The record-union., 1899-12-24
IA DAUGHTER OF THE WEST.

snail De CdlleQ sierra Nevada, SlOutSu
a miner gleefully, as he stood in the
doorway of the dining room at Miners
Rest.
Congratulations and drinks all around
were in order before the men went
to work in the mines. In little shake
covered cabin on a side hill the small
girl with the above name blinked droW-
silly at the sunlight that came in golden
streams through the open door, bright
welcome to the new conner at Silas
Wharton's. Many times that day did
Silas drop pick and shovel to stride up
hill to the cabin to inspect his new
nugget" her name till she was large
enough to carry the first one.
She was a month old when he asked
his wife the question, NAV, what shall
we make of her? If she had been
boy maybe we could have run her for
Assembly and into a Senator's seat,
but girls, well, they just seem made to
be looked after and loved-eh, kid 2"
And he poked the baby till her wee face
wrinkled into smiles.
Years passed with their hard -ladened
days; work that brought just enough
to keep the small household, and Sierra
Nevada, now large enough to carry
her NAME" was the sunbeam of the
home.
"She's grown so turible fast; she must
have schoolin'," declared Mrs. Whar-
ton, because you and I have to be ig-
norant amt to say Sierra Nevada must
lack larnin'."
81 use ter be regular maniac for
reading novels and SIGH like books of
f,.;o \ hno
t'Buts if 1 was in circumstances Sierra
Nevada should be a livin' professeress:
but five miles from a deestrict don't
look as if she was nigh it,
"Git her a dunkey and let her go, one
of these yere jack mules Bill Nevins
sells fur five dollars" said Mrs. Whar-
ton, as if she had thought of this for
long time.
Gosh, NAV, amt you a planner from
Planville," he replied admiringly. I'll
git one all go and no kick. And she
shall go next week, if can get to go
to BiIPs this week and procure that
beast of burden fur the price, or l
would not mind a bit or two more, if
he asked it,
So Sierra Nevada commenced her
education. And the next we hear Of
her she was at the head of her class
and to recite before the public of DRY
erik Deestrict" two lines:
Virtue is the star that guides the soul to
heaven
The worthy old doctor said, "Bless her
brown eyes, she stood up rosily shy
and said, Venus is the star that leads
all souls to heaven More truth than
poetry in that" he added, laughing
heartily the while.
A few more years and Silas Wharton
and his. wife were alone in a larger
home, and Sierra at the normal school
studying ologies, and isms, till her
mouth aches reciting of them," said
Silas.
| New mines had been opened up
around the old gulch ridge, and many
people of all nationalities were living
around in cabins. Silas and his wife
were not very social with the new
corners, so were set down as too f1ub-
dubby for common use. Although Silas
was now we'll on in years he was as
vigorous and hard working as when
younger Always ready to talk OF
my CURL Sierra Nevada at San Jose. "
Mrs Flanagan was heard to say to
her neighbor, Mrs. Cochran, Eyer should
name yer last babe like Mrs. Wharton
did hers, after these mountains. Thinkers
Knob after the highest pake. Sure if
yers had been wan of these forty
miners, thims the breed that thinks they
are ixtra copper plated wild gold fin
ishings. I called there the other day,
and seq I, Is yer CURL thinking of
swapping hersilf fer prerfesser in San
Josey, mebbe Frinchmen,' SEE l..
Howly poker but she f1ared up high
like, and SEE 'Niver a furriner for my
CURL seq she. 'Nothin' but strictly
California born and bred and fetched up
here. May she git wan,' SEE ~
$50, seq l." remarked Mrs. Cochran
as they parted.
Sierra came home on her vacation to
delight the hearts and eyes of her par
ents. She was a TALL pretty girl with a
wild rose complexion, golden brown hair
and the softest, sweetest brown eyes.
A whole-hearted, affectionate girl, low
ing her rough old father and illiterate
mother (who idolized herr with a love
beautiful to see. She proved a great
favorite with all the young people in
the vicinity too
was a young mining engineer A fine,
whole-souled young Englishman-son
of an English minister stationed at
Honolulu.
Dick Camden had met Sierra num-
Der of times and their pleasure at meet
ing was mutual. He called several
times, and made it very convenient to
pass her home at least once a day.
Silas and Mrs. Wharton looked at
him with jealous If not suspicious eyes.
Hes from furrin parts, I know,
man." asserted he. "He calls glass
glarss, and kaff a carf.''
Yer, but an atom, Silas, and don't
know everything retorted his wife,
who was beginning to rather like Dick
and wanted to believe him Californian
in size, shape, color and quality, as he
ought to be if he even attempted to ud-
mire Sierra Nevada
Does he think we have the largest
Of everything on earth?" shifted Silas.
mot much, by an acre." he added, "but
say you jest ask him to dinner and
if he wants his stake red as old glory's
stripes then he's English, or if he calls
yer jams and jells preserves, that's
another sign
He's Englishmen as many signs as
the Sodiack?" said his wife
by these signs We shall know re-
piled Silas, whiting at stick and try
ing to spit exactly in the center of the
porch post at the same time.
At this juncture Dick came down the
road. flushed and handsome looking, as
he strobe along with long swinging
strides at the side of Sierra.
SilaS iIlrnnad tbo In