The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-05-29
TROUBLE AT SAINTS REST.
by PAUL sHoUP.

Summers walked slowly over to the
stage road and gazed down into the val
ey.
Here she eomesl" he shouted, stand
ing in the middle of the road, with his
right hand over his eyes. The listeners
sprang to their feet and FASTENED to the
roadside.
A swirl of dust appeared around the
bend, and out of it came the noise of
the rafting of wheels and the beating
Of hoofs Then stage appeared, and
minute later the driver made his usual
theatrical stop before the office.
The guard, jumping lightly to the
ground, held open the stage door. Mrs.
higgins, fat, fair, and certainly more
than forty, awkwardly descended to
the ground, and then appeared Miss
higgins. Miss higgins was Young and
Miss higgins was pretty. Charming
glances from her melting blue eyes ae-
eompanied her musical voice, while her
red cheeks and hair of gold made the
surrender of the hearts of the men OF
Saints Rest unconditional.
The last roll of blankets had found
It's owner, the horses had been led away,
and the sleeping stage coach stood to
one side. The major was enthusiastic
md the group before him was atten-
tive: AT last the eye of the world
is becoming focused upon the great nat
ural resources of Saints Rest. 1t is
quite evident, sub, even to supe' fetal
observer, that Mrs. higgins and her
lovely daughter have been lured hither
by the unparalleled attractions of
Saints Rest to spend their days in
rnpturous contemplation of the beau
lies of nature
yer mistaken, major" said old man
Summers, who had been diligently
scraping his pipe. Mrs. higgins ez
goin to open boardin' house"
"Who said SOP" demanded the major,
blankly.
"That sage-brush pirate who pilots
the stage. Mrs. higgins told him.
The major looked out across the val
ley for moment and then stallSed ST
iently away. No one thought of lisput-
ing the word of the stage driver, who
was to the camp what weekly news
paper is to a rural community--an un-
questioned source of enlightenment.
Old man Summers gazed after the re-
treating form of the major with twink
ling eyes. "Oh, yes, Miss higgins ez
purity" he remarked. SOS a Sierra
rattler sunnin' hisself in trail. But
I'll bet pair of giraffes ag'in' one
eyed hippopothesis that trouble an
this Miss higgins travel together"
On the evening following the day
of Miss higgins descent upon the
peaceful camp of Saints Rest, eyer9
miner in the Lost Horse guleh, from
the crest of the ridge to the bed of the
wash, found that he had pressing bust
ness on the main street of the camp.
Among those who took their in
genious ways up and down the UNI
even paths was Jim Bowloe. Nature
had not been niggardly with her ma
terials in his building, and Jim was
fully aware that his appearance justi-
fled the turning of heads in admiring
chances. When he stumbled on the
best claim in the gulch, he accepted the
fact nonchalantly realizing that it was
but the due of a man of his superior
gifts, and when blaek-eyed 'Ceneion
joined her mother, who ran the Bonita
restaurant, the camp murmuringly rec
ognized his right to be first in love as
we'll as in business. But now, with the
spell of Miss higgins over them all,
Jim was panied and surprised to note
that about every other abe-bodied man
in the gulch was obtrusively present.
Jim Bowloe had bunk-house part
ner, Bob Henderson, who, being in
stature and ambition rather insig-
nificant in comparison with his
partner, was usually referred to
as "Bowloe's partner" He, too, was
with the crowd, wearing look of con-
scious innocence, and Jim wasn't eX-
aetly pleased to observe that his hair,
which had not heretofore had an en-
counter with a brush since he left the
states, was now comhed as nearly
straight as nature would permit.
Great changes in the social life of
Saints Rest followed the arrival OF
Miss higgins. Every day there was
that noticeable air of dressed-up stiff
ness which had before appeared at first
class funerals only. Certain promi-
nent citizens declined to get hilarious
except after nightfall, tribute to the
influence of Miss higgins, which at first
excited some uneasineTs among the dis
pensers of various eliXirs, but when
they found that her presence did not
prevent the scrupulous ones from re-
naming under the rule of Bacchus the
following day, they accepted the re-
form with great good nature.
The partners, who lived in a cabin
on the hillside, did not become guests
of the new boarding house. partly be-
cause Of pride, party because of an in
disposition on the part of either TO
breach the subject, and largely because
of the very great distance of the Mig
gins establishment from their claims.
But neither was long in obtaining an in
PRODUCTION to the daughter OF the house.
Since the junior Summers was i'd
dler whose fame stopped not short of
two days travel from the camp, there
was really no good reason for not bav-
ing Thanksgiving ball. A commit
tee secured for q ballroom the large
card annex Of the Saints Retreat, n re-
sort with a somewhat misleading name.
and the camp resolved itself into COM
mittee OF the whole 10 see that the ball
was a success. Invitations were not
issued. for in the perfect democracy
of Saints Rest the right of every sober
inhnbitant to be present was recog-
nized without debate.