The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-06-18

educated girl of Is, but l am writing of
n young California girl, who had lived
i'll the fierce glamor of treasure-hunt-
ing, and in whose sensitive individuality
some of its subtle poison had been in
stillcd. Howbcit, to-day she found
nothing She was sadly hiding her
pick and shovel, as was her custom.
when she discovered the fresh track of
an alien foot in the sand. Robinson
Crusoe was not more astounded at the
savage footprint than Jenny Miller at
this damDing proof of the invasion of
her sacred territory. The footprints
came from and returned to the copse of
shrubs. Some one might have seen her
at work!
But singular change in the weather,
overlooked in her excitement, here
forced itself upon her \ light film
over sea and sky, lifted only by titful
gusts of wind, seemed to have suddenly
thickened until it became an Opaque
vault. narrowing II circumference as
the wind increased. The promontory
behind her disappeared, as if swallowed
up. the distance before her seemed to
contract; the ocean at her side, the
color of dull pewter, vanished i'll a
sheet of slantirg rain, and by the time
she reached the house, half running
half carried along by the quartering
force of the wind, full gale was blow
ing.
1t blew all the evening, reaching a
climax and fury at past midnight that
was remembered for many years along
that coast. In the midst of it they
heard the booming of cannon, and then
the voices of neighbors IN the road
There was" said the voices, "a big
steamer ashore just afore the house. -
They dressed quickly and ran out.
Hugging the edge of the copse to
breathe and evade the fury of the wind,
they struggled to the sands. AT first
looking out TO sea the girl saw nothing
but foam. But following the direction
of neighbor's arm, for in that wild
tumult man alone seemed speechless,
she saw directly before her, so close
upon her that she could have thrown a
pebble on board, the high bows Of a
ship. Indeed, its very nearness gave
her the feeling that it was already saved,
and its occasional heavy roll to leeward
| drunken. helpless. ludicrous, but never
awful, brought hvsteric laugh to her
lips. But when a iiyid blue light, lit
in ne swinging top, showed number
OF black objects clinging to bulwarks and
rigging. and the sea with languid, heavy
cruelty, pushing, rather than beating
them away, one by one, she knew that
death was there.
The neighbors, her father with the
| others, had been running hopelesslv to
and fro. Or covering i'll groups against
1.-THE copse, whom suddenly they uttered
u cry It their 1irst-of joyful welcome.
And with that shout. the man she most
despised and hated, Sol Catlin, pot;ntel
on "calico" mustang. as outragcu:.>s
and bizarre as himself, dashed among
them.
In another moment, what had been
| fear, bewilderment, and hesitation. was
changed to courage, confidence, and
action. The men pressed eagerly
around him, and as eagerly dispersed
under his quick command Galloting
at his heels was the team with the
whaleboat brought from the river mile
away. He was here, there, and every
where; catching the line thrown by the
rocket from the ship, marshaling the
men to haul it i'll, answering the hail
! from those on b, ard above the tempest
pervading everything and everybody
with the fury OF the storm; loud, i'm
perious, domineering, self-asserting
allsufficient, and successful! And
when the boat was launched the last
mighty impulse came from bis shoulder
He rode at the helm into the first hang
! ing wall Of foam, erect and triumphant
Dazz!ed and bewi'dered, crying, and
laughing, she hated him more than
| ever.
/ The boat made three trips, bringing
! off, with the aid of the hawser, all but
the sailors she had seen perish before
her own eyes. The passengers they
were fewthe captain. aud officers
found refuge in her fathers house, alc
were loud in their praises of Sol Catlin
But in that grateful chorus a single
! gloomy voice arose, the voice of {
wealthy and troubled passenger. g
will give" he said, $4,000 to the mar
who brings me box of securities l lef
in my state-room." Every eye turned
instinctively to Sol; he answered onl,
those of Jennv's. Say ten thousand
and if the dod blasted hulk holds to
gether two hours longer I'll do it, ID
me! You hear me! My names Sol
Catlin, and when say thing, by God
do it." Jenny's disgust here reachet
its climax. The hero of night of un
doubted energy and courage has
blotted it out in single moment O
native vanity apd vulgar avarice.
/ He was gone; not only two hours
but daylight had come, and they wer'
eagerly seeking him, when he returned
among them, dripping and-empty
handed. He had reached the ship, h
said, with another; found the box, an.
trusted himself alone to the sea. Blu
in the surf he had to abandon it to saw
himself. 1t had perhaps drifted ashore
and might be found; for himself h
abandoned his calm to the reward
Had he looked abashed or mortified
Jenny felt that she might have re
Tented, but the braggart was as all sat
} isiied. as confident and boastful as ever
Nevertheless, as his eye seemed t
politeness, to add her own to he
| ldtIief CouuOleDCf. suppose, Su
!: hesitated in passing him, that this is
mere nothing to you after all you di
last night that was really great and I'LL
selfish"
Were you never disappointed
NIiss?" he said, with exaspcratin
abrup;ness.
A quick consciousness of her ow
!, thankless labor on the galleon, and
terrible idea that lie might have som
suspicion of. and perhaps the least sue
ge ,tion that she might have bee
disappointed in him. brought faiu
color to her cheek. But she replie
r with dignity:
: II really couldn't say. But ce1
tainIy," she added with a new-foun
: pertness. You don't look it.
} Nor do you, Miss" was his IDIOT
answer.
A few hours later, alarmed ut whs
| she had heard of the inroads Of the Sc: