The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-10-30

love with the young feller, for he was
no doubt the first real dashin young
man she'd ever seen in all her life.
No sich young feller was to be found
among the Mormon settlers, who
mostly held the country. All the
young Mormons were reg'lar yahoos,
and besides her people had but little to
do with the followers Of old Brigham
Young. So Ella looked on Jack as a
sort of young Lochinvar. In her eyes
he was perfect, and whatever he said
or did was right. And no doubt her
father was well satisfied, for Jacks
father owned half dozen big ranches
over in California and so many cat
tie that he could hardly count 'ena.
"All summer Jack and Ella were
out ridin about together most every
day, and we su said it was match.
I remember one day when they rode
by laughia gayly. Barney Glow
looked after 'em with all his eyes;
then turnin to me with a wink he
said "A match as sure as if the knot
were already tiedr 1t seemed to us
it would be a mighty good match,
too-good for the Langs as well as
for the house Of Harl,' for there was
lots of land and cattle on both sides.
But good lookin and fair spoken as
Jack was, it seems there must have
been something not exactly honest
and square in his makeup-would
look thataway by the way he finally
acted
Zone day long in the fall, bout
the 1st of October, old Sam Harl,
who had been r;din about the valleys
swappin cattle and yarns with the
settlers, went home kinder troubled
in mind over some news he had
heerd. This news was that Jack
Lang had been pushin his cattle out
of the country and would soon have
'em all on the California side-the
main herd havin already been driven
out Of Truckee medders and up inter
the mountainsas far as Donner lake.
Jack was goin to strike up inter the
|<montains next day, leavin some Of
his cowboys to gather up and bring
along a few stragglin lots of cattle.
"Old Sam had happened to meet
one of Jacks cowboys, who told him
that Jack had got q letter from his
father orderin him to gather up the
cattle and return to California at
once. The cowboy furder said Jack
was in peck of trouble, as his fa-
ther was determined he should marry
q Spanish senorita, who had hun
ssdreds OF square leagues Of land and
countless herds of cattle. Seems this
marriage had been arranged by
Jacks folks and the Spanish family.
"Of course all the cowboys had seen
Ella and Jack gallopin about together
and were glad to see that their young
boss had had the luck to win the
brightest and handsomest gal in the
country-one that could ride with
any Of 'em and beat most Of 'em when
it came to shootin. They looked on
Ella Harl as sort Of queen among
women-a reg'lar goddess, Not a
man among them but would have
risked his life for Ella. So they didn't
like to see Jack fxin to slip out of the
country as he was doin; in fact, they
had held sort Of indignation meet
in about it among themselves.
'sBy askin a few questions old Sam
Harl found that Jack had gone up to
Eagle ranch, in Eagle valley, where
Carson City now stands, and that in
the afternoon he would return to
Truckee medders, and next mornin
push on up inter the mountains to
catch his main herd Of cattle. This
news give Sam feelin of oneasiness,
as every dsy for weeks he had been
expectin Jack would ask him to give
him Ella for a wife. So, mountin his
hoss, he struck for home like a hurry
cane to SEQ Ella, tell her what was up
and find out jist how matters stood
between her and Jack.
Z" BY the Almighty said old Sam
in turnin to leave the cowboy, twill
be a bad bitof work for Jack Lang if
he has not been actin on the square
with me and mine?
"tDon't be too brash, MIR. Harl,
said the cowboy. An may come out
well. Somebody has been writin from
over here to Jacks father a lot of
stuff that has caused the old man TO
order him home at once, bag and bag
gage. I heard Jack say that much
myself
ITO this old Sam made no answer
but to roar, BY the eternal, no Lang
shall disgrace the house Of Har2 and
liver Then striking his spurs into
his hoss he dashed away.
''On reaching home the old man at
once told Ella what he had heard OF
Jacks movements and intentions.
She was struck all of heap. Why,
father said she, I'm Jacks wife
'Old Sam then found that Jack
had told her that as there was no one
over here to marry them but a Nor
mon preacher or justice Of the peace
they would join hands and marry
themselves after the California fash
ion;' then. as soon as possible, they
would be married by minister or
gentle justice, which would satisfy
her father and mother. Meantime
she was to say nothing to the old
folks and was assured that their mar.
rage after the California style was
as good and lawful as any other.
1T seems that the pair had stood
up in q grove at the upper end Of the
valley one SUNDAY. and that, claSpin