Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-30


canon with a faint additional outline Of
higher snow 1eveI-the only dreamy sug-
cestfou of the whole landscape. The fore
ground was a glaringly fresh and unpic-
turesgUe mining town. whose irregular at
ternpts at regularity were set forth with
all tn. cruel uncompromising clearness or
the California atmosphere. There was the
straight Main street with its new brick
block Of stores ending abruptly against
a tangled bluff: there was the ruthless
clearing in the sedate pines where the
hideOu$ spire of the new church initiated
the soaring of the solemn shafts it had
displaced, with almost irreligious mockery-
Yet this foreground was Cissy's world
her life. her sole girlish experience. She
did not. however, bother her pretty head
with the view just then, but moved her
cheek UP and down before the glass. Cie
better to examine by the mercileSS glare
If the sunlight few freckles that starred
the hOllOWS of her temples Like others
IF her sex. she was poor critic of what
was her real beauty and quarreled with
that peculiar texture of her healthy skin
which made her face eloquent in her
sunkissed cheek as in her bright eyes and
expression Nevertheless she was some
what consoIed by the ravishing effect o.
the bOwknot she had just tied. and turned
away not wholly dissatisfied. Indeed, as
the acknowledged belle of Canada City and
the daughter of its principal banker, small
wonder that certain frank vanity and
childlike imperiOusness were among her
faults-and her attractions.
She bounded down the stairs and into
the front parlor-fOr their house possessed
the uuheard of luxury of double drawing
room. albeit the second apartment con
tanned desk and was occasionally used
by Ci$Sy's father in private business in
terviews with anxious seekers of lad
VanceS who Stunned the publicity of the
bank. Here she instantly flew into the
arms Of her bosom friend. Miss Piney
Tibbs-a girl only a shade or two less
pretty than herself, who. always more or
less i'll at ease in these splendors, was
awaiting her impatiently. For Miss Tib5s
was merely the daughter of the hotel
keeper, and, although Tibbs was south
erneT and had owned his own niggers'' in
the states, she was of inferior position and
q pr0tege of CiSsy'S-
Thank goodness you've come exclaim-
ed Miss T1bbS. for I've bin sittin here till
l nigh took root. What KEEP YEP"
How does IT Iook?' responded Cissy,
a relevant reply.
The ii referred to Cfssy's new hat
and 10 the young girl the conference was
perfectly plain Miss Tibbs looked at lit
severely Ii would not do for a prOtege to
De too complaisant.
Hem Must have cost a heap o money"
1t did" said CiSsy. Game from the
best milliner in San Francisco"
of course" said Piney with half-as-
suTned envy, when your pepper runs the
bank and just walIows in eoldT'
Never mind. dear" said Cissy cheerfufly.
50 i YOUR pepper some day I'm goin' TO
get mine 10 let your pepper into something
ditch stocks and such. Yes, True. king.
f"pp1r i do anything for me she added
little IpftiIy.
Loyal as Piney was to her friend she was
by no means convinced Of this. She knew
me difference between the two men, and
nad a vivid recollection of hearing her own
father express his opinion of Cissy's re-
quartz miner crusher-' 1t did not how
ever. affect her friendship for CiSsy. She
only SAID: Let's come" caught Cissy
around the waist. praHced with her out
INTO the veranda and gasped out of breath
w here are We going frst?''
Down Main street said Cissy promptly
And let Us stop at Markhams store
They We got some new things in from Sac
ramentO." said Piney-
Country styles" returned Cissy with a
superCl-iOuS air No, Besides Narkharn's
head clerk is gettin too presurpruot
just guess, He asked melville / was buy
ing S'nethlng-if l enjoyed the dance last
But You danced with him said the sim
PIE Piney in astonishment.
But not in mis- store among his custom
ers. said C.ssy sapiently. '-NO,-we're CO.
in down Main street past Secamp's Those
Secamp girls are sure TO be at their win
d"wSs looking out. This hat will just turn
EN- gre=n-greener than ever
You're just hurrid. Ciss,' said Piney
with admiration
And then, continued Cissy. well Just
sail down past The new block to the par
20 / -. said I,irav ar,rI,- ..1t.u ba
lust ablut the tirne v-b41 m. nv, e+,S,inoSr
of tn mill works ha. a cIt.ln shirt ~, ,1d
Is Srnokine, his cigar bafora fhe ono =
CiSsy tossed her hat disdainfully. Much
ANYBODY cares whether he-s fhrra or ,,tI
! haven't forgotten how. he showed ne o,-ar
tn. mill the other day in a rair IF o,.ar-
ais Jus, like a workman
But they saw he's awfu1lv smart and
well educated. and needn't work. and I'm
sure il very nice Of him 10 dress iust like
th. other men when he's with 'rn 1Iroed
Piury
Bah, That was inst to show thar he
didn't care what We thourht of hirNbe's
that .nuceitedt And II wasn't reSr,ect fIII
considering one Of the directors was rhare
all dressed up Don't tell me, Won can see
ii in his eve-Iookirs Won over without
blinking and then turning away as if he'd
got CROUCH Of Won He makes me tired
P!rcy did nor rspIv The engineer had
seemed 70 he- to h,. 2 eins-rJ11riy attractive
y0rrra- man vet she was enllaIIy impressed
with SiSsy's superior condition which could
find flaws in such perfection Following her
friend Gown the steps Of the yerauda. they
passed into the staring grayeled walk OF
IKE rev garden, CnIy recently recovered