The morning call., 1891-05-23
BEN THOMPSON'S BRIDE.
BY MARLToN DOWNING.

''Something must be the matter at the
Belcher cabin up the mountain trail, as
neither the old man nor his daughter Clara
has been to the store for over week"
That's fact, my son. Maybe one or the
other is sick Why would it not be good
plan, seeing that it is early in the day.
fox you to go up and find out if there is any
thing wrong. And Ben, you might take the
old horse along with you, and put few
groceries on his back, for If one Should be
le sick the other could not leave to come down
In ere and buy what they need"
ire IAN right, father. l was about to sng-
INCEST something of that kind" And Ben
Thompson Jr., son Of the only store-keeper
in a mining village, which nestled in deep
gulch in the Sierra Nevada mount4ins, hur-
Tried TO the rude shanty that served as
stable. led forth their horse and proce eded
/ 10 load him down With the provisions which
his father had put up.
The first part of the trail led through the
igulch. and as Ben passed the miners at their
work they cheerily asked him, Nv hlther
bound? p
AS he told them of his mission they one
and all sent their kind regards TO Old Ned
and his daughter Cara.
In. up. slowly he and the horse made
their toilsOme way. TOilSome to the beast,
for the heart of the master had sped before
aud smO0thed the way Tor his feet.
n - Turning Quick bend IN the trail. the
n Of the mOuntalneer miner stood be
fore him. He was reJ0iced to note the col
:, umn of smoke rising from the rude chin
y pey. for it assured him that the occupants
were astir.
{" Whoa. Petew exclaimed young Ben, in
voice louder than was necessary to bring
the animal to halt
What can be the matter?" he mul-
INJURED. Perhaps Clara is away with her
He placed his hand on the latch Of the
door, gave a slight push and entered the
cabin where a sOTT0Wful scene met his
Clara was upon her knees beside rude
y. couch, on which lay her parent, his paliid
= features and laboIed breathing showing
- that death was fast approaching. Ben
~ stepped nOiselessly across the floor and
la>ped the hand OF the maiden.
on, Ben. Is IL yOu? she exclaimed,
looking at HIM through her tears. Thank
God / am not to be here alone in the awful
presence Of death"
Al that moment the father opened his
ewes and said, feeby: 1T is the viii Of the
Lord my dear child. that l should be taken
from you, and when l am gone 60 down to
the gulCh; you Will md many true men
there who wilt befriend the fatherless. But
first seek out Ben Thompson; he is the most
honest man in the hills. To him you may
reveal our secret
He is by your side, now, father"
"Ah | can see the workings Of the divine
will in this Ben, old friend, give me your
hand. Death has taken away my power OF
vision, and l cannot see you. Let ME feel
the pressure of your hand. There, 10 you l
estTUst the welfare Of my daughter. She
Wi be no burden 70 you, Tor there IS that IN
tiIs cabin and still more within five yards OF
this my dying bed, which viii make her
and YOU both Tich"
FATHER, it is young Thompson to whom
yu speak" SObbed the weeping girl.
-- The son? He, too, Is an honest man. l
10 nave your promise, BenneW
Iicy Yes, ye,," quickly answered young Ben.
as "And 1 viii answer for thatOf my father"
Pc Then l die content" and, las though
relinQuishing his last slender hold upon life,
he fell back on his pillows and quietly
passed away.
Ben was in a quaudary what to do. He
could not leave the young girl while he de-
sended the mountain Tor assistance; nor
did it seem right TO take her with him, and
leave the body the only tenant Of the lonely
cabin.
AtIength a suggestion occurred to him.
He found thin piece CT board, and taking
- \ DIT OF charcoal from the embers III the
Fireplace he wrote;
Ned Belcher is dead. Come at once TO the
mountain cabin. BEN THOMPSON (sOn.l
This, with piece of wire, he secured to
one OF the nail holes in the saddle OF Pete,
after removing the loaded bags. Then CIV
ing the horse sharp slap on bis haunCh. he
started him alone down the trail, knowing
well he would fad his way home.
Ben re-enteTed the cabin, and approaching
the grief-strlCkeu girl, gently lifted her to
her feet and led her out into the open air
while he returned to prepare the bvdy Tor
burial
The sun had long sunk to rest and the
moon was Just appearing above the lofty
TitIen and horses were heard ascending the
steep ACTIVITY.
Not a word was spoken as Ben arose and
usheTed his father ana the rough but kindly
miners into the presence Of death.
Each took a long look at the calm feat
ures of their late companion, then silently
passed ont.
They buried him beneath the mellow light
Of the moon, on the side Of the mountain
where he had tOiled so many months for his
beloved child, whom he now left behind to
the care Of strangers,
When all was over they returned to the
cabin, and Clara went TO a cupboard and
took therefTom small tin box of consider
able weight which she handed TO Mr..
Thompson, with the request for him to
open it.
This he did, exposing to view several
email canvas bags, well filed, and a num-
Der Of papers.
This is your property. but if it is your
stOre-keeper.
~ do desire It, Mr.. Thompson, and it was
the wish Of my father. Your son will re-
peat to you his dying words at some fitting
time. Now L beg you will take me away
from here, for cannot bear to remain where
everything reminds me Of the dear parent l
have lost"
The little band Of mOurners respected her
wish, and they all wended their way silently
down the mountain.
The secret of which the old miner had
spoken was valuable lead" which he had
struck" but few days before being taken
down with his last illness, and as this re-
veTted TO Clara, she found herself one of the
richest women in the mOuntains-but her
D. greatest treasure, size considered was the
love of an honest heart, and ere the sun had
completed its annual course she was the
wife Of Ben Thompson the younger, who
had so nobly come TO her relief that mo-
mentOus night on the mountains.