Telegram-herald., 1889-11-30
DEEySOyS THANKSGIVING.


snd Hloss elective work of tie czyi for
tais wss tie oaly hoor thss anything
Ike beauty could be sid 70 soaeh the
seCELs1snt.
H4lf dozen cabins divided By dusty
roadway, blacksmith shop, and store.
constituted Tie seEtlsne- The roa1
wss never smPsy from = procession q
pigs and chickens. with occasionally a
eo~-the property Of the Inhabitants. 1t
szs a kind q public barnyard
The store and sniEhy ran each other
cIoss a. 70 which should have the latest
biE Of gossip - retail u its customers. Il
was not unfriendly rivalry, however,
and one proprietor was never TOO proud
20 listen 70 what the other had 10 say
The settlement did Lot pretend to be a
mining village. Its nsa were hunters
IN desulIory way, and had lived theTe
some time before the gold fever broke
our around them. S0me had caught il
ard gone away. but the majority pre-
teTed the old way OF Lfe-it involved
less worry and responsibility.
The place VAS unusually lively this
evening. for some miners had come up
the valley with wonderful tales OF a
claim down theirs that was paying out
gold by the handful They stood ia the
center Of an eager group that completely
surrounded and tlled the doorway Of the
store.
Presently a girl came up the path,
with buckeE on her head and her sun
bonnet under her arm. She was small
and dark and very pretty, but SAD look
ing.
Il wish you all would let me in" she
said.
The men separated, and as she entered
the store one n the newcomers asked
who she was.
"She's Deenson's daughter" said a
member Of the settlement, running his
thumb under his suspender and giving
il hitch. "Ain'5 you never hearn OF
old DeensOn-him as lives over on Pow
erty FiatT He's mad. they say, an
guess he must be or he wouldn't 20 on
hvin' on a worked out claim. He says
the Colds there yet; but the other man
as owned it hadn't patience. Lordl he's
got patience, but that's about all. Deem
son SO poor and the claim SO low down
poor we calls it Poverty Flat
An embarrassed silence fell upon the
group as the girl passed through it; but
IL she had heard she gave no sign, and
she now wore the large limp sun bonnet,
which completely hid her face.
AS soon as she was gone, a man de-
tached himself from the edge OF the
party, and hurrying round the store,
struck a trail that few minutes would
cross the one that Deenson's daughter
was following.
He was n tall, fine looking fellow, of
any age between twenty and thirty. He
wore tho typical miners clothes, but
walked with an easy grace that sug-
gested much mountain climbing.
When they met she expressed no sur
prise 1T seeing him.
"Ye can carry the pail if ye want ter, +"
she replied TO his offer, but there's not
enough in it ter might 10 make it heavy.
I | wonder what we're goin' 10 do this
winter. Jack:" she went on, with sigh.
Dad will stick 10 the old claim, though
thar's nothin' in it. He amt much fit to
work. if thar war Sometimes | thinl,
as how he's a little teched right here, "
she said. pushing back her bonnet and
/ putting her hand to her head.
Jack wondered uneasiiy if she had
heard what they said at the store.
Tell ye what It's. Doll" he began,
hurriedly, ''it's dreadful lonely life fur
We down ere on the Flat, with no un
/ but the old man fur company"
She didn't seem TO think this required
any answer. and they walked on for a
I time in silence.
The path that they were following
was very pretty one, bat il is doubtful
If either noticed it. The tall. dark pines
met overhead. their soft brown slippery
needles" made a carpet under foot,
F while the hazy November sunshine, now
sianting through the tree trunks, cast
their long shadows across the path.
After a while he began again, bui
slowly. as il wishing to impress her with
the earnestness Of what he was saying
i've knowed We now. Doll, this six
months back. an dun know how yc
feels-but, efore God. II ruther hear
you say, Jack. 1 love We, than strike the
7 best pavil' claim in the state
She stopped with little gasp. and her
hands tightly clasped before her; down
went the oil sunbonnet all unhceded
Jack. she cried, Jack, do you mean
itg"
+ Z ai1't cot no Bible, Doll" he soid
solemaiy. laying his hand upon her head
"but s~ar it bv the next one Of Gods
WORKS [ hold rno5t sacred. and that's re
"Thea. Jack. she so5bed. II 10 love
F ve. I've most a-died fur fear ve wouldn't
+ care fur rnc. Let's 81 home on tell dad
/ Jack-an' sc Il stay 20 supper. she sdIed
returning @ the Prac-.cal.
F Outside the cabin they fingered for d
time. unwilling 70 interrupt the frs.
F charm q their happiness by ano.he.
+ presence. The pine woods lay behind
/ them. the mountains before them. with
+ q lonz stretch q rocks and isolated pines
+ between. Where they stood it was
already tviig lt. bat on the mountain
+ tccs the sunshine stli fingered It was
F loso.ate outieok. snI calculated CD sub
+ due t'le most bnoTa1t spirits. No Won
/ der Dolls eyes were sad.
When they entered they found the oil
/ nan down on bis knees before the Gre
/ trying 70 coax il into blaze
"Dad DOH said. "herss Jack Seton
/ He's-ha's come G. supper.
Some finer instinct told her that Tho
+ important news she had to comm lnicafe
rnrht rnr - fnI her fathsr II snrh -