Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-11-27
UNCLE J0E'S MISTAKE.


UNCLE J0E'S MISTAKE.
A midsummer moon was shining
down on the uneven surface of the wild
mountain plateau; the lights of the lit
tie settlement shone like yellow dots of
flame, here and there. Tonight the
barracks-mere rude wooden enclosures
they were, as fiimsily constructed as a
child's card-houSe were in restless
commOtion. for the men were to break
camp on the morrow.
Six months they had been stationed
at Omayo. When first the struggling
settlement sprang up around the noun
tain mine, whose hidden treasures had
attracted the inhabitants, there had
been trouble with the wandering In
dians who haunted the slopes higher up
as much the fault of the whites as of
the red men, It is but just to say.
But the United States protects its
own, and body of men were stationed
at once at Omayo, until the settlement
WAS strong enough, fguratively speak
ing, to stand on its own feet. And now
the emergency was over, and the SOL
diers had been ordered to military
post hundred miles OF so to the north
west.
Old Joe Jernigan sat smoking his
pipe on the board platform in front of
his General Supply Store"
All the evening II had been full of
customers; but now. as the hands OF the
wooden clock neared the figure nine, he
was at liberty to:come out 10 his splint
chair and smoke his pipe and stare at
moon. while Captain Irving Ismay sat
on the cracker barrel, inside, and talked
with Lily.
Lily was Jernigan's niece and book
keeper, and in addition to this the very
apple of his eye-a tall, dusky-eyed,
handsome girl, with a peachy complex
ion, and hair full of bronze glints and
CLEANS.
''Tiger Lily" the miners called her,
sometimes III reference TO fine spirit
of her own that she had, and a self
assertion which she was very apt TO
show If once she suspected that any of
them were not treating her with due
respt ct.
Lily was adding up the books for the
day. (Old Jed was no scholar, and
knew nothing of bookkeeping by double
entry. The gal knows enough for US
both" " he was won't to say, with a Ger
tain pride, as he looked toward the
down the various items of sales and
barter with an eagles quill pen, dipped
in ink made of pokrberi V juice. And
Captain lsInay was bidding her good
by.
''She'u miss him, likely, will Lily"
said Joe to hims-lf, still staring stead
fastly up at the moon. Hes been "a
deal o. company Tor her. 1t amt as If
she could bring herself TO associate with
every fellow at the Omayo Mines, for
Lily always was particular. But then
a hundred miles or SO don't count for
much out here, and if he asks permis-
sion to come and see her once i'll a
while, i shan't say no. My poor little
Tiger Lilyl L brought her out here
because there didn't seem no place to
leave her in the State of Yarmouth,
and she's been rare and useful to me,
there's no denyin' that But it's lone
some place for gal to come to; yes. il
is. And the captains fine fellow, but
he amt no hand zomer for a man than
Lily is for gal. So fur's / can see,
shall be the only man who will be the
loser by the bargain. En-? Is that you,
Reuben DorsayI Set down a spell No,
We amt shut up yet, but the post bags
been gone twenty minutes and more "
'Gone. eh?r said Reuben Dorsay, the
young foreman of the force now en-
ployed in establishing telegraphic COM
munication between Omayo and Center
City. "Well, it's no great matter. To-
morrow will do very well. Nice night,
Jernigan, isn't it?''
Yes"
The old man smoked on.
The military division is getting
I.- 90
so I'm told.''
THE captains inside, isn't he, talk
ing to Lily?"
Jernigan nodded, without removing
his pipe from his mouth.
Dorsay half rose, then sat down again.
well" said he, Il guess won't
disturb them"
Jernigan answered only by sort of
sly chuckle.
"a nice man, that young Ismay?"
Once more old Joe nodded.
They'll get more civilized quarters,
I've heard, at Morton's Pass" OBJ
served Dorsay, leaning back aga nst
tile cedar post that formed one of the
columns of the ruds pOrtico. "Ismay's
wife is TO meet him there"
''Ismay's which?''
"HIs wife. From Sacramento City.
Didn't you know he was married to old
General Purviance's aduahterp a run
away match, two years ago. Quite a
romantic story"
NO" sand Joe Jernigan, 81 never
heard it.''
Dorsay talked little longer, but old
Joe paid no sort of attention to his
words. He did not even know when
the young foreman went away.
''Ismay's wife!'' he kept repeating to
himself wifeI what viii Ii y
say-poor Lilyl-when she knows il?
BY gum! I've a mind to pitch the fel-
low down into the gulley when he
comes outi What business has a mar
ried man lurking around here, talking
nonsense to the girls? But he'll find it
won't pay to fool with my Tiger Lily.
No, that it won'tl'
Captain 1Smay went away presently,
with a careless, good-humored adieu.
The old man 9lnred at him, as he
departed, with red, savage syeA IKE