Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1892-02-11


able playmates, and the miners may
have thought it delicate compliment to
recognize some kind of relationship be-
tween us.
Later we took in third-another of
adversity's brood, who like Garrick be-
tween tragedy and comedy, had a
chronic inability to adjucate the rival
claims (to himselD of frost and famine.
Between him and the grave there was
seldom anything more Than a single sus-
pender and the hope of meal which
would at the same time support life and
make it insupportable. He literally
picked up precariOus living for him
self and an aged mother by ''choloriding
the Dumps" that is to say, the miners
permitted him to search the heaps of
waste rock for such pieces of ''pay ore"
as had been overlooked; and these he
sacked up and sold at the Syndicate
mil. He became member of our firm
-"Gunny, Giggles and Dumps thence
forth--through my favor; for l could
not then, nor can | now, be indifferent to
hi courage and prowess in defending
against Giggles the immemorial right of
his sex to insult a strange and unpro-
tected female-myself. After OLD Jim
struck it in the Gal unity and l began to
Wear shoes to school, and, in emulation,
Giggles took to washing his face and be-
came Jack Raynor, of w, lis, Fargo &
Co., and old Mrs. Barts was hers, If chic,
rid-d TO her fathers, Dumps drifted over
to San Juan Smith and turned stage
driver and was killed by road agents
Why do tell you all this, dear? Be-
cause it is heavy on my heart. Because
| walk the valley of humility. Because
| am subauing myself to permanent con-
sciousness of my unworthiness to I'M
loose the latchet of his shoe. Because,
o dear! 0 dear! there's a cousin of
Dumps at this hotel! l haven't spoken
to him. | never had any acquaintance
With MN, but DO you suppose ne has
recognized me? Do, please, give me
opinion about it and say you don't think
already and that is why he left me last
evening when he saw that blushed and
trembled like fool under his eyes? You
know | can't bride Ill the news papers. |
can't go back on anyone who was good
to Gunny at Redhorse-not if I'm
pitched out of society into the sea. SO
the skeleton sometimes rattles behind
the door. [ never cared much before, as
you know, but noW-now it is not the
same. Jack Raynor l am sure of-he
will not tell him. He seems. indeed, to
hold him in such respect as hardly to
dare speak to him at ALL and I'm a good
deal that way myself. Dear! dear! l
wish had something besides million
dollars! If Jack were three inches
taller I'd marry him and 60 back to Red
horse and wear sackclOth again to the
end of my miserable days.
July 25.
We had splendid sunset last
evening and must tell you all about it.
| ran away from aunty and everybody,
and vas walking alone on the beach. |
expect you to believe, you infidel! that
had not looked out of my window on
the seawa side of the hotel and seen
him walking alone on the beach. If you
are not lost to every feeling of womanly
delicacy you will accept my statement
without question. j soon established my
self under my sunshade and had for
some time been gazing out dreamily
over the sea, when he approached, walk
ing close to the edge of the water-it
was ebb-tide. | assure you the wet sand
actually frightened about his feet! AS
he approached me he lifted his hat, say
ing: .'Miss Dement,. may sit with you,
or will you walk with me?
The possibility that neither might be
agreeable seems not to have occurred to
him. Did you ever know such assur-
ance? Assurance? My dear, it was
gall-downright gall! Well, | didn't
find it NORWOOD, and replied, with my
untutored Redhorse heart in my throat
''I-I shall be pleased to do anything y
Could words have been more stupid ?
There are depths of faulty in me, friend
O. my soul, which are simply bottomless.
He extended his hand, smiling, and i
delivered mine into it without a
moments hesitation, and when his fin
gers closed about it to assist me to my
feet, the consciousness that it trembled
made me blush worse than the red west.
| got up, however, and after while, OBJ
serving that he had not let go my hand,
pulled on it a little unsuccessfuly. He
simply held on, saying nothing, but
looking down into my face with some
kind of smile-I didn't know-how
could I?-whether it was affectionate,
derisive. or what, for did not look at
him. How beautiful he was with the
red fires of sunset burning in the depths
of his eyes! Do you know, dear, if the
Thugs have any special kind of eyes
| y
at itude, the godlike inclination of his
head as he stood over me after had got
upon my feet! 1t was noble picture,
but soon destroyed it, for | began tC
sink again to the earth. There was only
one thing for him to do and he did it: he
supported me with an arm about my
waist.
"Miss Dement,, are you ill?" he said
1t was an exclamation; there was neither
alarm or solicitude in it. If he had add.
ed: II suppose that is about what l am
expected to say" he would hardly have
expressed his sense of the situation more
clt arly. His manner filed me with
shame and indignation, for l was suffer
ing acutely. l wrenched my hand out
of his, grasped the arm supporting nae
pushing myself free fell plump into the
sand and sat helpless. My hat had come
off in the struggle and my hair tumblet
about my face and shoulders in the mos
mt rrifying way.
$50 away from mel cried, half.
choking. ''Oh, please go away, you
you Thug! How dare you think tha
when my leg is asleep?'
| actually sid those Identical words
And then | broke down and sobbed