Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-06

time, been chiefly confined to rich
| strikes, new leads or lodes, at the pos
| sibility of money coming into camp, but
| the sight of that trunk revolutionized
social customs there, and like a fire
brand to alfalfa flew the many nYforked
| tongue of gossip, spreading in a few
hours from the town to the hills-the
news that Pete was back without his
man. the joke was on the boys, the drinks
were on the town for he had brought
back wife. If it had been any other
man but the mayor! Gossip was veri-
fed by fact, as the long string of citi-
zens filed into the hotel and then out
| of it, after having scanned the con
| sumptive dirty register with its last in
| scription, "Peter Lonergan and wife,
| Ashcroft, Col"
Now the hearty good feeling every
man entertained for the mayor came
promptly to the surface, and that after
noon a committee was formed to give
Pete and his woman" a ball at the
hotel and spare no expense A team
was sent to Aspen for the music, and
two of the committee were ordered to
hustle up the finest grub that ever had
been laid out as pread in Ashcroft.
Everything was to be conducted sec
reilly, and the ball would have been a
great surprise had 1t not been for the
proprietor of the st. Elmo who appre-
ciated the fact that Pete and his wife
had had long journey from the east
and a twelve mile stage drive that
morning and might need a rest before
the ball. Accordingly ne took Pete
aside and said
Mayor you've got the joke on the
boys and they hold up their hands, but
between us they are getting up a
ball in your honor-that is for you and
your wfe-and they are going to do the
thing in shape. They sent to Aspen for
the music and are rounding up every
store in camp for expensive grub. The
ball will begin about nine tonight, Just
as soon as we can have supper and
clear the room, and mayor, there was
some talk of sticking each boy dollar
at the door to buy one Of those parlor
organs for the missis. l thought l
would give you tip to let you know
their game, but don't give it away to
| the boys, please"
"Well, it's pretty decent Of the boys,
but I'm afraid the missis is tired out.
| AS to the dollar, I won't stand that,
| throw open your doors and if there is
any charge to the business, give me the
| bill"
| That night was an eventful one
| in the history Of Ashcroft, and one
never to be forgotten by Pete. About
| o'clock a committee of four visited the
! mayor two miners and their wives.
| They told him ball given in his honor
would open at o'clock, and that their
wives would "do the introducin'." Pete
| tried hard to look surprised, but it was
clear acting. However, the miners were
| too excited to notice anything of this.
At nine o'clock Ashcroft was still in a
hustle. The hotel dining room had been
| cleared of its tables, and at one end of
1t stood Pete, his little wife, and two of
the finest ladies in town with them.
J The music, two violins and a cornet,
| had opened the ball. Yet not soul had
| arrived
| Pete had been waiting impatiently for
| three minutes, uncomfortable in his
new clothes, and now he was chatting at
what looked to him like hitch in the
affair. Suddenly the swinging doors
leading to the bar room were thrown
open, and left, left, left, right, left,
came from Hen Sowle, who with new
| broom over his shoulder, led thirty
| stalwart miners, in military style down
| the room, then right wheeled and
| around several times.
There were miners of all conditions,
and men who were no miners at all.
One was a lonesome Indian who had
been invited in and who came, gun and
all! They came to a front face halt be-
fore the bridal party, each man carry
ing a bundle Of something of practical
and bacon to the kitchen utensils. In
the centre of the party was a baby bur-
no with it's miniature pack saddle piled
two feet high above it's back represent
ing the grub stake" The last man
in the line drew by a string tiny cra-
die, made of a cigar box, and it was
the possible admission of this little pres
ent that had caused the delay. Some
Of the boys at the meeting of the bar
room thought that the woman" would
understand the spirit in which they
gave it, and others argued that she
would not.
At last old man Worthington, who had
known Pete for years, raped on the
bar and said: Boys, I've sized that wo-
man up, and she's no fool. Pete can
explain our western ways to her, and
you can bet your life he amt the man
to marry stuck-up girl. And that
ended it, the last man drew in by cord
the result of his handiwork. When the
line halted and faced Pete and his wife,
Sowle advanced a step and brought his
broom to present arms, and delivered
the speech of the evening.
'Mr. and Mrs. Lonergan, we, repre-
sentlng the citizens of Ashcroft, con-
slider the detective work Pete Lonergan
| went to Missouri for, a great strike, and
| that it has resulted in credit to the
camp. We think. though, he might
have given his old friends a tip and not
have deprived us until this late hour of
the chance to honor this great event in
a manner more fitting. AS the wife of
Lonergan, you are welcome to this
camp, and every boy in this outfit has
a warm spot for you under his vest. IF
the little things we have brought here
! tonight will be of any service to you
both, we will be mighty pleased we
only ask that you will use all Of
| them
At this moment the boys smiled and
dropped their bundles to applaud and
1,ernr,f1asfze the remarks Of their smokes