The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-12-24

send Ella off ter school at the other
side of the world. When she comes
back in two year, she won't know
Frank or no one else in the Glen, and
the chances is Il thousand ter one that
she'll be engaged TO some dandy dude
or eastern tenderfoot."
This is what Sam Britton, the min
ing boss, said to his friends after Ella
had gone with her father and Frank to
Denver, and that is what all the min
ers believed,
Time flies fast with the aged and the
busy. 1t was Christmas eve, 1856, and
Lanston's Glen was in a state of great
excitement. The ''sagebrush belle"
was coming over on the stage that
evening from Salt Lake City, and one
and all agreed to have a ball at the
Grand Occidental hotel in honor of her
arrival.
During Elias absence Frank Hobart
had visited Denver once, but the camp
gossips were quite sure that he and the
young lady corresponded. But I'll
bet" Sam Britton would say, that
Frank amt never had the spunk to set
down in black and white the four
words: Ella, love you" And Sam
was quite right.
Capt, LaIston went to Denver to
bring his daughter home, and it was
understood before he left that Howard
Ford, the son of the president of the
mine, who lived in Colorado City and
at whose home Ella had been visitor,
would come back with them. Frank
Hobart brought, at his own expense, a
band from Salt Lake, to play at the
ball; and the day before Christmas eve
he drove into the mountains with his
Chinese servant and cut evergreens to
decorate the dining and ball rooms.
When the stage drove up with Ella,
her father and young Howard Ford, it
was greeted with grand salute from
every gun and pistol in the glen. All
the miners were dressed in their best,
though this did not prevent prepon-
derance of red shirts; and, following
Sam Britton's lead, they gave three
cheers and tiger for the ''sagebrush
belief"
Ella had grown taller and more come
ly, if that were possible. Two years
of caseful culture and intellectual asso-
citation had destroyed the omewhat
hoydenish expression of her face, and
so rather repelled her old admirers,
with whom heartiness and bolster
GUS recognition went hand in hand.
81 wouldn't give shuclls for Frank
Hobart as lover" growled Sam Brit
ton, after Frank had lifted Ella from
the stage. why, ne didn't even kiss
her, after these years and all he's
done; and now she comes back this
blessed Christmas eve with q dude,
Jest as l sand she would, two year ago"
AS compared with the rough miners
in and about the hotel at the glen Mr..
Howard Ford was n fashionable exqui-
site. Although under medium height,
and five years Frank Hobart's junior,
he was not bad looking, and, being the
mine presidents son, he was at this
moment the most important man at
Lanston's Glen
There were tall, wholesome, bright
eyed girls by the score from the Glen
and the surrounding mountain settle
ments at the Grand Occidental hotel
this Christmas eve, and although the
ball and banquet in Elias honor might
be lacking in some of the refnements
essential in the fashionable world, they
were distinguished for heartiness and
freshness of enjoyment that put ev-
eryone at ease.
"Why don't you go up and dance
with Ella?" said Sam Britton to the
young superintendent, after the dance
had been going on for some time.
That little dude has kept her all to
hisself ever since the frolic began"
81 haven't danced since was boy, -
said Frank, who, from his position at
the farther end of the room, had been
following with his brave brown eyes
every movement of Ella.
"Waa!, ] think yer as good d9ncer
as most of the boys lar, and ef you
don't ak Ella blamed ef don't git her
to AK you" And before Frank could
think of protesting Sam Britton had
darted off.
The mining boss had plenty of assur-
ance, and he firmly believed that if
the young superintendent had more OF
this quality his character would be-
simply perfect. Already Sam Britton
had welcomed Ella ana bade her ga
merry Christmas" eight hours in ad-
vance of the day; but this did not deter
him from going over TO where she s. II