Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-15

A~N The smoke from hi
3 NM pipe curled upward
through the boughs Of the live oak beneath
which he sat; there q subtle brightness anc
hghtnsss In the atmosphere that gave promise
Of q sunshiny afternoon.
Grizzly Jim was large and gsunt. Under his
beesling eyebrows bis eyes seemed TO shoulder
With Q forbidding fire. Whether he had won the
grim sobriquet BY virtue Of his proves in some
long forgotten encounter with the four-footed
king Of the Sierras, OF whether il had been be-
slowed upon him because Of his uncouth appear
ance and churlish manner. one in the settle
ment below could say. The little cabin on the
mountain side aud its lonely dweller antedated
their earliest memory.
There was q blithe snatch Of song in the
distance. echoed by the steep crass around; q
chatter ofhoofs along the rocky trail; smart lit
tie mustang dashed across the clearing and his
rider sprsng TO the ground, while Grizzly Jim
dropped his pipe in sullen amazemsnt-
Good morning. SIR, said his visitor, with
friendly smile.
The old miner stared at q slip Of Q girl with
short riding shirt drawn over . cambria dress,
the blouse waist of which revealed in be-
wildering profusiou Of fresh tucks and frills,
while spiquant little face looked up a. him IN
abashed, under tangle of soft brown hair and
rulloT nut lie Olucl us long
legs and awk wnrdly lifting his torn felt hat
with savage courtesy.
You'll excuse me ef I amt up to my best
society manners. I'm not used to receiving
calls from nobody. let alone young ladies'"
MY call Is not from choice. but from neces-
sity. returned the Young Lady with dignity.
Il am here on business. I'm the census mar
shal Of this district"
The dickens YOU are" retorted the miner,
but he mentioned a gentleman of less repute
In polite society and whose name is better
known TO Scripture than to literature. And
what do you reckon you II get out of meg?
There was something in his speech corrupted
- II Was by the vernAcular of the mountains,
that suggested the south. The girls quick ear
recognized the familiar note She TO some
extent fortified against his gruffness. for she
had heard of him as the terror of census emu
merators. the despair of tax assessors. the one
man IN all the mountain district who desired no
local improvements. no advance of civilization.
no contact with the world or his fellow men and
who had for more than forty years remained a
mystery TO all the community.
You have already told me where Won are
from" she reioined pleasantly. You are a
southern man, but l expect you also TO tell me
your name and occupation. where YOU were
born, and whether you are married single
and all the other troublesome little details that
the national government insists upon learning
from each loyal citizen,
She took q boob from a pocket in her saddle
f.p and advanced upon him. pencil in hand
while she was speaking, but her heart quaked
at her own holiness
Something in her blithe young face arrested
the mans surly refusal He tried different
tactics.
Take seat. You must be very tired It's
q rough ride up the trail.
He offered her his only chair. seating himself
on 4 stump. The girl accepted the courtesy
but started a. her hand came in contact with
breech-loading rife that leaned against the
chair
With queer CLINT in his eve. that was not
unlike fantastic CLEAN Of hImor. Grizzly jim
took the Winchester and o-tentatiously with
drew the charges. then pulled an ugiy-looking
knife from hi- belt and laid rifle and knife on
the rude table that stood between them a. the
savage tremendously lays down his arms before
entering upon parley with his foe. But there
wa a limit TO his hospitality. and he was not
slow 10 announce IL
''Tn be hanged ef I'll give away NV private
Affairs 10 every man, woman or child that asks
What's 10 TO YOU. ANYWAY
Its exactly twenty-five cents" returned the
girl frankly. That l. what thew allow in the
thinly settled mountain district. You wouldn't
be worth ~ much II YOU were down in the val
ley. Be-iic-. you see. teach the school In the
village. and the state allowance pretty much
my whole salary depends upon the number Of
children can muster IN the district"
There's no children here. u YOU can see
returned her host with grim cheer and the air
II one who has found easy solution for a
vexed problem. And a. For the two bits''-he
thrusted hi- hand. Into his trousers pocket and
tngled some coins there while be eyed her
tentatively.
NO. think Won q better not. .aid the girl
simply. Il earn my wages BY faithful service
90 the government l don't take bribes for
negiecting nv duty. I've come up here to get
this blank filed ont. and I won't leave till |
have your answer. No. not even II Won re-
loas,ea the Winchester And she wound up
with a little hy-terical laugh
A sturdy sense of honor. long .lumberiug in
disn-s. swoke IN the miners breast Is he saw
the angry Zach IN the eyes % his young visitor
But he would make no concession
Il won . do H. he said stubbOruly.
Their ewes met, hers young. bright shining
with righteous purpose. his deep set Eaes Of
sgs about them. logged resistance ia them.
They mot and clashed, held each other long
and STEADILY. The man was the first 20 shrink
he threw up his hand with gesture of sur
render.
Don't Yoa look -you look like one lost
FORTY wears gone by."
There silence between them. lie swung
himself shout and pulled his hat over his ey &c
that only fringe of irOn-gray beard was
visible above his shoulders. The girl looked at
him curiolsly and not without some feeling
AL her fear Of him was gone and a vague com
passion stirred Ia her heart. She was almost
sorry that she had undertaken her daring err
ttA1s 1@<-a AE I'rfI - away, mount
ker hor-s and be of down the mountain trail
before Ia hal aroused from his reverie. Yet a
singular spell was 10 sympathy curiosity, or
that strange impulse that causes one TO hnger
aud dwell upon the sight Of suffering which
they may not relieve kept her motioniess. her
book sui open, her pencil still in her hand
Il II tel You the whole story" be said at
length. his voice heavy and tired I've gone
ever and over 10 myself and 10 seems like the
more ! study on 10 the worse snArl make Of IL.
You seem q mighty peart young woman Maybe
you can see clearer than old man"
lie looked 81 her with some apprehension.
Perhaps his confidence was misplsced. How
could he tell but What the sorry problem that
weighed him down might be Q mere lest TO her.
Q comical Jest 10 be recounted for the enter
tsinment Of frivolous Young companions? Her
grave expression treasured him.
lit begin. like most Of the stories Of men of
nv ags in CALIFORNIA;" be sAid. and u was no.
ticeable that he reverted 20 the past hs
dropped the eOrruptions Of the time and place
ami expressed himself in purer English,
although his speech was still characterized by
the sot southern drawI, and nov and then he
made Use Of . phrase or word that Is only
harmed south Of Mason and Dixons line II
caught the gold fever Of as. had q wife and
child aud q comfortable property. Against the
sdvice Of al my friends. in spite Of my wife {
gsnus entreaties, / sold Oh every thing had In
o. world and, leaving a small sum with her
30 l.lt IA