The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-09-29
A SAGE-BRUSH
NIGHTINGALE.
BY Major Alfred R. Calhoun.

nance. Yet Kitty Minis was a remark
able young woman; but this was due
as much to her unusual surroundings
as to her undoubted personal charms.
Simon Minis, Kitty's father, was the
landlord of the Aurora hotel, the only
tavern in the mining town of Expert
ence, New, that agreed to furnish
accommodation for man and beast
and kept its pledge to the letter.
Simon Minis was known far and near
IS 1.-The DOCTOR" and he felt not little
proud of the title. 81 amt never grad
dyated as ye mout say" he would ex-
plain 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 COM
posed of rough miners, many of them
foreigners, who seemed to have ac-
quired the English language in a very
profane atmosphere.
The gentler sex was not well repre-
scented. Four sets of cotillions eX-
hausted the supply, and as they were
not always available for the Saturday
night dances, the younger men fas-
tened their arms, and so were bre-
vetted ladies for the time being.
But, had the ladies been represented
by the usual proportion, and had Ex-
perience been many times more popu-
lous, stu Kitty Minis must have been
the belle.
She was over the average in height,
finely formed, and with certain
piquant, 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 a not
very familiar acquaintance with the
three Rs. But the miners, one and all.
were ready to wager their bottom
dollar" that as a singer kitty Minis
could give the odds to Nelson, Patti
and the hull caboodle of EN- 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 me
love-" which was always followed by a
storm of "angkores."
But she came out strongest in "'Way
down upon de Suwanee Ribber," and
"Eome, Sweet Home" songs that in
variably produced great deal of
coughing on the part of her bearded
auditors, and the use of handker-
chiefs-just as if they were troubled
with sudden colds or dust in their eyes.
OF course, Kitty Minis had suitors,
and of course she was the cause Of
much heart-burning among her
many admirers, for it must be con
fessed she was not ignorant of her
charms, and she used her charms with
a fascinating tyranny, against which
the strongest did not dare to revolt.
Rufus Ford, the superintendent of
the mine, was a confident, tine-looking
fellow, and he boarded at the Aurora
hotel. Up to the time of his meeting
Kitty he was in profound Ignorance of
poetry as an art. But his soul was
touched so that he attempted to com
pose a song. in which he designed hav-
ing darling Kitty Minis" at the end of
every stanza. He failed miserably in
the effort, as a more practiced rhymer
might have done.
-'If the name had only been Ford"
he said, "Td had no trouble with it.
There's 'adored' and 'foored' and
+gored' and-and-"
And 'swored,' said Tom Reed, com
ing to the foreman's aid.
Mr.. Ford refused any assistance, in
this connection, that savored of pro-
family, 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 a gall"
his companions said. He was the only
man in Experience that neither drank
nor gambled, and 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 Ford's privilege to sit
a the table on which Kitty Minis
waited. He was always Kitty's first
partner at the dances; and 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 impression
that he would not object to Rufus Ford
for a son-inlaw.
But" he would say, "the gals young,
and as she amt got no mothe: tn adj
wise with her, 1 calklate shea better
not think of marrying for some years
TO come"
The younger men gradually dropped
Off one at time, reluctantly leaving
the field to Rufus Ford; the only eX
ception was Tom Reed.
1t might be said, however, that Tom
Reed was really never in the field. He
did not board at the Aurora hotel.
Kitty had never "sweetened his coffee
by looking into ia plan that was
thought to save her father much
sugar He had never danced with her.
though once when he did musterup
courage to ask her hand for the next