The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-04-13

women constitute very small minority
of the population.
II is not strange either that many OF
Mrs. McGuire's boarders fell in love with
Mrs. McGuire's waitress. There was
quite noticeable sprucing up in the
way of general appearance among the
boarders. Two or three of "the boys"
affected bright colored ties, and when
they came to their meals they were par
ticular about washing their faces very
clean. They seemed to put more than
the usual amount of water on their
hair and combed it back slicker
than they had been in the habit
of doing. All this seemed to have no
effect upon Mrs. McGuires help. She
was as demure, retiring and modest as
when she first arrived. There was one
boarder who loved the pretty waiter-girl
with the consuming passion Of a secret
to her, he was so difident. The tutter
of her dress was sufficient to cause every
nerve in his body to tremble. If she
spoke to him he was sure to put lump
of butter in his coffee or sprinkle sugar
all over his plate during the ensuing mo-
ment of confusion. This boarder was
"Chihuahua" Brown. He was reserved
in his manner, SO quiet and gentlemanly
that Doris was naturally attracted to him.
They became friends and gradually "Chi-
huahua' Brown learned of the past life
of Doris Ware. Her father had been a
man of wealth; he was Il speculator. A
bad investment had left him almost pen
niless. He lacked the moral courage to
face adversely and in a moment of des-
peration and dependency he blew out
his brains. The shock almost killed his
wife, woman of delicate, nervous
temperament. His daughter Doris rose
superior to the occasion. She supported
her mother from the rather small wages
she earned in store. Ore day she read
an advertisement in Western paper:
''Ten girls wanted for light, easv occu-
pations in the mountains; wages S25 per
week." With such large wages she
could comfortably support her mother.
The amount was more than twice as
much as she had been receiving. She
had used her meagre savings to come
West, only to find that "the light, easy
occupation" for which the ten Young
girls were wanted was to serve beer IN a
dance hall in Leadville. Being almost
without money she took the first place
she could get; it was her present one
waitress in Mrs. McGuire's restaurant.
"Chihuahua' determined that the girl
should not longer work in the restau-
rant. But what could he do? There
was no other occupation in which she
could engage and remain in Pyrtes, and
he could not bear the thought of send
ing her away
Well, there was one thing which
ought to be done, If it could be done.
One September morning "Chihuahua'
Brown bade adieu to Pyrltes for short
time and went up to his mines on Snow
shoe Mountain. Before going he laid
in large supply of writing paper,
some big, thick pointed pens, bottle
of ink and some blank mining deeds.
The miners working adjoining claims
noticed that 'sChihuahua" Brown was
paler than usual. His manner was less
reserved. He was nervous and excited
at times. He sat up late at night writ
ing and always concluded by tearing up
what ne had written. One night when
he was thus engaged, one of the men
working on the night shift came to the
door and yelled.
"Chihuahua! Chihuahua! come into
the mine aud look at the stuff we've got
in there-we've strlck it big"
"Chihuahua" hurried into the mine.
It was a beautiful September after
noon in Pyrites. The mountains were
covered with wild flowers, and here and
there the sides of the monster hills had
been touched by the frost, transforming
verdant hues into purple, crimson and
gold. Doris went for stroll early in
the afternoon. She gathered the flowers
as she went along, and almost every step
rev vealed some new beauty of the floral
kingdom. Her mind was not so much
upon the flowers as it was upon him
big, bearded, honest, manly "Chi-
huahua" Brown. She had received a
letter from her mother that morning, in
which remittance of 500 was ac
knowledged. The letter to her mother
had been sent by "Chihuahua" Brown,
and he had stated therein that the 500
was part of the proceeds from mine
in which Doris had an interest with him.
The money was badly needed by the
mother, and her gratitude was almost
extravagantly expressed.
Doris strolled on, thinking OF the
generosity of "Chihuahua," and the
secret, delicate method he had taken of
showing it.
1t was time to return. The shadows
began to gather on the mountains, and
darkness would soon be upon her.
She started back to the trail; but, alas!
there was no trail where she thought 1t
should be. Again she located III her
minds eye the place where she had lett
the trail in her search for flowers. but
there was no trail when she arrived
there. 1t was almost dark. She real
lied that she was lost. Lost in the !
lost in little basin, with
the town of Pyrites just over small