The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-08-18
THE HONORABLE HNNE.
BY EDITH ALLANDALE.

A H GING'S welcome when l came. a
~ bride, to the ranch was not of the
warmest. The dusky adobe wall, throw
ing him into picturesque relief, he stood
on the ranchhouse veranda, his face
full of suppressed excitement.
"You telle me-" he muttered, who
boss, now Mr.. Allandale get mallied?"
"All same as before" was my ready
rejoinder.
The crafty features relaxed, and All
Cling disappeared kitchenward, his pig
tail having struck the dominant note
in my first impressions of Vaquero
Water.
Cadric smiled at me approvingly.
"Glad you were SO diplomatic, else he'd
have left by the morning stage. It's
awfully ~unromantic, darling, but the
drive has made me beasly hungry. Let's
see what the old chap has for u.s."
We dined in a long, low room, hung
with spurs and sporting prints, SOU
venirs of English days. the happiest
couple in California.
In its lack of excitement. ranch life
proved disappointing. Lynchings were
unknown = bandits and desperadoes
conspicuous by their absence.
So life flowed on, smoothly, monot-
onously, till after the birth of Billikins.
All Cling then announced his departure.
Better girl cook" he declared. mo
likee baby. Heap tlouble. Alice time
ely"
The next Celestial left after a hasty
glance at the kitchen wall. "Me flaid,"
he explained, pointing to a red hero
glyphic unfortunately unnoticed by us.
"Ah Cling he write: 'Debbil in this
house."
"He meant the baby" suggested
Cedric.
HE say debbil. Me go. No China
boy stay here. Heap scared of debbil."
TRY a girl" implored Cedric. Its
no joke driving ten miles a day to the
station"
We tried. in turn, Gretchen, who left
within the week to "learn religion;"
Bridget, who declined working under
an Englishman; the widow, whose
tears, as she recounted her woes. sizzled
over the stove; Dicie, who disliked low
wages, though she found no fault with
me; and Samantha, who objected to
the lack of scenery" Useless to point
out the Brush Hills mellow charm, dis
tant mountains, oak-dotted meadows,
Samantha remained obdurate. ut may
suityouMr .Allandale,' she commented,
pityingly, ito see nothing but land. l
like it like it was in Tulare. There you
L. 80 L@,.1 xIs11, - ~..- - -
an people passin' all day. That's the
scenery for me, SO / guess I'll pack my
freight"
Which she proceeded to do; and had
barely driven out of sight when a young
girl, tall, slim and neatly dressed,
stepped on the veranda.
IF you plese, ma'am," she quietly
said, II heard that you wanted a girl;
can 1 have the placer"
heard her history, which was simple.
The previous year she had come from
England to join her brother on u claim,
had fallen ill, had gone to the county
hospital at La Huerta, and had come
thence to me. While hearing these
details, Cedric returned. But one con-
clusion could be drawn from his utter
detection. "No girl" was stamped on
every feature. Samantha had recon-
mended me to Odessa Green. who, less
exacting in regard to scenery, was will
ling to leave the family pig-pen for a
months change, provided the washing
was put out, Mrs. Allandale helped
with the dishes, the afternoons were
free. and a horse every Sunday was at
her disposal. knew the type, ignorant,
slatternly, familiar. Contrasting with
it the newcomer, my resolution was
taken. mo, Cedric, l have a servant al
ready"