The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1898-11-24


ceased not moment. AS the mantle
OF sweet Christian charity is said to COW
er the imperfections of poor human ma
ture, SO had the beautiful snow thrown
over rugged mountain and dark can
yon, ore dump and miners, rude shan
ties, robe of spotless purity.
TO certain Boston stock holders,
some mail clerks and perchance a few
others, Brady's meant a railroad station
in the Occur D'Alene region from
which was shipped the ore from the
Midas mine. TO the miners, gamblers,
and other necessary evils of mining
camp, it meant the long, Iow-roofed log
building, in which Michael c., sur
named Brady, conducted dance-hall
and sold certain liquid refreshments.
1t is in this sense solely that we have
to do with Brady's.
Thanksgiving originated in eye
Merry England where it was called
| Harvest Home. Our Pilgrim Fathers,
thinking the name savored too much
of earthly hopes and joys, changed it
to Thanksgiving. Gould those stern
old covenanters have dropped into
Brady's and beheld the preparations
his guests were making to give thanks
upon the morrow, they would assured.
ly have girded up their loins and smote
in the name of the Lord.
Brady, resplendent in red and black
calico shirt, was leaning over his bar,
talking earnestly to "Parson Bill"
'The Dude" and Nugget Joe" were
shaking dice at the end of the bar, while
grouped around the stove and seated
at, and on, a couple of tables, was a
motley crowd of miners, bar-room
lOafers, etc. "Parson Bill" walked to
the end of the bar and spoke hurriedly
to "The Dude" who at once went out.
Had a casual observer entered the
place, he must have noticed from the
faces and manners of Brady's guests
that something out of the common had
happened.
Half an hour before the Thanks
giving revel had begun in full swing
with fiddle and flute. "The Dude" was
balancing corners with "Moccasin
Kate" and "Parson Bill" was ''sasshay.
ing" down the middle with Mag, when
the latter, becoming suddenly ill, had
to be carried to her cabin down the
gulch. Something very much out of
the common had indeed happened.
Had it been but little "gun play
the dead would have been carried out
and then-"on with the dance; let JOY
be unconfined." but this little accident,
as the divine Sarah designated it, was
an unknown quantity with which they
could not deal.
When "The Dude" returned, he an
swered the inquiring looks with sin
gle word-DEAD, and held up two
fingers. No one spoke or moved ex-
cept Brady, who commenced placing
glasses upon the bar for all hands. The
invitation was accepted in silence
which was unbroken until every glass
had been filled, then "Parson Bill" con-
stituting himself spokesman said:
"Boys, reckon you all knows what's
happened and that Mag has cashed in.
Now no squar' man is goin' to refuse
to drink this toast which Pm bout to
give, and if thar be any others here
they's got to settle with me.
Now here's to Mag, who always did
the best she knowed how" When ev-
cry glass had been drained, "Parson
Bill" continued: "Now this here out
fit has got to give Mag proper send
off, for l reckon she was worth it, So
points The Dude and Nugget joe
to look after the flowers and sech like
and when everything's got ready, we's
all goin' over to Mag's shanty to pay
our respects"
The floral committee certainly had no
sinecure, for the only flowers within
three hundred miles were those made
of yellow tissue paper, behind Brady's
bar. These acting upon his newly &C.
quired authority, "The Dude" immedi.
ately took possession of, beer-glass and
! all. Nugget Joe" determined not to be