The record-union., 1899-12-24

aroused from sleep. opened hospitable
doors to the unconscious man and his
rescuers. while others went to town
for a doctor.
| Sierra Nevada. awakened by the
noise. came In the room, wide-eyed and
frightened. gave one look at Dick: then,
overcome with horror at his awful
death, as she thought, tainted un-
needed.
The doctor came and restored Dick
to consciousness, but the shock brought
on brain fever and for many weeks
he lay between life and death. The
Whartons, with neighboring help,
nursed him faithfully, and Sierra Ne
vada, when she came out of her faint
that night, found it was no SO bad:
| that, in fact, he was not dead: gave UP
going back to studying and was learn
ing lessons of love and tenderness and
womanly caring for the sick. Dick in
his deliriums talked of her all the time.
pleaded with her not to leave him.
Then, again, he would say: Native
Sons, Curly Bears, Knights of Honor
all through the long list Sierra Nevada
had SO roguishly taught him. And
Silas and his wife listened in wonder,
| Silas saying:
"Clare to gosh! it's anazin'. He
must be native born 1t was only yis-
terday he told me the largest fruits
was right here. He is that pickered-
| looking his own mother would not
know him unless she had marked his
shirts. No more to him than squeezed
orange. Gosh. guess he couldn't set cr
nc hn
Some fellers do set jist like piece of
butter on a hot pertater when on a
hess, but give the devil his rations,
Camden use to know his settin' tell
yer, when a boss was under him. l
bet yer, NAV, he's native-born.
Dollars to doughnuts on it: money all,
if yer say So"
"Glad yer think so. I don't" replied
his wife: "but he's pretty near con-
salvent, and I'm glad fer my part.
Sierra Nevada's pretty near petered
out"
Yes, Dick was nearly we'll now. and
in good spirits till he overheard the
above. Then his conscience troubled
him for the deception he was playing
on this old couple that had treated
him so kindly. Why as he said, II
he had been their own son they could
not have done more for his comfort
He determined to make "a clean breast
of it and tell them of his love for Sierra,
of his real nationality: then if they
would let a silly prejudice come between
him and happiness he would appeal to
Sierra Nevada herself. In any case ne
could not give her up; that was impossi-
BILE.
So the next evening after hearing
their views on the subject and his
sweetheart at the Rebekahs Lodge, he
frankly told the old couple OF his love
for their daughter. and asked IN
manly fashion for her hand, saying,
You have all been so good to me, you
really can't dislike me-"
t Air you English" questioned Mrs
Wharton.
MY parents are but I am a native
son of Honolulu" said Dick.
"Jeerusalem!'' muttered Silas, land
told mar you was a native son of
hereabouts Cause you talked it all
through your sickness"
Mrs. Wharton glanced keenly at Dick
as she said firmly: Never, with my
consent, will Sierra Nevada leave home
with furriner. I decline with thanks
yer kind offer" And she marched out
of the room with her head held very
stiffly.
I'm blamed sorry we differ, Mr..
Camdon," said Silas, "but you know she
is all we have"
Dick never answered. He put on his
cap, pulled it we'll over his eyes, and
went out of the house to meet Sierra
on her way home. They met at the
corner of the trail, she calling out
blithely, us that your"
Eyes, what is left of me, after being
refused you," he said, sadly. Now,
if you say me nay, I might as well get
out. I can't stay and meet you every
day, loving you as do. Tell me quick
ly; put me out of my misery Will you
marry me without their consent dar-
ling?"
A moment of silence-it seemed an
hour to Dick-when she said: "Oh,
don't ask me. I cannot, cannot. They
love me so it would break their hearts"
"Then you don't love me-" said Dick,
in tense tones.
You know 1 do" she said, giving his
arm an affectionate little squeeze, but
he did not heed it. He bent swiftly
over her, kissed her cheek her lips
twice, then turned away without an
other word
-Four years had passed, bringing
many changes even to the small min
ing center of Owl Gulch.
Dick Camdon had left after that good
by kiss. Sierra Nevada, broken heart
ed, had again returned to the Normal,
had graduated, and was now teaching
school near home, so as to be with the
old folks.
Silas came home one day waving a
paper excitedly in one hand, and when
once in the house he called aloud for
Nav to come and near some noos."
He read in a loud voice:
Richard Camdon, c. E., of San
Francisco has been elected for State
Senator in place of ]. c. Stewart, de-
ceased Previous to this he had been
offered the nomination for President
of the Honolulu republic, and had de-
clined.
Nov, what do you say to that,
maw?" he asked. triumphantly.
THAT don't make him a Californeen,''
she said grimly.
'Well, 1 be burned if care" said
Silas. IT'S enough fur me and fur
Sierra Nevada, too
When Sierra came from school that
afternoon, tired and pale, all the pretty
color and sparkle gone from her face,
her father greeted her with this news.
and also with the information, 1--WE
writ a telephone to town, and they tele-