The Ravalli Republican., 1898-03-23
line train going south came in.

line tram gong SOutn came III. 1
went down to the depot a short
while before train time, which, it |
remember correctly, was about 8 p.
m. Upon inquiry I learned that the
train was two hours late.
II had no business back up town
and concluded to dispose Of my
spare time at the depot | went out
on the platform after awhile and
walked up and down, thinking Of
various matters connected with my
trip. The depot was one of those
old fashioned structures with the
gents waiting room at one end and
the ladies' at the other, with the Of
fees between them. Very few peo-
pie were about the depot at the time,
and to them / gave little notice, but
later ON my attention was attracted
to very prepossessing type of the
country girl standing in the door
way of the ladies' waiting room. OF
course, in those days, when good
looking girl appeared on tho scene
l at once became Interested, and
after passing her a time or two l
drew near and remarked to her that
she seemed to be waiting for a train
as well as myself. She replied in
the affirmative and desultory talk
followed regarding the weather, the
country, and SO on, and l soon learn
cd that she was Il student in the
Manhattan college and was going
out on my train for that place
But how are we to kill these
two hours2' ! remarked ( her after
awhile; but of course she didn't
know
'sJust across the track from the
depot several coal mines were oper
ated at that time, and I made some
remark about them and suggested
that l believed that I would 60 over
and go down into one of them, as
had never been in mine Of any kind.
She thought that would be interest
ing, and said it in such q manner
that politely introduced myself and
invited her to accompany me. She,
in turn, told mo her name and in a
very modest and becoming manner
thanked me for the invitation and
said that she would be glad to go. |
did something right here which /
cannot explain and which afterWard
caused me untold embarrassment and
modification, but I believe taught
me very valuable lesson. l have
seen a good deal of life, as you well
know, but this was tho first time in
my experience, and the last, that /
ever sailed under false colors. When
introducing myself, l gave her a
! fictitious name. do not know why
I did SO, for l knew enough Of hu-
man nature to understand at a
glance that this young lady was
honest and upright, and I had NO ul-
terror motive or design in my mind
when I told her that my name was
Harry McConkey.
"We went over to the nearest
shaft and soon obtained the neces-
sary permission of the boss to 20
down into the dark chambers of the
earth below. Accompanied by a
guide we got into one Of the cages
and descended several hundred feet
| When the bottom was reached, we
were shown through various dark
lanes, where men and mules were at
work taking out the black diamonds.
Miss --- was very much interested
in what she saw, and when we
emerged from the mino she thanked
me again for my kindness in invit-
ing her to accompany me. When we
got back to the depot, we learned to
our disappointment that the train
was an hour later than it was at first
reported This would make it sup
per time and after. | suggested sup
per, and invited the lady to go back
up town with me to get something
to eat. She would go, she said, but
not as my guest, but on condition
that I permit her to pay for her own
supper, and she gave as her reason
for this our short acquaintance OF
course l preferred to pay for the
suppers myself, but l appreciated
the fact that the young lady was
correct in the position she took, and
I permitted her to have her way ir
the matter.
"We went up town and into the
best restaurant the place afforded
and while we were eating she tol(
me of her home, her parents, broth
ers, sisters, her school life, how she
had taught school in her home dis
trict farther down in the state, al
the time SO ladylike and modest ant
calling me Mr.. McConkey' will
such frankness and simplicity tha
my conscience would hardly stan(
still and permit the imposition to e
on, but it did, fact that I'll rogre
the longest day live.
II told her enough falsehoods ant
romances then ard during the even
ing to make good sized book. Tol(
her how had been in China ant
South Africa; how I had written &C
counts of my travels for the New
York Herald; how I had been will