The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-10-02
A MODERN EyANGELINE.

the separation of John Black and his
young wife MOllie, neither of them be-
lieved that it would be for long time.
John had found what looked like good
opening in Nevada, and as he had appar-
emily exhausted his luck at the East, his
wife did not oppose his determination to
follow the advice of Horace Greeley.
Mollie was to go to her parents, who had
a livelihood on a somewhat stony Con-
necticut farm, and both fully expected
that in year at most Jack would
be in position to send for her and they
would be able to make home on the
Pacific slope. They parted in 1855, and
the war had broken out, been fought to
the bitter end, and concluded, before
they met again.
There was nothing much out of the
common in this experience. The case of
John Black is thoroughly typical one.
He was what is called a good fellow
which generally means self-indulgent
fellow. He was excellent company"
sociable, gay, bright, and attractive. In
a mining town such man naturally and
almost inevitably gravitates to the ga
loon. 1t is the only stage upon which
he can exhibit himself. There all his
entertaining qualities shine brightest.
There he finds congenial souls. There,
too, he acquires habits which are fatal to
success in life.
John Black was full of good resolu-
tons, and he loved his pretty Molly per-
haps as well as such man can love any
thing besides the qualification of his own
appetites. No one would have said that
he was vicious, or without principle.
He was not a hard drinker He did not
care much for cards. He had not the
gamplers temperament; only the foun-
dation of his character was selfishness,
and this defect was in itself sufficient to
determine his destiny. Present enjoy
ment always outweighed future benefits
of every kind with him, and the conse-
quence was that he lived for the hour
anu lTOlu manu- W llOuGu' Az llIsG ue
devoted himself to business. He was
employed in general store and there
was plenty of work. Presently, an op-
portunity offered to secure an interest in
the store, and rs he had saved little
money he was able to take advantage of
it. Then the specializing mania began
to spread, and tie whole coast was flood
ed with the stock Of problematical min
ing properties, of which nine tenths had
not been opened.
John Black did not 60 deeply into such
investments, but just enough to absorb
his legitimate earnings and so keep him
from advancing. In fact, he never did
get any farther At the end of the first
year, he was barely holding his own, and
could send his wife nothing but hopes
and imaginings. AT the end of the Sec
ond year his moderate investments had
forced him to part with his interest in
the store and go clerking again. At the
end of the third year he had turned his
back on trade and was embarked in the
precarious occupation of prospecting.
Then he wrote that Nevada was "peter-
ing out" and he thought of going to
California. There was plenty of gold
yet in the high Sierra, he said, and man
might light upon a bonanza if he kept
his eyes open and understood the lay Of
the country.
Soon after the war began; and from
that time John Black ceased to write,
while Mollie had enough to think Of in
other directions. In quick succession
her parents died. The farm was mort
gagged, and she could not mortgage it
herself, so she let it go,and looked about
for some way Of earning her living. She
had cousin in one of the departments
at Washington, and he invited her to pay
him a visit. While at the capital, she
was thrown among people connected
with the Government and the army, and
being smart and intelligent, she pushed
her way until she interested influential
persons, and in the end obtained employ
ment in the secret service. What her
duties were at this time it would not be
easy to say, but probably she did little
scouting, little spying, and SO forth.
She never obtained any prominence or
notoriety, and was never taken prisoner,
or, SO far as is known, even suspected.
She had very pleasant, frank address,
and her cOmely face prepossessed the
confederates and helped her greatly.
During this period, Mollie naturally
toughened good deal. She learned to
take care of herself, for one thing. She
learned not to be afraid of violence,
wounds, or even death. She could ride
or drive between the lines without fear
ing the lawless guerillas who infested
such neutral ground. 1t was an exciting
and fascinating life, and she followed il
with some enthusiasm, taking pride in
her craft and GOODNESS. Through all,
however, Mollie Black, who loved her
husband, and who had far more charac.
ter than he, looked forward to reunion
with him, and to that end economical in
every possible way. Women do this
much oftener than men. They are more
unselfish and more self-sacrificing. They
are not prone to self-indulgence, and moi
seldom they are very preserving and pa
tient.
Mollie worked and saved steadily un.
til the end of the war, when she found