The Washington times., 1894-06-03
THE ONLY NONAN IN CAMP.

When a man has quarreled with the woman
he loves he is apt to bestow too much atten-
ton on himself and too little sympathy on
| Others. This was the case with John Hum
| NELL. mining engineer Of the Red Wing,
Truso, Cal. On the 1st ofAugust his engage
ment with Laura Mason was broken. On the
4th Corrigan, his assistant, was killed by
| blast. This vas the 9th, and he had not even
been to see Corrigan's widow.
Hummell stood at the window Of the cor
| poration dining room and looked up the trail
toward the ore dump1. Il was CorrigRn's
| funeral day. Some miners were coming down
| through the cedars bearing the white pine
| coffin on their shoulders. Hummell had Just
| read in the Bodie News that Miss Laura Ma
son would start for New YORK on August 6.
| She would carry his dead hopes win her, he
thought. Just as the miners were carrying
poor Corrigsn TO his grave. Had not pride
| prevented him Hummell might have inter-
cepted her on the Sonora stage road, ac-
knowledged his error and made peace even
then.
"Flunal watt said Sam, the Chinese cook.
Hummeli hurried out and joined the pro-
| cession.
When they had filed the grave the miners
went to their work. Hummell. finally aroused
from his self-absorption, went TO the Corri-
gan cabin TO see if he could be of any service
to the young widow, the only woman in
Truso. He had boarded at the Corrigans'
at one time so he knew Mrs. Corrigan well.
Entering the single room OF the cabin he
| found her lying on the bed in a half senseless
| condition. He put brandy to her lips. She
| drank few drops, revived and turned to-
| ward him. her flushed face furrowed with an
agony that was not entirely mental. Her
| look staytled Hummell. He bent over her
and whispered. She nodded assent and
iad fa-f faaa in nj Hupa oil
| out Of the cabin in an instant.
GOOD Godr' he muttered; "Dr. Lunt In
| Stockton and no woman within call"
He hastened to the corporation house,
where Sam was washing the dinner dishes.
'Look here. sam,' said Hummell. sharply,
''take the blackboard, drive to Bodie, and
bring back the first woman you can find
| Savez?"
Sam wiped his eyes with the dish towel
and replied, calmly, "Melican woman no
come with Sam"
That was true, but all the other men wers
in the mines, and some one-some white
man-must stay with Mrs. Corrigan. Hum
nell wrote hurriedly on slip of paper.
Here" said Re. ''if she won't come give
her this, but don't you show your yellow hide
back here again until you bring a woman Of
some kind. Sharp. now"
Sam scampered of and Hummell returned
to the Corrigan cabin. Not knowing better
1t had never occurred to him before what an
awful thing it was to be a woman, or how
helpless a strong man might be.
Sam drove down the sharp grade at fast
pace, setting upright and letting the reins
hang loose. In ten minutes he reached the
Sonora road. and there was the Bodie stage
coming up the hill. Sam waved his paper and
the driver pulled up. The only passenger was
a woman. She took the missive and read it
at glance. 1t said:
''For Gods sake, come with this man to
Truso. It's case OF life and death. John
Hummell."
Brandy had ceased to keep Mrs. Corrigan
quiet and Hummell was In despair. Suddenly
the blackboard dashed up. Hummell sprang
to the door.
"Melican woman" announced Sam,
proudly.
"Oh, Johnr' gasped the American woman,
"what is it3n
"Thank God, Laura, it's you" said Hum
nell, and he held out his hands.
Extracts from the Bodie News:
august Z, to Mrs. J. P. Corrgan, a son."
October l. married, at Bodie, by the Rev.
Phineas Meggs, John Hummell, of Truso, and
Laura Mason, Of Bodie. "A. NJ, in the New
York Press.