The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-10
PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL AHRANeFmESr,
MONTHS FRIEND
By w.
Copyright L

speak to nobody; and If any gentleman
chances to heave remark at you you'll
answer him at your peril. We're a law
abiding camp and VIC don't want to use
violence against no man. but If you don't
conform TO the kind and reasonable regula-
lions that I've just mentioned to you
tnere'l be funeral. and you'll be required
10 furnish the corpse. You hear me?"
i hear YOU" said Monty. 81 hear a man
what's got no more feelings than a ledge
or quartz rock. What harm have 1 ever
done to any man in this camp? / know I
amt handsome, but there's some among
you that amt exactly Pauls and Apolloses.
IL you don't want me here why don't you
take and shoot me? 1t would be a sight
kinder and more decent than the way you
say you mean to treat me-"
Better dry upl'' said Simpson, warn
ingly. 1--WE don't want none of your lip.
We've had enough of you. and that's all
about it."
I've no more to say" replied Monty,
rising and moving to the door. IF you've
had enough of me I've had enough of you.
I've been treated worse than a dog, and I
amt going to lick no mans hand Good
evening. gentlemen. The day may come
when some of you will be ashamed of this
days work-that is, If you've heart enough
to be ashamed of anything"
So saying, Monty walked slowly out, clos
ing the door ostentatiously behind him.
His departure was greeted by a burst of
laughter. and the cheerfulness of the as
sembled miners having been restored by
the sacrifice of Monte Carlo, a subdued
gayety once more reigned in the saloon.
Monty returned to his desolate cabin.
and after lighting his candle threw himself
into his bunk. The man was coarse and ig-
norant, but he was capable of keenly feel
ing the insult that had been put upon him.
He knew that he was hideously ugly, but
he had never dreamed that the fact would
be made pretext for thrusting him from
the society OF his kind. Strange to say, he
felt little anger against his prosecutors No
thoughts of revenge came to him as he lay
in the silence and loneliness of his cabin
For the time being the sense Of utter isola-
tion crowded out all other sensations. He
felt infinitely more alone when the sound
of voices reached him from the saloon than
he would have felt had he been lost in the
great North forest.
Before coming to Thomrson's Flat he had
lived in one of the large towns of Michigan,
where decent and civilized people had not
been ashamed to associate with him. Here
in this wretched mining camp, a gang OF
men. guiltless of washing. foul in language,
and brutal in instinct, had informed him
that he was unfit to associate with them.
There had never been any one among the
miners for whom he had felt the slightest
liking; but it had been comfort to ex-
change an occasional word with fellow
being. Now that he was sentenced to COM
plete isolation he felt as a shipwrecked
man feels who has been cast alone on an
uninhabited island. If the men would only
retract their sentence of Punishment, and
would permit him to sit in his accustomed
corner of the saloon. he would not care how
coarsely they might insult him-if only he
could feel that his existence was recog-
nized.
But mol There was no hope for him The
men hated him because OF his MANNED and
distorted face. They despised him. pos
sibly because he did not permit himself to
resent their conduct with his revolver, and
thus give them excuse for killing him.
He could not leave the camp and make his
way alone. and without supplies. to the
nearest civilized community. There was
nothing for him to do but to work his mis-
cradle claim, and bear the immense and
awful loneliness of his lot. AS Monty
thought over the situation and the
hopelessness of it, his breath came in quick
gasps until he broke into a sob, and the
tears flowed down his SCARED and grimy
cheeks.
A low inquiring NEW drew his attention
for a moment from his woes. The camp
cat, a ragged disreputable animal, who
owned no master, and rejected all friendly
advances, stood in the door of Monty's
cabin, with an interrogative tail pointing
to the zenith and a friendly arch in his
shabby back.
Monty had often tried to make friends
with the cat, but Tom had repulsed him
as coldly as the miners themselves. Now
in his loneliness the man was glad to be
spoken to, even by the camp cat; and he
called to him. though without any expec-
tation that the animal would come to him.
But Tom, stalking slowly into the cabin,
sprang after moments hesitation into
Monty's bunk. and purring loudly in a
hoarse voice, as of one by whom the &C
complishment OF purring had been long
neglected. gently and tentatively licked
the mans face, and kneaded his throat
with two soft and caressing paws. A vast
sob shook both Monty and the cat. The
man put his arm around the animal, and
hugging him closely, kissed his head The
cat purred louder than ever, and presently
laying his head against Monty's cheek,
he drew a long breath and sank into a
peaceful slumber.
Monty was himself again. He was no
longer alone. Tom, the cat. had come TO
him in the hour of his agony and had
brought the solace of love that did not
heed his ugliness. Henceforth he would
never be wholly alone, no matter how
strictly the men might enforce their boy
colt against him. He no longer cared what
they might say or do. He felt the warm
breath of the friendly animal on his cheek.
The remnant of its right ear twitched from
time to time and tickled his lip. The long
sinewy paws. pressed against his neck.
trembled nervously, as the cat dreamed Of
stalking fat sparrows. or of stealing fried
fish. It's hoarse croupy purr sounded like
sweetest music TO the lonely man.
There's you and me. and me and you,
az ho q