The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-06-07

anu Gne uluSn UnaG crepI TO Jne man
| face betrayed who the friend was.
''Never mind" Dock said; II under
stand"
AS he spoke, Dock drew near to the
table where the open letter lay. He
cast his eye down the page, and after
considerable study made out the sig
nature at the bottom.
"That's from her, s'pose?" he asked
''Yes, her last letter." was the reply
"Humph, that's quare- blamed funny
shore Dog-goned ort'nit we come"
What do you mean?" the stranger
demanded. in an eager, excited tone, as
he turned mis- big, bright eyes on Dock.
"Nothin'," the latter replied; "nothin
much"
"Do you know any thing of her?"
oval, l s'pcct we may help you ia
find 'er. Leastwise, Well try. Dave,
you an Jerry stay yere while we 60
down to camp an look around bit
Well hev to give this fellow lift
toward findin' that friend O. his'n."
Old Dock went out and the others fol.
lowed, and no one spoke until they had
passed safe distance from the cabin,
and then stopping, Dock said:
"Fellers, we're pack O. dern ed iiots,
ever dog-goned one of us. The idea o
comm up yere to shoot that thar poor
| consumpted chap. Blamed if l was
| ever so 'shamed in all my days. Tea
yer whut, / felt like I wanted fouN,
year-old mule to kick me fer hour al
hard as he could lay it on. Blast my
buttons, but l felt mean"
"Bet l did," said Jake. ''Jes
nachully felt like I'd been KILN sheer
an got ketched at it. never felt 81
derned sneakin' in my life"
oval, he needn't never know wha
we came fer, and after all I'm glad We
did come" Dock said, FER we kin git hi:
gal to i'm. You know that gal over tt
Rickson's, at the post? Wal, that's the
one. She's his sweetheart, an we mus
fetch 'er up yere tonight"
"Bet We'll fetch Ter, or bust hahn
string" Jim Buster cried. Jake, men
you'll go after 'er."
I'm ergreed," said Jake. I'm will
in to do any thing to make up fer want
|
you didn't let me drop i'm. Blamed il
| | wouldn't as soon shoot ghost of a
corpse"
Reckon the claims his'n, anyhow, y
Jim said, land we're purity nice lot o
rascals from fust to last
oval, thar amt no time for monkeyin
now, fellers," old Dock remarked, IAN
if yer goin' to git that gal up yere afore
the chap goes over Their range, you'd
better be gittin' on, fer swun if think
he's got more'n six hours O. life in i'm.
Better hustle"
Jake and Jim departed at once for the
post while old Dock walked to and fro
in the darkness, listening to the clat-
tering of their horses feet on the stony
road that led off down the gulch.
Four hours passed, and Dock heard
them coming back.
She's with 'em," he muttered. 81
hear three horses anyhow, if not four.
It's all right"
Then he went in and sat down, and
after waiting moment, said:
81 ruthcr guess mebby we'll be atle
to help We out bout findin' of yer s--. i
mister"
'Have you found her?'' was the eager
question that followed.
Wal, | dunno as / kin say ace hev
azactly, but think we aciH purity soOu.
She may be yere afore mornin'. In fact,
she may be yere directly"
Then you have found her?"
No I hot hut I cs~ - 1
others hev. She'll be yere in minute. "
They were already at the door, and a
moment later the claim-jumper and his
long-lost sweetheart were in each 9TH
er's arms. The miners very consider
ately withdrew and left the young
couple alone.
Say, Dock" Jake called, when they
were outside, Il tiggered it out that
them two would want to get married,
mebby, an so l fetched gospel-feller
along from the post, SOS to be ready in
case of er emergency. You'd best goin
an see if they want to be jined, an tell
'em the preacher is ready fer 'em, an
will splice EN- up quickern wink"
Dock went in, and after awhile came
back out.
Bring that preacher in yere, boys.
It's all right
1t was solemn, weird wedding, away
off in the Rocky Mountains at the dead
hour of midnight, with none but few
rough, rugged miners, and they stran'
gers, to witness the ceremony; but many
times there is bright future growing
out of the dark present, and such was
destined to be the case in this instance,
and with this couple.
Robert Erwin grew we'll and strong,
and for five years he and his wife were
neigh bors and friends to the miners
! down at Pickett's camp.
Dock and his party were considerably
disappointed that they did not return
home as they expected. but they gare
up all claim to the new mine cheerfully,
and never from that day did they once
mention their true purpose in going to
the cabin up the gulch.-T. T. Mont
fort, in Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.
Great Men of Our Century.
Our generation has been fertile in
| great men, On the Threshold of fbo