The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-06-15

myself again, would liise to know who
it was that sent us That cruel letter say.
ing Jack had been killed But here's
Jack himself He may be able to en-
Tighten me on a matter that you don'l
seem to care to talk about"
'sWhy, mother" said lack, entering
the room, @do you regret that am moi
dead after all, tfen?'
tsWhat question: and for a moment
the tears seemed to be ready to spring
afresh to the poor woman eyes. Jack,
| you know didn't mean any such thing
as that. But if really was cruel. Here
is the letter. And when | expected to
hear al about funeraa Mile, like the
light headed creature she is, goes off to
writing and chattering about men I never
heard Of. think have a right to feel
aggrieved.
But mother dear, the girls were as
much surprised to find me alive and wei
apparently as yourself. By the way, the
major is waiting to pay his respects. He
| is a capital fellow the major, mother. and
/ hope you viii like him. He has been
i good to the girls; indeed, don't know
what they would have done without
him"
He has indeed, mamma, said Em.
"Maj. Black isl
"Emmelinel'' interrupted the widow.
severely. tim surprised to think that
you and your sister should fall SO readily
into the rude manners Of the people Of
this place and talk about gentlemen
whom you cahnot possibly know any
thing of more than as casual acquaint-
ances. myself will thank Maj Black
for his fatheriy care of you, for I'm sure
Jack here hash t thought Of such thing"
Jack bit his lip.
VERY web, mother. Just as you
please. Only permit me to suggest that
you should remember we are not in San
Francisco, and that society in mining
camp is formed upon somewhat more
primitive lines than in cities. Don't ex-
| pect too much in the way Of etiquette
and social distinctions, and you'll get
along here famouslyi
Indeed, | propose to take the girls
home with me as soon as we can leave
this place. retorted the widow with
spirit. Your acquaintance may be
very kind, but it is clearly no place for
them. What would the Cadwalladers
| and the Florences say if they knew that
Mile and En- were boarding in a mining
camp. the only women in the placer
MY dear mamma" said Jack, impress
sively, ''you will be careful. please, not
TO give unnecessary pain to any one here.
for assure you they do not deserve it at
your hands. and 1t would i'll repay all the
real kindnesses they have paid to my
sisters since they came here. Besides,
they and you are the majors guests, and,
in a sense, the guests of the Springs.
Why, they actually celebrated the ar
rival Of En- and Mile By taking holt
! day."
The widow looked pleased. 1t was
difficult to say whether vanity or graft
tude was uppermost. however.
81 confess the major is quite pre-
sentable sort of person, she said, pres
emily. ssBut he is hardly the kind OF
man would care to have paying atten.
tions TO either of my daughters. There
is too great a disparity
''Oh, mammal cried Mile, placing
her hand to her mothers lips. "Why
do you talk of such things2.
Ridiculous, mamma!' interposed En-,
with furious blush which did not es
cape Mrs. Browning's watchful eye
| Jack laughed Heartily.
why, mother" he said, ssthe wind
doesn't set in that quarter, l hope. AT
any rate, you viii let the major speak
for himself, and if be needs and deserves
the maternal rebuke, go ahead and let
him have it,
Don't talk nonsense, Jack, exclaimed
the widow severely. ssYou know it's all
your own fault that this thing has hap
pened. You would come out to this ter
rible place, and knew something would
come of it.
And it has, mother. Ycu see, we're
all here together now, and that's certain
ly consoling. Now, if you have no OBJ
lection, I'll just step out and see who's
around"
Outside he met Whipple and the major.
TO the latter Jack handed the letter his
mother had received, and which had
caused all the trouble. 1t was a note
written in a scrawling hand and Jonas
Black regarded it long and intently.
''Well, dog my cats!" he exclaimed.
EFF don't believe it's Crenshaw's hand
write. I've seen it afore and it'd be jist
like the eur ter monkey with the mail
and then pay off the man as found him
out with trick like that. It's Cren-
shaw, I'll lay my oath, and eff he wuz
around here at this partic'l lar mint I
wouldn't give an ounce of dust fer his
chances, eff the boys only knew about
this, and he held up the. scrawl, his hon
est eyes blazing with Indignation.
'sWell, major, said Jack philosophi-
cally, 1.-THE things over, and let it rest.
1t was mean trick, but as nobody is
the worse for it wen let it drop. III ex-
plain it to mother FOR the credit of the
settlement, and see that the right man is
blamed. Now, let's see what the women
are doing in the parlors."
Both Whipple and the major had
sober and serious air when, REINFORCED
by Lispenard, the trio returned to the
| hotel.
| The ladies were found in capital hu-
NOR. Mrs. Browning had quite recov-
cred from the fatigue of the Journey and
looked really becoming in dark MORN
\