The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-06

footing than other farm hands, and directly
he became almost an elder brother to th'
numerous sons and daughters on the ranch
Quite naturally, when pretty Mary Byrd
grew up, and before other lovers appeared
Chris made himself still nearer one Of the
family-he married Mary Byrd. She wal
only Is then, but she was a woman at that
age, and she was a good wife TO Chris
Evans and he was a good husband 20 her.
Evans made more money than be had
made before, but he had others to care for
now, and there was not much TO put aside.
be did some farming over on the Iule
river. but that helped him little. Finally
old Byrd died and the widow moved down
to Vasalia. Evans got piece of land next
to her and brought his family there II
was not a pretentious house-far from 1t;
and the growing family were a bit crowded,
but on the whole it was comfortable. There
is a bit Of an orchard there that helped
out, and Evans could always find work.
There was not much luxury, but when
Mrs. Evans needed new dress she got II,
and blue-eyed Evs's frocks were as smart as
those Of the other girls. Then John and
And they worked with Chris Evans, and he
introduced them to his household. Chris,
by this time, a sturdy, middle-aged man
had established a character in the commu-
nifty. He was a solid man, man OF sense
and judgment. and his friends, the Son
tags, were steady boys
Every body knew how it was between
John and Eva She was the Oldest child
"a slender but strong slip OF a girl, with
blue eyes and resolute mouth. The tall,
quiet young man was waiting for her.
The neighbors knew it, and they waited
too, for q merry wedding Of Chris Evans
girl, for who in the town but liked the
steady farmer.
One day there came the news Of train
~. ma huH
been slain by the ruthless plunderers.
Father and John were away when 1t hap
pened. When they returned they were told
of the awful crime at Pixley. The robbers
had escaped and the country was full of
men hunting them. The young men Of the
town organized into posses and secured the
valley. Naturally they went to Evans
steady, cool, courageous Chris, the man
of men to head "a party in this man hunt
No, Chris would not go. Others might
see their way clear to risk their lives, but
be had his family to consider; he would
not 60. They did not find the robbers,
but the crime gave the people much to
talk about.
One day there came news of another train
robbery. The robbers had shot a man,
and had carried away bills and money
away up into the thousands, and again the
country was covered with mau-hunters,
and the pretty town where dwelt Evans
and his friends was astounded when the
trail Of the robbers was followed right into
its streets. People looked in to one another's
faces, aud the stanch, steadfast men of the
town sought by themselves to find the viii
lains, and Evaus consulted with them and
gave his advice and his opinion.
1t blew over after time. Chris Evans
and John Sontag pooled their funds and
went to Modesto They started a livery
stable, and people were stirred by this ex.
hibition Of industry. Two men who could
save enough money for such an enterprise
and support family besides out of their
earnings as day laborers deserve to sue
coed.
The stable burned down, but 1t was in
sured. and the two friends returned to
Visalia. So they lived on, respected by
their Deighbors and credit to the town
Chris did not work much now. He had
timber claim and q mine up in the
mountains, aud these, with the little or
chard and what had to be done about the
house and barn, took up all his time. He
and John and George were away at the
mine when there was another robbery 1t
was at Ceres, and railroad detective was
shot in the throat. There came time when
John and George wanted to visit their old
home in the east They had worked hard
and were entitled to holiday.
George and John Sontag aud Chris Evans
went away from California. George and
John Conant and Charles Norton appeared
in Wisconsin, and there was bold assault
on train.
George and John Sontag and Chris Evans
reappeared in California The towns
people welcomed back the two young men
and their older friend-now O man of 40, a
bit bent and bearded, but sturdy man.
There was some trouble about that settle
ment of the stable business at Modesto-an
ri afiah moi or -
A mans first duty is TO his family, and
Evans decided over his timber claim and all
else that he possessed to Mary, while John,
like true lover, made over all his little fort
une TO Eva.
So days went on. One morning a neigh
borlr housewife pushed open the door OF
Eva cottage. John Sontag was within.
AT the opening of the door his hands went
up, and Eva Gnd the rest laughed long at
the joke. But the door was opened aga ain
that day. Chris was there then, and no
hands went up. OF the two officers who
came one was left for dead, and the other
ran away bleeding and scared. There had
been another successful train robbery and
out of the darkness of the night he'd shown
the figure of sturdy, model Chris Evans,
ribald and blasphemous, cruel and threat
ening.
And there came another night, and Chris
and John crept home to Mary and Eva.
and again they we're seen, and when the
fight had changed into victorious fight a
man lay writing in the aQonies of death in
stubble where Eva fed her chickens.
And what did they do when father and
lover were following the sore-w ounded man
to make his death a certainty! Why, they
looked on and made no outcry. And when
the coroner and his jury considered above
the murdered man little Eva swore brAvely
against all the world and all possibility.
And when she had told how two men had
rushed into the house with drawn pistols
upon father and lover, she sat quite still,
looking at accusers and officers, with her
firm chin even firmer than over, and let
the lawyers fire all the hard questions they
had at her, and she never wavered a hairs
breadth
This is the kind Of a girl John Sontag's
sweetheart is.
And joint John is away off in the
mountains somewhere keeping out of the
way of trailers, with the steady, blondes
bearded man who studied for the priest
hood in Canada.
Mr.. Clevelsnd's Yacht.