Morning journal and courier., 1892-01-14
oOld Andy.'

horses regarded him with sort Oh Wor-
ship. Day after day homely old Maj. fol-
lowed his every footstep, Watching him
from out bleared and watery eyes, and
wagged his short stump of tail in un-
mistaksble appreciation. Ant. Nibs and
Pinto filled the air with their loud cries,
and reused the mountain echoes with their
joyful whinies,-their metal hoofs keeping
up a running accompaniment as they
paved their stable floor vigorously
when his step was heard approaching;
while old John, stupid and lazy as he was,
turned himself around In his stall to see
if any oats were forthcoming.
The miners all treated him indulgently.
wondered at his almost mesmeric power
of attraction, for certainly there was
nothing in the strange, shabbily dressed
figure to command respect, until CHANGED
to speak to him one day. His voice was
low and pleasantly medulated as he re-
turned my greeting, taking off his old hat
with grace all his own, while a smile
lighted up his thin white face, which
transformed it entirely.
understood then the secret of his at
traction to little children and dumb, help
less animals, and from that time counted
myself one of his friends.
I suppose his entire name was inscribed
upon the payroll of the Paymaster mine,
but do not remember ever to have heard
it. Every one called him "Old Andy
when his back was turned. OF course
when he was spoken to the appellstion
was dropped, aud it was just plain Andy.
used to call him Handy Andy" for ir-
deed he was one of the handiest and most
"roustabout" and his duties were mani
fold One day he would climb with old
John hundreds of feet up toward the sum
init of the mountain that rose almost per-
pendicularly above his head, Maj. always
impatiently in advance, after timber; the
next perhaps he would go as many hun
dred feet into the bottom of the mine to
help the trammer at his work. He was
always cheerful and willing, no matter
what his duties were.
He was slenderly built man of medi-
um height, with worn, nervous face, and,
although he was universally called old,
was not far from forty-ive years of age;
and there was no suspicion of gray among
the thin, struggling, brown locks, which
fell from beneath his wide, stiff-brimmed
hat.
He had no intimates among the miners,
but seemed to be entirely alone in the
world, never sending or receiving letters.
He had one comrade, however, which rare
ly left him-his pipe. Indeed, he was sell
dom seen without il. II was his custom
to carry it constantly in his mouth even
when he was not smoking, and the ashes
were quite dead.
At night it was habit of his to pace up
and down the long engine room, with his
beloved pipe held firmly in his mouth, too
restless to sit still and too wskeful TO
sleep. Up and down he would 60, his
quaint figure appearing in the broad shaft
of light from the big reflector lamp near
the engine, then lost to view in the gloom
that enveloped the end of the long build
ing. The men respected his moods and
left him alone; even old Maj. seemingly
understood it,; for he watched him unceas-
ingly from his bed of gunny- sacks in the
corner, but never attempted to follow him.
One day 1 asked him about his early
home and friends, and he told me he had
not heard from them since he was a lad of
fifteen, when he left them all "You see
fortune, and 1 have been drifting round
the world ever since. Somehow I didn't
want to write TO them until 1 had made
my pile, and I haven't got it yet; but
think now will go home in a year or two,
and see my mother IL she is still alive.
know l never ought to have neglected her
So" he added as he turned away, and
| fancied l saw his sensitive lips tremble as
he held his pipe more firmly between his
teeth, and know his blue eyes were full
of tears.
1t was nearing the time of the Novem.
ber election, and the merits and dement's
of the contesting candidates formed the
| principal topic of conversation between
| the miners, in which Andy, however, did
| not participate. A curious and unique
| custom prevails in that section of Colorado
| The seekers after Office do their own elec
| tioneering; sometimes a card is inserted in
/ a local paper giving their qualifications
and asking for votes in the most candid
| and open manner. And it is no uuusua
thing to see two or three equestrian candi
dates threading their way over the marrow
| trails en- route to some mine, where the,
| are exceedingly cordial and affable, always
| leaving box of fine cigars with the su
perintendent to be distributed among tn
| employees. The Episcopal clergyman o
the village, being a candidate for the ofhc'
of registrar, was among the number o
those who called and left cigars, which
were gravely accepted and greatly appre
ciated by the men who smoked them ant
then-voted to please themselves.
The day before election, an acciden
happening to the mine machinery, it wa
found necessary to send to Silverton a
once, and l gladly offered my services
The morning dawned fair and beautiful
and although the ground was covered dee
with snow, the sun shone as warm and tn
sky was as cloudless as in June. Meetin
some pleasant acquaintances on the train
| the Journey did not seem as tedious, al
| though it was after one o'clock when W
reached our destination, having been owe
three hours making the distance of tween
| ty miles, After dinner at the "Grand"
went Immediately to a hardware store
! where saw my purchases boxed and sent
! As crossed the wide bleak plain leadin
to the station the sky was overcast, an
the wind blew cold and chill and it wa
evident another storm was approaching
found the train ready to move, the COZ
ductor having very obligingly waited fc
me.
Before we were half way to the SUNNI
we encountered fierce snow storm
which was raging in wild fury. How th
the edge of dangerous precipices, whi
| the air was SO filled with snow it was in
possible to see our whereaboutsl Jul
, before the summit of the mountain
which is eleven thousand two hundre
, feet above sea-level-was reached we can
, | to stand-still and could proceed no fu
ther. An iron bar was placed behind u
y last car to prevent the train from slidir
back down the mountain, which snappt
: like a pipe stem. Intense excitement pr
vailed among the passengers, the men len
ing their aid to the officials of the roa
Finally, after much groaning and puthI
| of the engine, the cars were started, an
as we soon commenced the descent of &
mountain, that peril at least was over.
J, ANDY was one of the few passenge
who boarded the car as we reached G
village of Red Mountain. With his ples
ant smile he told me he had been in t
village all day on business for the mine,
which wondered, but said nothing. v
2 had not gone far before the conductc
coming in, suddenly stopped the train, al
Q Door Andy was elected and left In I
q snow. In answer to my expostulations
It said. 'T must put a stop to this. 9
ANDY told me he was sent on business Il
IS morning, so gave him free ride; bu
z knew I had been deceived as soon as
It saw YOUR freight delivered in Silvertc
a and Determined to make an example
d him."
IT AsI vainly tried to peer out into
darkness 1 trembled for Andy, fearing
n might be caught IN a snowslide or lose
20 way through the binding snow, VIII