St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-02-14
THE WIDOW SMITH.
A California Adventure in two Chapter.
4

Nowhere in the world is a lady
more certain of respectful considera-
ton than in the wild West. She is
invariably treated with chivalrous
gallantry that is really magnificent
men hasten to do her homage and
are proud to be commanded by her.
Still the presence of Mrs. Smith in
the coach acted on the party as a lit
tie restraint, which the judge and the
colonel vainly endeavored to dispel.
Fond of travelin', ma am ?" said
the latter, in his best off hand style,
as he leaned toward her and smiled
handsomely. The lady made no re-
ply, and the judge knocked the col
onel'S elbow.
Ssh colonel !" he said, you don t
s'pose she understands you, when it s
as much as lean do to untangle your
ideas from your words. She speaks
French -
The colonel accepted the rebuke
meekly, and made no further CONVEX
sational effort The road became
more and more difficult as we adj
vanced, and the fresh mules were I'M
ruly and drove very hard. Several
times, in bad places, they had balk-
ed, and the coach had swung around
in q way that would have upset a
lighter vehicle, yet no exclamation of
alarm escaped from the lady, who
sat motionless in the corner.
''Turrible bad place to be held up
long here said the major, after an
unusually long silence, during which
the coach had slowly pounded over
a huge rock and then slid off with an
unpleasant scrunch Il should hate
to be stopped here, for l have a little
matter of twelve hundred dollars
about me, which don't care to lose.
OF course, we're all friends here?" he
hastily asked.
We were, and then it came out that
each man was carrying various sums
of money, ranging from five hundred
to four thousand dollars, the last
amount being the property of the
colonel, who described accurately
how he had concealed it in a package,
sewed in his clothing next to his
body. where it was quite inaccessible
to dishonest persons.
Il reckon it'll take pretty smart
chap to find that" he remarked COM
placently as he slapped his hand on
the spot where the treasure was con-
cealed. We could not deny this, and
murmurs of admiration were heard
at his shrewdness. All this time-in
fact, since we left Sampson 's-the
mysterious Mrs Smith had not NOV
ed or changed her position. She still
kept her veil down, and in the slowly
waning light her black dress seemed
to emphasize the shadows in the
coach
Judge" said the major at length,
lit must be Lonesome for her. You're
consid able of a lingoist, couldn t you
give her little touch in the native,
just to be perlite
The Judge looked embarrassed and
scratched his head confusedly
"Why, mebbe | might rack out
some French" he said, 1T ain t much
to do, but er-what'll | say? You
got to be mighty circumspec' in talk
in French to a lady-it's terrible
free langwidge.'
Both the military men were inn
pressed by this, the colonel particu-
larly SO, and for moment his face
was expressive of painful perpleXity.
well, just say somethin' civil" he
said, at length; ASK herif she wants
the winder up. 'Tain't likely she
does, but you might ask her"
''Oh, no! colonel" said the judge,
mot that. That particular word
French"-here the judge
lowered his voice to whisper, lis
cussin', an you'll hev to excuse me.
That's where | draw the line
We'll, chin your own way, them"
said the colonel, testify, though l
reckon l can open winder fur a la
dy-in French-without breakin' any
of the commandments. Only say
somethin' or we'll think you don't
know how"
This was touching the Judge on a
tender spot, and looking at the colo
mel with an air of naughty dignity,
he said, slowly:
"Ifitll amuse the boys, | reckon
III take little pasear, though I'm a
tritle rusty in my langwidges just
now Had consid able practice, too,
down in San Nigel county"
Then, with a soft ahem and flour
ish of his handkerchief, he leaned for
ward, and casting a bewitching
glance at the lady, murmured:
''BuenOs dias, sonora. Habeis vOS-
is-como esta vey?'
The lady made no answer; in fact,
seemed not to hear, but the judge
was in no wise Disconnected
"Reckon she was thinkin' of the
ate lamented, and didn't wholly
catch on to my idee," he remarked,
"Ill open another lead"
and again he smiled, as he murmur-
ed:
These gen 'lemen'-indicating us
with a graceful and comprehensive
gen 'lemen, and well
acquainted with good sassiety, hev
asked me to pass their compliments
to you, ma am, which | now do.
Er-el tempo es bien inconstanty,
sonora, and esta-er-"t the Judge con-
,luded the sentence with gesture.
It's little remark in the vernacu-
ar of the French" unexplained, IAN
reckon It'll fetch her"
1t certainly did seem to have some
fleet, for the lady uttered a sound
like a chuckle, but said
nothing.
Judge" said the colonel, after
waiting a reasonable time for an
answer, I'm afraid yourlangwidges
lave been-so to speak-tampered |
With. I've always allowed there
vas some difference between French |
md Spanish myself"
The judge waxed indignant. "a
oke's a joke an all right" he said,
but | didn't s'pose there was man
,ut knowed the roots of the two
was the same, an if you
an only confine your talkin' to