Mohave County miner., 1889-08-31
THE DIAMOND DOLLAR.

Worst thing in the world for weak
eyes. young woman"
The young woman looked up from
The magazine in her lap and smiled ut
her gray bearded mentor on the oppo-
site side of the street car. She smiled
with her whole face--dimpled chin, red
cheeks, full lips; even the eyes behind
the convex glasses Of her pi,tce nee
iwinkled. 49,. 80
Thank you," she said. shutting the
book softly, Il know it was merely
glancing at the pictures" ~
Then she turned her amused glance
toward the front part Of the car. and
met the eyes of the driver staring
straight at her. His face lighted up
when her glance met his. and with his
rough glove he patted the left side Of
his coat. as though it shielded some
thing which concerned her.
The car was one of those little
wheeled boxes locally known as the
Pound Gap Bob-tails," which ply be-
tween Cincinnati, Ohio, and its Ken
lucky suburb. Newport The driver.
sole autocrat. dividing his time among
the mules. his passengers and The small
boys who everywhere mark bob-tail
cars for their own, was muffled to the
mouth in an old oilskin coat. beited nj
the waist with leather strap. His
cap was pulled down to shield his face
from the rain. into the teeth of which
he was forced TO drive. and when he
entered the car to collect the fares bis
heavy cowhide boots completed q gro
tesque picture. which would have al
tracted attention even in Castle Garden.
Evidently he cared less for style than
for comfort .
"What is the fare to Newport3r
Ten cents. please" g.. !.
! started at the musical voice, and
looked at the man closely. -:
"Wh-a-t" l said, mot Ferguson Of
the Gazette7'' :.......
.Same party. dear boy. same party"
He laughed in the honest, whole
souled way that i knew 80 well. rang
the bell of his punch twice. smiled at
the pretty girl. who seemed to enjoy my
surprise. and then clattered out to his
place at the brake, where presently
joined him.
'This is rough, Ferguson. deuced
rough-$l2 week and seventeen hours
day! Can't you do better than thisP"
'Classical occupation. dear boy. One
OF the children Of Greek mythology. you
will remember. aspired to drive a car
his fathers car. but while his route was
= tri6e dryer than mine
at was not necessary for him to make
guy Of himself in cowhide boots That
girl inside is laughing at you"
IL know it She always does when
she rides with me-"
He looked through the glass door Of
the car, and again patted the side Of his
coat when he met the young woman's
eye. The gesture seemed to please her.
Another case of the maiden and the
coachman," remarked Ferguson. as he
slowed up to take on passenger. Evil
IDENTIFY he had lost none of his high
spirits since he had drifted out Of
journalism into street car service.
but seriously now. don't you know
her?''
mo. cannot say that do" said.
severely.
That's Virginia"
looked again at the girl she was
as charming specimen OF young
womanhood as Is often met With even
In the cultured parts of Kentucky. The
infantile cheeks and dimpled chin
toned down the severity Of her eye
glasses, and from the brown plume in
her hat to the narrow toe Of her shoe
she was what is popularity known as
stylish" Du Maurier might have
copied her pose for that of one of his
high-bred women.
"Yes, sir. that's Virginia, You have
laughed at my verses to her for three
years. and ii we drop all the passengers
before the end OF the route is reached (
will take you inside and y esent you.
She knows you by name already. !
have talked with her about you a hun
dred times. She likes that little story
of yours, The Cruise of the Mermaid,
immensely, and always looks up your
column the first thing in the Clarion.
Then he seemed to drift into another
line Of thought
YES, sir, it is rough" he said;
'eighteen hours a day. seven days in
the week, is too many hours for a man
to work; but thank God, I am done!
This is my last trip. have something
here"-he tapped the left side of his
oilskin coat again-'which has put me
on my feet Virginia and had several
blocks. alone. together this morning.
and she knows. That's what we are so
gay about You remember that .Dia-
mond Dollar?' s.7s
Did / remember itF 1t was that
Diamond Dollar" that cost Ferguson
his desk on the Gazette. Not more than
TWO months ago he was dapper. well
dressed and apparently as successful n
man as there was in stbs GIncinhah ree
portorial fraternity Hs<doty was the
covering Of the news along the river
fronts OF the Kentucky towns facing
and above Cincinnati and. Being a