
somewhat clumsily few words.
"See here" he said to the Chinaman, as
he stepped to the door, "give this piece Of
paper to the parson as soon as he returns.
This young lady is hurt little and fright
ened a great deal, and she has tainted.
Pretty sooD she will come around. When
she does see that you take good care of her,
you yellow skinned, white-livered duck.
Perhaps you'll behave yourself all the bet
ter if 1 tell you my name is Kansas y
The Chinaman perceptibly trembled as
he heard the dreaded name, but said moth
ing, and the handsome stranger sprang to
his horse and rode away.
All Wing quietly surveyed his new
charge, and saw that she was yellow
haired, fair complexioned girl of perhaps
10 or 16 years, slender, and evidently un-
used to work of any kind. The Chinaman
faithfully kept watch all night, and noticed
that the girl passed gradually from her
faint into an easy slumber.
1t was o'clock in the morning, and
the girl was still sleeping, when Parson Jim
returned All Wing felt much relieved,
and at once handed the note to his master.
1t was written in rough, unknown hand,
but this is what he managed to decipher.
PARsoN: You are understood to be a
pretty good fellow. This girls father was
accidentally shot this evening in scuffie
with the coach people. She must be cared
for, and l select you for the job. l know
your record, and you are the only man in
Colorado would trust with an unprotect-
ed girl. will see that you are supplied
from time to time with money for her keep.
Be true to this trust, or look out for
KANSAS.
The parson twirled the paper in his fin
gers, showed it into his hip pocket, and
then asked few questions of All Wing.
aWhat kind of fellow brought the girl
here ?''
"Muchee fine Mclean man" replied the
little Chinaman
"Would you know him again if you saw
him, All Wing?"
eyes, stree. All Wing no foo"
Half an hour later the fair young stran-
ger opened her eyes, and the parson, in his
homely but pleasant way, proceeded to
make her feel at home.
~ am afraid, miss, that you have just
passed through serious trouble; hut try and
feel that you are at least safe and among
friends. You are welcome to all this poor
house affords, and anything we can do for
you shall be done.
But the girl burst into flood of tears,
and could speak no words but "Poor father
poor fatherl'
Later on, Parson Jim learned that she
and her father were the only passengers on
the proceeding day from Denver, and that
they were going through to Colorado
Springs on their way to New Orleans.
The coach was attacked by highwaymen,
and as the girls father, Mr.. Winship,
rather unwisely resisted them, he was shot
dead. Then the girl had tainted, and re-
membered nothing until she found herself
in Parson Jim's best room. Her name,
she said, was Ethel Winship,
Putting the girls story and the contents
of the note together, it looked as though
the desperate Kansas had killed the girls
father, and prompted by some feelings Of
remorse and pity, had undertaken to help
the bereaved daughter.
A day or two later, when Ethel was
rested and her grief less poig-
nant, Parson Jim had another talk with
her.
"What would you like to do?" he said.
"0h, sir, there is nothing for me to do.
Get me work of some kind here in this
place. We have no friends-father and 1
had lived and travelled together since my
mother died, many years ago. We were
getting poor, too, / know, and my father
had some plans of his own, but what
they were do not know. If you will
help me to get living here, shall be
much obliged, and am willing to try any
thing"
aMy poor child, said Parson Jim in his
kindly voice, Il am truly sorry for you If
you can be content in my rough home for
a while, stay here until we can manage
something better for you. / have no one
for whom I care, or who cares for me
only the boys in the camp. But those
same boys viii tell you that not hair of
your head will be hurt while you stay un-
der my roof. have plenty of this worlds
wealth-more than the boys imagine
and l can afford slight addition to my
family"
So she stayed aud found that Parson
Jim's words were true. She could not
have been treated more as lady had she
been an earl's daughter and the guest Of
dowager duchess. As the weeks passed,
Parson Jim managed to add acouple of cute
little rooms to the parsonage, one Of which
was ssmy lady's chamber, y and the other the