The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-06
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kitchen utensils. In the center of the
party was a baby burro with its minia-
ture pack saddle piled two feet high above
its back, representing the Grub stake -
The last man in the line drew by a string
tiny cradle, made of a cigar box, and
1t was the possible admission of this little
present that had caused the delay. Some
of the boys at the meeting in the bar
room thought that the woman" would
understand the spirit in which they gave
1t 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 woman
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
a stuck-up girl And that ended it,
the last man drew in by cord the re-
suit 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, represent
ing the citizens of Ashcroft, consider the
detective work Pete Lonergan went to
Missouri for, great strike, and that il
has resulted in a credit to the camp
We think, though he might have given
his old friends a tip and not have de-
prived us until this late hour of the
chance to honor this great event in a man
ner more fitting. As the wife of Loner-
gan 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 he
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
drOnnph their bundles, 10
phasize the remarks of their spokesman.
The little burro, as If to strengthen their
sincerity, walked to the end of his rope
and stretched his woody head towards
Pete.
The Mayor came forward a step. and.
while playing with the ears of the beast,
cleared his throat several times and cough
ed. Then he started his response:
Boys, I'm not much for speakin', but
I'm no SLOUGH on thinkin'. 1 don't know
how to thank you for this ball and all
this useful outfit, but 1 do feel blame
grateful-boys, we both do-now let's dance
and promise you We'll use every darned
present you've brought u.s.
Then the men filed up in line and met
Mrs. Lonergan and danced with her. In
the small hours of the morning. tables
were brought in and supper was served.
Every delicacy the boys had been able to
PIOCuAO at SuCIt SHORT nOIICe was there.
and in the center of the table rose the
bridal cake with it's two-sugared figures
1t was daybreak when the ball was over.
and all the boys agreed, as the last drink
was taken, that Pete had struck great
luck. And so it proved.
Mayor Lonergan's wife was worshiped
by the boys before she had been a month
in camp. She was a delicate little lady.
with a low voice and modest manners. She
had been brought up in a comfortable
home in Missouri, yet she grooved into
the life of Ashcroft as If she had been
designed for it. If a miner was hurt. Il
was Mrs. Lonergan who looked after him
and his wounds; if one of the BOYS was
hard up and needed help, it was Mrs ION
ergan who found it out and sent Pete to
his aid. Thus it was that the quiet little
woman won the love and respect of the
miners of Ashcroft. The Mayor under
the influence Of his wife, grew to be quite
new man, his whole soul was wrapped
up in the little woman and her work
1t was just year after the ball, and
Pete had told some of the boys his secret
and hope. After that there was scarcely
day that passed without some little dam
ty being brought by the stage for Mrs
Lonergan-a bird, wines or Fruit from
Grand Junction. The whole camp loved
the wife of the Mayor of Ashcroft, and
there was not man in the whole district
who would have not ridden forty-eight
hours to do her the slightest favor
Pete had gone to Glenwood to see a ply
stefan, and the boys had held a meeting
to talk over the coming event They had
arranged to do the handsome thing by the
heir. They had decided to have a large
silver mug made from the ore taken from
their hills and to present it at a time when
they could give Pete and his wife a re-
ception worthy the name of Ashcroft
But they never did. The mother and the
boy were buried within the boundary of
Pete's location, the Prospect She had
asked to be buried there and not taken
home. Ashcroft seemed to fade with the
loss of that woman. One man after an
other pulled up stakes and left, but not
without lump in his throat as the stage
passed the Prospect"
Pete did not talk much for a year. and
he never put pick into Ashcroft's ground
after the death of his wife. Some of the
boys claim he went out of his mind err
tirely. He locked his scabin as It stood.
taking away only one thing, a little cradle
made of a cigar box, with broken string
still attached to it.