Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-09-22

sparkling snow. On left and right
were stretches timbered with the
sturdy pines that struggled like an
army over plain and hill, and sent a
vanguard up the mountain from whose
farther timber line it seemed to signal
to the troops below. In front lay the
river coiling like a twist Of silver
braid, and farther on the everlasting
hills rose, height on height, to pierce
the perfect azure Of the sky.
Two men stood in this amphitheatre
of the north, their rough and bearded
faces turned toward each other as they
had been turned in the cradle swaying
on cottage veranda SO many years
ago. Their eyes flashed like steel to
steel in the morning light, and their
lips were set in lines never seen by
those two waiting mothers.
''It's the only way out Of it," saiG
one, at last, doggedly; as if to bring
to close long and useless argu-
ment. ''We didn't come here to meet
each other, and the place isn't big
enough to hold us both. We've both
struck it rich, and Nell Ransom owns
us and our mines. One can go back
to her with all the gold of both"
The other finished the sentence:
"Fhe pistol shall decide which one
it shall be"
Calmly the men paced the distance
and took their places, the revolvers
catching each added CLEAN that
faltered through the pines against the
eastern sky.
Comet and the line of light rose
to the level of those strong, barred
bosoms.
''Wait minute, boys! Wait a
minute"
An old miner stepped out of the
thicket and walked leisurely between
the duelists. He was known to both
men as a quaint character of their own
village, man who had been among
the defeated gold-seekers of - and
80. He had struck camp but the day
previous to this meeting.
eve ben watchin' We a leetle,
boys" he said. 81 amt said much,
but I've KEEP a,thinkin. 1 know
young blood, an l calc'lated it was
Just about time fur it to bile over; but
I've got powder to cool it.
He lighted his pipe and puffed medi-
tatively
The young men turned angrily.
"Oh, ye needn't get riled, now,"
he continued. pulling fine grass and
cleaning his plpe-stem with it, ''but
reckon there amt either one of ye
mean enough to fight over another
mans wife."
He stopped and looked at the rivals
sidewise; the words had gone home.
II calc'late We don't git the papers
reg lar here; trains is sometimes late,
We know; bein there amt no tracks
fur EN- to run on, an like as rSt yer
mail amt real prompt, an we don't
use yer dust fur telegraphin' when ye
amt got no lightnin' chained So
p'r'aps We don't know that that gal of
Ransom's- there, stand still an go
with yer shootin' lis married"
Two lines of light sank suddenly
downward as the pistols fell with the
nerveless hands. The old man saw it
with twinkle of his faded eyes
That's right, boys; now come here,
and I'll tell you about it.
Slowly and with shamed faces
Sidney Harper and Charles Paxton
drew near and heard the old miners
story
''Yes," he said, after the whole had
been recited, ''she married no-ac-
count feller, an has taken him home
to the old folks. She wasn't
never wuth dyin' fur lads; but when
l came away seen two other VIM
min wuth livin' fur. They're await
in on their cottage porches now us
I've seen EN- sit for 30 years. Only
them babies, them little shavers they
ulster hold an cuddle in their arms
amt there; they
'Stop! God bless you, you old
meddler-'
One man spoke, but the others
eyes made answer.
''Those are the women we'll live
for and care for and go home to seev'
And, single file, with strange new
looks the men went back to camp
Grace d. Boylan, in the Brooklyn
Standard Union.
Quaint Old Curacao.
Curacao is Dutch colony, and the