The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-09-28
"a Sage-Rrush Nightingale.
ny MAJOR ALFRED r. CALHOUN


k1tty Minis Is not n common name,
nor can it be truthfully affirmed that
it is at all suggestive of romance. Yet
Kitty Minis was remarkable young
woman; but this was due as much to
her unusual surroundings as to her
uudoubted personal charms.
Simon Minis, Kitty's father, was
the landlord of the Aurora hotel, the
only tavern in the mining town of Ex-
perience, Nevada, that agreed to fur
nish accommodations for man and
beast and kept its pledge to the letter.
Simon Minis was known far and
near rs "the Doctor" and he felt not
little proud of the title. 81 amt
never graddyated as ye mout say"
he would explain to strangers who
came for a prescription, "but thar's
two pains / set on relieving every
time, and they're the pains that most
troubles folks in these diggings-
they're hunger and thirst. Are you
troubled that way, friend?"
The population of Experience was
largely transient and largely composed
of rough miners, many of them for
eigners, who seemed to have acquired
the English language in a very pro-
fame atmosphere.
The gentler sex was not we'll repre-
sented. Four sets of cotillions ex-
hausted the supply, and as they were
not always available for the Saturday
night dances, the younger men
fastened handkerchiefs about their
arms, and so were brevetted "ladies,
for the time being.
But, had the ladies', been repre-
sented by the usual proportion, and
had Experience been many times
more populous, still Kitty Minis must
have been the belle.
She was over the average in height.
finely formed and with certain pi-
quaint, self-reliant expression in her
dark eyes and about her rich lips, that
made her irresistibly attractive to the
habitues of the Aurora hotel.
Her education was limited to not
very familiar acquaintance with the
three RS. But the miners, one and
all, were readyto wager their "bottom
dollar" that as a singer "Kitty Minis
would give odds to Nelson, Patti and
the hull caboodle of 'em, and then
come out many lengths ahead"
Judged by the effect of her efforts,
no prima donna that ever trod the
boards could surpass her when she
sang. "The lone starry hours give
mo love-" which was always followed
by storm of "angkores."
But she came out strongest in"Way
down upon de Swaunee Ribber," and
Home, Sweet Home" songs that in
variably produced great deal of
coughing on the part of her bearded
auditors, and the use of handkerchiefs
just as if they were troubled with
sudden colds or dust in their eyes.
Oi'course, Kitty Minis had suitors.
and of course she was the cause OF
much heart-burning amorgst her many
admirers, for it must be confessed she
was not ignorant of her charms with
a fascinating tyranny, against which
the strongest did not dare to revolt.
Rufus Ford, the superintendent of
the mine, was confident, ,fine-looking
fellow, and he boarded at the Aurora
hotel. Up to the time of his meet
ing Kitty he was in profound ignor-
ance of poetry as an art. But his soul
was touched so that he attempted to
compose song, in which he designed
having darling Kitty Minis" at the
end OF every stanza. He failed mis-
erably in the effort, as q more prac-
ticed rhymer might have done.
N .,
he said, "Pd had no trouble with it.
There's 'adored' and 'Aoorei' and
'gored' and-and"-
"And 'swored," said Tom Reed,
coming to the foreman's aid.
Mr.. Ford refused any assistance, in
this connection, and it may be added
he had no admiration for the young
man who volunteered his help.
Tom Reed was tall, well-built man
OF six-and-twenty, 'bashful as gal, :"
his companions said. He was the only
man in Experience that neither drank
nor gambled. aud though these were
hindrances to his social status, it was
generally thought that he would get
over the defects when he was older.
1t was Rufus Fords privilege to sit
at the table on which Kitty Minis
waited. He was always Kitty'a first
partner at the dances; aud the very
first time buggy drove down the one
street Of Experience, Kitty sat In it
beside the young superintendent.
The older men joked with Simon
Minis. and thought the landlord was
non-committal; he gave the impress
Mo1 t5at be would not object to Rufus
1sed for : son-iu-law.