Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-22
MEHITBBEL.
Written for the SUNDAY UNION |

think rheumatism luxury to me-" and
Mr.. Southerly groaned fearfully as I.e
vainly tried to change his position on. the
bed.
"Oh, l suppose she is up on the bluff
dreaming again." said Mrs. Southerly, as
she endeavored to roll "her worser half' or
whole, it may be, into more comfortable
position, amid storm of CALCULATIONS and
groans.
"By the bloody dragons no man has
any business to have inhammatory rheuma-
tism unless he knows how to swear clear
up and down the gamut. Thunderation
Mercy, where is Hit? She's the only one
that can twist me into anything like an
easy shape. Great -"
Don't, John, use those dreadful words,
I'll go and find Hitty," pleaded Mrs.
Southerly.
"Well, send Nat, why don't you. l sup
pose he has cleared out too. Dear dear
and here we are fifty miles from anywhere,
almost"
Mrs. Southerly went to the door and
called for Nat repeatedly, but receiving
no answer, came back with disconsolate,
tired-out look upon her face and reached
for her sunbonnet, which was hanging on
peg driven into one of the logs of their
cabin.
"You needn't go out now," said Mr..
Southerly, they'll come after while,
suppose, and Pm little easier now"
"Why did we ever come to this horrid
country" said Mrs Southerly, taking
advantage of the lull in "John's" TRADE to
find little fault herself; "Pm sure l never
wanted to come. Here we are cooped up
in this log house, with only two rooms,
away up in the mountains, and nothing to
do but mine; and mines will be the death
of you, too, John, if you don't get out of
them; everything is going wrong, the dust
is about used up, and you can't work for
any more, John, until you get well again,
and goodness knows when that will be,
We must send for Luke" and Mrs South
erly began to whimper.
There, Mercy; now don't you begin"
said Mr.. Southerly, otis enough, think,
| if the sick ones growl."
l can't help seeing how we are situated
|
have no provisions for winter. | do hope
Luke has made something this fall over
| there at Tarantula Bar. He's his own
master, 1t is true, but Pm afraid we'll have
to fall back on him for support the entire
winter, and who knows what may happen
to the boy; the miners are so rough and
dreadful-they cut and shoot and hang on
the slightest provocation. I've no fears of
Luke giving them any proyocation, for he
is one of the best of boys, but he might get
hurt accidentally, John, and then what
would we do? Do let us send for him to
come home. / can't stand this way of liv-
ing much longer"
"Well, send for him, Mercy; send for
him, if you feel that way about it; there
don't seem much prospect of my getting
any better for some time. We have good
| claim on the fat here as soon as rains
| come sufficient to work it."
Just then Mehitable came in, and both
turned to her at once.
| What made you stay away so long,
Hitty. Fathers been fretting because
you wasn't here when he had to change
his position in the bed. He'll hardly let
| me touch him."
Poor papa, Pm very sorry. / climbed
to the top of Boulder hill, where | had
| the grandest view of the surrounding
| country, even to the valley below, and it
was farther than l thought Pll get sup
per now"
ltwas surprising what change came
over the household when Hitty came. Her
father seemed easier and less fretful. and
her mother was cheerful. She said little,
but her quite manner and bright sunny
look put both in better humor.
Hitty, as her mother called her, was
eighteen; quiet, self-possessed, self-re-
liant girl, and was thought to be rather in
| dependent for one OF her age. In the year
1851 girls were few in California, and
when one came to camp anywhere in the
mines, she was an object of unusual in
terest, and lucky was the miner who had
| the good fortune to make her ACQUAINTANCE.
AS consequence, Hitty was much sought
for on the flat, and although the miners
were many: not single one had received
the least encouragement. Naturally, then.
she was called cold and Indifferent. For
this she cared but little; there was much
to do at her home and she did il cheer
fully. Her mother was not strong and
much disposed to look upon the gloomy side
of life, thus requiring constant encourage
ment from some source. Her father was
| not constituted by nature to give it, being
somewhat gloomy himself, especially dur
ing the last few months, when rheumatism
had SO raked his body that he had grown
fretful and peevish. So this encourage
ment must necessarily come from Hitty,
and Hitty comprehended this, young as
she was. 1nstinctively both her father and
mother realized her strength of character.
and had learned to look to her as one
much older and much more experienced.
While supper was being prepared, her
mother told her they had decided to send
for her brother Luke. Tarantula Bar was
more than twenty-five miles away, over the
heavily wooded hills, with only rude,
rough trails to show the way. 1t might be
weeks before they received an answer.
Hitty agreed with her parents-Luke
ought to come home, and so Hitty wrote.
Lukes partner in mining was Dick
Manly; he had accompanied Luke to
Tarantula Bar when the water had given
ont on the Flat. and they would no doubt
come back together
Dick had been one of Hitty's admirers:
handsome in form and feature, ardent and
impetuous, he was believed by all to be the
favored one; yet, notwithstanding his own
efforts and the good words spoken for him
by Luke he had been refused on The
ground that her parents greatly needed
her assistance and she must not, under apy
consideration, leave them; besides, she had
other reasons which were quite sufficient
for herself. Still, Dick did not despair.
Though his chance might be exceedingly
slim, perhaps one in hundred, he clune
TO that one chance, and all because he
fancied Hitty was the least bit sorry when
the dreadful mo" had been said, but [ sus-
peet his principal hope lay in his ally,
Luke.
fiie letter asking Luke 10 come home
had already been gone week, and they be-
gan to look every day for an answer. 1t
required Hitty's best efforts to keep up
fair degree of cheerfulness at home. Her
father was becoming weaker and more
emaciated every day; the intense pain and
constant worry were telling on him very
fast, and Hitty could not hide her anxiety
from her mother, who was asking over and
over again if she did not think her father
was failing rapidly. OF if Luke would
come He had told them not to fret or
worry aooat him if they did not hear from
him as often as .hcsa wished; he was likely
to be far from Postofiiee. and he ,conld