Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-06-18
BEIIAD0NNA.
HARD LUCK STEVENS BONANZA
STRIKE.
~ PATIENCE srArLrroN.

> VIM
~ PATIENCE srArLrtoN.
never like,l children much of any, the
l.csi ~ 'cm hcin' given Ia implsh tricks of
skccrin' a team ~ horses going down
grade or Whoopln' unexpected at an
elderly man that's some narNous from
stage dri,in' over tweuty y-nSr YEAR; but
shc want never that ~ Nay. She Wa a
lr,-tle. pale hc,vi crvatur', With 10" slim
mest arns. the longvst lcg., aud p"or,
shabby gowns allus too short for her, shr
sroN,si - fast. an they want made With
| tuck. o. lct down. q. ! told her they II
oughirr D.. She came a. town - Milcs
| canyon that .sis down at the fOut of VT.
Snefiie. Ike Il dropped iherr along With
her "llaui Luck" stevens. lie Nas
drunk a. usual. and he luggin' blk
hundlc done up in q big handanna, a tiny
.un hunnltrd crratur' not morn YEAR,
oil.
"lt'. too bad. .ay.. "sissy, to Let
YOU lug that, aud that old villain stag
grrin' a. usual. what. be- to youF'
''Iusi plain dad. .hc answers with a
little sigh. "hr's allu. tlaier way, and
they've put muV'cr Ia the ground over to
I.rad,illc. and I've got ter live With him
bat I'm goin' a. D. 'sIcctahlc allus, !
PROMISED NV muV'ef that"
''llle.. yer heart" l rrie.. "it Mike
lrccu kin help Nuu o. the salnr b. viii.
Them lcrils old way. of y"uru kinder
choke. mr up.
\. tho, dil every time So her keep
ln' hou.r far that old rvprohatr. be- ptr-
tsnllin' Go ie prsspertin'. hut settin'
around saloons loann'. when she got o.
h. knnwssi. therr was allus some one to
lug him home 'forv BE- got too fur gone
o. b. hateful. as b. dors When deep in
lick,r. Their Vittlr. somehow got paid
Tor. though "llari Luck never airni
nswthin' Nis.v would thank fcllrr 80
cute. with .uch mite of o curtrsy, II
va wuth q dollar's buNiu' of pork or
meal iust to .cr her. she wouldn't an-
swrr o. anythin' bat Miss stevens,
though her name Was llell, fraun' Il
want high toned.
Nv rad lay by her cabin q half mile
frum town. an I got ln The habit ~
/ hrccthin my horsrs there. fur IT. q steep
puli up the grade. an uut she'd comr io
.at "lloN dr do. and arsr tlmr q"
riie a pirrr with me. I could swing her
up over the wheel like biri, far shr
weighed niwihin'. an there she'd sei
s.iie me. her leetle .un bunnii hangin'
hv the .trlng.. her waller hair blowing,
/ her male cheeks tinted hii. anl them
/ big. black. sorroWtil eyes full of child {.
delight. lani, how purty .he Wa then :
Onr day he .ays:
Mister Nike. you an mc i acquainted
a long time"
"Fi,r YEAR,. missy." | answers, nickin'
the ofi hor.e with the whip; hc allu.
.hirkrd.
1--WE been thinking we're such real
/ frrn. YOU needn't call me Missy emmy
morc. That. ju', fur the camp YOU
\ know"
"Better no, change. I'm u-c,l to Mi
~"
"Rut Kin b. 's,-ociablc just the same
an want to make YOU think ] care a
/ heap about YOU. Now, Bell j. 80 short
/ Il aln't fine ernuii. an' shall D. way up
lady some day. so got me a name Ia the
drug siore that hiichc. Into mine
"Cimme suthln' easy; can't get over
no Jaw breaker, Missy"
"Nou wuut lanf' lookin' at me With
them big, serious eyes.
"Not a grin. even"
"well," brcaihless like, "it's - Bella
donner. Nint II hutiulF'
one ,lay when she rid up With mc she
/ told me. a. she was going to bc gr-ai
lady, she ought Ia D. e,ldlcatel.
II can't go to school la the canyon. fur
father would .et hi..elf ahrc or .uthin'
an hey to git our meals but Kin read
some. muyer teached me a little, an I've
picked up more, an want YOU To- gii me
some books"
An II she didn't put a silver quarter Ia
my hand. warm from her tiny hsi.
took II. fur she was that proud she'd bln
mad. an I've got Il yit, an Norrited
all the way to Silver city what III git.
let her think her money paid fur all
she airnt some mendln' fur miners, fur
she'd set patch wonderful with them
leetle claw fingers, an a. she groNei big
wouldn't take NO more gifts Of yittles
\ pal an me explored Silver City fur
them books. an I brought her book
| calel "Mouter Chri-ter," Bible, a vol
umc Of PLAYS by Shakerspear that
thought wouldn't do her no harm. fusi
reader an 'rithmetic. She was tickled
I tell you. when dropped them Inter hei
aprin. an arter that allus see Belladon
ner (as kecrfully called her. though
had Ia Ian inwardly-but law Id call
ed her a whole drug store Ia please her
With a volume under her thin arm, an
the worl. .he used ey'ry day was regulal
double deckers.
She just soaked up larnin' like sponge
till | used to wonder that leetle head
could hold 80 much.
- time goes on. an the leetle gowr
fits better. l. long ernuff, an !. neat
made by her own hands. an she get
mOrr nesh on her. an our lectle maid 4
"a young Teddy, an a young civil enginec
surveying FOR railroad comes often Il
the cottage good chap, Jack - an
liked him. She growcd 40 purity, too
with her golden hair. and -hlnln' eyes
an the pink In her cheeks, an the sorte
light on her face a. young love gives.
Wal, one day a. I drove down grade
she come unnin' outer the cabin, he
eyes sparklln', her lips parted, her fac
a. rosy-an' she generally quiet and pal
AN that WELLER hair fiyin' about he
shoulders. Jack was with me, an 80
him color up an look at her sorter hun
gry, "a a man does when hard hit. but sh
barely spoke to him.
.''rhey say pas struck u rich, sh
cries. Take me down to the Canyon
Mister Nike: I'm Wild Ia know"
The young feller helped her up besid
Va, an l see his face had grown white an
sad. but she talked like a Wild creature
IL told YOU would be great lady,
she says.
"IIard Luck IL one Of them onery crea
lures" says I, ''as falls inter a fortin
an I'll take odds it's true"
II Was. That play prospectin' Of hi