The Portland daily press., 1895-11-09
LURLINE.

I had been appointed to the position OF
manager of the Judin's Trust Mining COM
pany. Before going to the mines I was
called to San Francisco to confer with the
directorate. was comparatively young
at the time and inclined to the pleasures
of the world. For the purposes of my mar
rative think may say, without being
accused of vanity, that was possessed of
a rather presentable person, and, moreover,
of the power Of making myself agreeable.
The result was that at once became a
prime favorite with my employers, who
| showed me many social attentions.
This was particularly the case with the
| president Of the company, stout, jovial,
high living person whose hospitality to me
extended even beyond his own establish
ment-in fact, so far on one occasion as an
invitation to a supper party at the house of
pretty grass widow, whose name was a
German one, common enough-so common
| indeed that at the time it made no impress
sion upon me, and Isoonquite overlooked
| it, as my genial employers continually adj
| dressing her as Lurline led, in the freedom
| of her bohemianisln, to my also calling
her by that name, with the elceremoni-
| GUS prefix of g madame added, however
| Il do not wish to be misconstrued con-
| corning Nine. Lurline. Notwithstanding
! what have chosen to call her bohemian
| ISM" she was on visiting terms with the
| wife and family of the president and, so
| far as have ever known, she was wom
| an of unquestionable morality. Too much
| SO rerhaps She was bright and extremely
| handsome and we were soon on terms of
friendly intimacy. We sang German songs
| together and were even quite sentimental
in very innocent way.
/ noted from her establishment that she
was very well to do--there was no vulgar
ostentation, but the house was elegantly
appointed, there were well trained servants
and tasteful equipage to say nothing of
her toilets and jewels. Madame seemed to
enjoy life to perfection-so perfectly, in
fact, that she never by any chance referred
to the past, and of course never dreamed
of doing SO. But, as pleasure was not my
only pursuit, was Obliged after a few
days, to go to other occupations and SO
made my adieus and took my departure
for the mountains and the mines.
The scene of my duties was a disagreea-
BILE one. 1t was in fact, about as abomina-
BILE spot as could be hit upon-a dis
NAL, uncomfortable camp, dependent upon
one company; 6aot in summer, cold in
winter, without flowers or grass or trees; a
back ground Of rock ribbed mountains, a
foreground of sandy desert the only beau
ty being in the Wild blaze of colors in the
sunset sky. The great bare hills, however,
contained wonderful treasure, and large
monthly dividends attested to the prosper
ity of the place.
1t was in the old thigh pressure" days,
and our salaries were commensurate with
the profits of the company. We worked
like horses and were paid like princes
"Come easy, go easy''-the old adage was
here verified. Every one was lavish. Ev-
erything that money could procure was
there-everything for the man, but moth
ing for the soul. We were all profigate in
our spending. All? Well no. The old
assayer, Herman Smitt, was the sole ex-
ception; he was perfect miser. There
was no excuse for the meanness of the
man, for he received large salary, even
for those days-no less than $500 monthly.
The only luxury he seemed to permit him
self was tobacco, Of which he smoked the
cheapest grades in his huge porcelain pipe.
His only diversion was music He had an
old wooden flute wrapped here and there
with linen thread where it had cracked
through age and hard usage. 1t must be
admitted that he was a master of this i'll
strument. When the mill was shut down
for repairs, he could be heard playing at
night in the darkness of his room, impro-
vising the most exquisite music. The soft,
clear notes flowing out into silence like the
voices of angels, enough to quite carry one
away, and-bah! to think of it's being only
old Slnitt, after all.
Every pay day a check for $500 was
made out to the order of Mrs. Herman
Smitt; the remaining $40 he drew in COIN
say "every pay day''-that is inaccurate
Sometimes large checks were drawn in
the favor of we'll known life insurance
companies From this it was evident that
he regarded their policies as good form
of investment. I could draw the mental
picture Of his fat economical old spouse
quietly depositing the remittances in some
solid German savings bank, and eventual
" of the twain returning, by some cheap
1ine to their fatherland, there to live in
great comfort upon half the interest of
their hoard, to be courted and envied-
perhaps hated-by nelghbors and relatives.
I also wondered if some day some fat head
ed son or nephew would not spend it all in
a 1.-THE of the getting upon faxen haired
madchens and long necked bottles.
It was none of my business and did
not care, except that know did not re-
gard Slnitt as credit to the establishment
did think of dismissing him, but he was
SO thoroughly competent in his art that it
would have been as irrational as it would
have been unjust. He worked hard and
we'll, and as 1 have said, it was none of
my business what ne did with his earn
ings.
As time passed grew used to him,
even rather partial, for one day in g mo-
ment of weakness, seeing that he looked
very tired and worn, employed boy to
help him with his work. AT first he did
not want him, but when I explained that
tho comnauy would paw his wages he