Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1894-05-24
A WESTERN IDYL.
Adventures Of tho School Mistress
at Bang-Up City.

$50 this is Bang-Up CityP Then the
place is living geographical lie"
Rose Kenyon looked indignant as she
said this
AS she gazcd about the collection of
saloons and other dingy shantics which
constituted tho only visible portion of
tho far famed mining camp the indig-
nant expression on her face deepened
in intensity.
For Miss Kenyon had been led to cx-
pect very different sort of place.
She had been told that Bang-Up City
was species of earthly paradise, whose
inhabitants were so well satisfied with
life there that they did not care to
make even short excursion out into
the outer world.
"From what ! can see of it."
she murmured, IL cannot understand
how anyone can ever be induced to re-
main in the place over night Where
is all this western hustle of which
have heard? Where is the enterprise
which builds complete new cities in q
month? Bah! l have been imposed
upon"
Sha paused, irresolute, upon the
platform of the little depot that was
half log shanty and half tent.
Rose Kenyon was very fair vision
to gaze upon. Young-not over twenty
and pretty = decidedly pretty she
was the kind of woman who can be de-
pended upon to set masculinity by the
ears.
Suitors were no novelty to Rose. She
had had many lovers, but had sent
them all away. Not one of them had
ever approached her ideal
And now she had been allured to the
Rockies by the illiterate invitation of
three men, who subscribed themselves
as the school trustees of BangUp City.
They had confessed, in their queer
letter. that Bang-Up City was as yet
without schools of any description, but
they had invited her, at salary which
had astonished the New England
school-teacher, to come out and change
the state of affairs at Bang-Up City.
And Rose had accepted. She had ex-
pected that the trustees would be at
the station to meet the first teacher of
their new community, but there was
not q soul near the depot Then Rose
remembered that she had not told
them on which day she expected to ar
rive
Finally Roses eye fell upon monde
script-looking Chinaman who was COM
ing lcisurely up the road He was not
an inviting specimen of the Mopgolian
race. TO begin with, he was dirty. To
add to that he was very ragged. And,
to cap all, he had one of the most hid
eous faces ever seen.
"Cally yo' Clip, missy?' he demand
ed, as he came close to her and picked
up the heavy valise which lay at Miss
Kenyon's feet.
rs there hotel herc?" Rose asked.
"Yes missy you wantee go there?"
YES"
"Then cally yo' bag"
GLOW much?" asked Rose. She had a
Now England eye to the cost of things
1.-Two bitee, missy"
"All right Lead the way to the
place"
The Chinaman started down the
dusty road, followed by Miss Kenyon.
AS they got into what might be called
the heart of the city Rose saw that
there were a good many men about,
As she walked along the number of
men became larger, and she noticed,
not without uneasiness, that they all
appeared to be followed her. For, in
some way, it got noised about that this
decidedly pretty young woman was the
new schoolma'am.
And every mothers son of them felt
that he had an interest in the school
ma'am, to pay whom all were to be
taxed.
Bv the time that the Chinaman came
TO stop before a shanty which looked
lust shade more pretentious than the
rest the street was crowded by miners
They all stared at her, yet Rose could
not help feeling that she was the re-
cipient of attention most respectfully
meant
Jim Walker, a.big, handsome fellow,
made so bold as to step up to her and
inquire:
"Beg pardon, but mebbe yer the new
schoolma'am?"
Eyes, am"
Walker turned to the Chinaman and
said authoritatively:
drop thatgrip right there, Jim Wah.
I'll look after it"
"You pay me, missy" said the China
man.
ANY miner would have given five
dollars bonus for the privilege of pay
ing the Chinaman, but all felt, after q
brief inspection of Miss Kenyon, that
Il would not be safe offer to make
Miss Kenyon took out her purse and
drew from it silver quarter.
-Four bites" said the chinaman.
"Why," expostulated Rose, ''you
offered to carry 1t for twenty-five
cents."
"You heap lie" retorted Jim Wah.
yMs said four bltee-'