Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-02-18
they be until he was dead?"
1t was the lawyers turn to color and grow

1t was the lawyers turn to color and grow
embarrassed
"He did say something, and make some
conditions" continued Peg, with certain
firmness through her awkwardness; "but
that's nobody's business but mine and his'n.
And it's no call O yours or theirs"
"But, my dear Miss Moffat, if these very
conditions were proofs of his right mind, you
surely would not object to make them known,
if only to enable you to put yourself in a con-
dition to carry them out"
But" said Peg cunningly, "s'pose you and
the court didn't think 'em satisfactory?
Spose you thought 'em queer? EhT
With this helpless limitation on the part of
the defense, the case came to trial. Every
body remembers it-how for six weeks it was
the daily food of Calaveras county; how for
six weeks the intellectual and moral and spir-
itual competency of Mr.. James Byways to dis
pose of his property was discussed with learned
and formal obscurity i'll the court, and with
unlettered and independent prejudice by
camp fires and il barrooms At the end of
that time, when it was logically established
that at least nine-tenths Of the population of
Calaveras were harmless lunatics, and every
body else's reason seemed to tOtter on its
throne, an exhausted jury succumbed one day
to the presence of Peg in the court room. 1t
was not a prepossessing presence at any time,
but the excitement and an injudicious at
tempt to ornament herself brought her de-
fects into a glaring relief that was almost
unreal. Every freckle on her face stood out
and asserted itself singly her pale blue eyes,
that gave no indication Of her force of
character, were weak and wandering, or
stared blankly at the judge; her diversified
head, broad at the base, terminating in the
scantiest possible light colored braid in the
middle of her narrow shoulders, was as hard
and uninteresting as the wooden spheres that
topped the railing against which she sat
The jury, who for six weeks had had her de-
scribed to them by the plaintiffs as an arch,
willy enchantress, who had sapped the failing
reason of Jim Byways, revolted to a man.
There was something so appallingly gratui-
tous in her plainness, that it was felt that
three millions was scarcely a compensation
for it. "Ef that money was give to her she
earned it sue, boys; it wasn't no softness of
the old man. said the foreman When the
jury retired it was felt that she had cleared
her character; when they re-entered the
room with their verdict it was known that
she had been awarded three millions damages
for its defamation.
Size got the money. But those who had
confidently expected to see her squander it
were disappointed; on the contrary, it was
presently whispered that she was exceedingly
penurious. That admirable woman, Mrs
Silver, of Red Dog, who accompanied
her to San Francisco to assist her in max
ing purchases, was loud in her indignation.
"She cares more for two bits than l do
for five dollars. She wouldn't buy any
thing at the City Of Paris" because it was
too expensive" and at last rugged her
self out, perfect guy, at some cheap slop-
shops in Market street. And after all
the care Jane and me took of her, giving up
our time and experience to her. she never so