The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-20
[Original1

"He shorely air." agreed Lish Allen.
AN more AN that, fellers, he's one o
the daintiest an delicatest kind er
! judes, one o. them regular bandbox sort
e. fellers what ort to be kept in er glass
case whar' no dust wouldn't git on
! him"
You've sized him exactly, Lish,
said old man Harter, with loud,
hearty laugh, in which his companions
! Joined. You've hit the chap off to a
certainty. He's one o. them nice,
mincin', white-skinned fellows who'd
die if he got his hands soiled, an who'd
think he was forever disgraced IL he
! had to do days work"
"Wonder what the blamed fool come
up here for?" third remarked. "As
Harter says, it's plain work amt in
his line, an I'm dinged if he can make
livin' in this camp without work"
''Oh, maybe he lows to be gentle
man an let US support him." replied
Lish Allen, facetiously. ''Pickett's
Pint ort to support one gentleman.
shorely."
''Oh, of course" agreed Harter; ''an'
/ reckon we'd all be powerful glad to
help do it It 'ud be SIGH great
honor"
There was general laugh following
this witty remark, which was consid-
cred one of the best pieces of humor
Harter had ever originated.
I'll tell you what think more like
" than that" some one said, when the
laugh was over.
whats that?'' Lish asked
"Why, low he intends to marry the
old mans daughter an inherit the
mines''
This remark was considered so rich
that it was received with a perfect
storm of laughter.
Il reckon that thar idea jest about
hits the case plumb CENTER" Lish said
when he was able to speak, IAN Alb
Snow had better be lookin' out sorter
sharp or the first thing he knows he'll
come up 'thout a sweetheart"
That's fact, Ab," agreed Harter,
'an' you'd best be maxim things safe.
If was you I'd have a parson up here
an git spliced to Miss Pickett right
away. tell you, delays is dangerous,
an the first thing you know that thar
jude ill steal her away from you"
Reckon do run a great risk, boys!
Alb replied; "but still 1 guess I'll take
the chances for awhile. I'll keep my
eyes open, though, and if I find he's
getting the lead on me I'll try and head
him off. suppose there won't be any
H. g., - AL
This speech was considered SO good
that another roar of laughter followed
it, which ended the conversation, as the
time arrived for the miners to begin
work, and they had other thoughts to
engage their attention
The subject Of the foregoing remarks
was quiet, inoffepsive young man,
fresh from the east. who had arrived
at Pickett's Point the night before.
The miners at the Point knew nothing
at all about him, save the fact that his
name was Will Martin, but he had
given them deadly offense and won
their displeasure in two ways. First,
he had come into the camp dressed
almost fastidiously, a grave crime in
secondly, he had refused to'drink with
them when he was cordially invited to
do SO, and had even refused to mingle
with them at the saloon, a crime for
which men had lost their lives.
There were not many women at
Pickett's Point, and of those that were
there Mary Pickett was decidedly the
flower. She was not only young, beauti-
full and rich, but she was gentle, kind
! and good.
She was admired by every one in the
camp, and the rough, grizzled old
miners would have deemed it a great
honor and a high privilege to have had
the pleasure of hanging anyone who
had dared to utter word against her.
Alb Snow was old man Picketts chief
help, who held the position of superin-
tendent at the mines. He was a good
looking, bright young man. and for a
! long time he had been very attentive to
Miss Pickett. His attentions seemed to
be very agreeable to her, and in Vine
the people of the Point came to look
upon a marriage between the two as
an assured fact Snow gave color to
the belief by assuming noncommittal
air when the matter was preached in
his presence.
The facts in the case were that Snow
most ardently desired to marry Miss
/ Pickett, though he was not influenced
altogether by love. 1t is true he felt
/ for Mary all he was capable of feeling
/ for woman, but he was SO selfish by
/ nature that Pickett's mines and Pick
ett's money had far greater influence
} over his heart than Mary had. This
fact, however, he kept to himself
! VIII Martin remained about the camp
! for two or three days after his arrival,
then one morning he dotted his tasty
! attire, and in its stead donned miners
suit. Taking some provisions and tools
/ he went off up into the mountains
/ alone where he remained week. This
action created considerable amusement
/ for the miners at the Point, and led old
man Harter to remark:
~ reckon, fellers. the jude's goin' to
diskiver mine o his own"
dispose he's got err notion o. some
thin O the Sort" replied Lish. 81 low
he has sort O. er idee that gold leads is
layin' round loose out we're, an that
any greenhorn kin so out an diskiver a
rich one any day"
'Yas," said another. IAN / guess he'll
feel kind o disappointed il he don't
find two or three mines the FIRST asy
he's out That's the way it is with
most o. them tenderfeet"