The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-01-09

Va N
olive Swallowed canon, with a faint adj
ditional outline OF q higher snow level
the only dreamy suggestion of the whole
landscape. The foreground was a glar-
ingly fresh and unpicturesque mining
town. whose irregular attempts at reg
ularity were set forth with all the cruel
uncOmprOmising c1earneSs of the Cali
fornia 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 hideous spire of the new
church initiated the soaring of the sol
emn shafts it had displaced, with al
most irreligious m%Ockery. Yet this fore
ground was Cissy's world-her life, her
sole girlish experience. She did not,
however, bother her pretty head with
the view just then, bnt moved her cheek
up and down before the glass, the bet
ter to examine by the merciless glare
OF the sunlight a few freckles that
starred the hOllowS of her temples. Like
others of her sex, she was a poor critic
OF what was her real beauty and quar-
relied with that peculiar texture of her
healthy skin which made her face as
eloquent in her sunkissed cheek as ID
her bright eyes and expression. Never
theless she was somewhat consoled by
the ravishing effect of the bowknot she
had just tied, and turned away nor
wholly dissatisfied. Indeed, as the ac-
knowledged belle of Canada City and
the daughter of its principal banker.
small wonder that a certain frank van
ity and childlike imperiousness were
among her faults-and her attractions.
She bounded down the stairs and into
the front parlor-fOr their house pos
sessed the unheard-of luxury. of a double
drawing room, albeit the second apart
ment contained a desk and was occa-
s~ionally used by Cissy's father in. pri-
yate business interviews with anxious
seekers of advances who Stunned the
publicity Of the bank. Here she IN
stantIy flew into the arms of her bosom
friend, Miss Piney Tibbs-a girl only d
shade or two less pretty than herself,
who, always more or less i'll at ease Ill
these %splendors, was awaiting her inn
patiently. For Miss Tibbs was merely
the daughter Of the hotel keeper, and,
although Tibbs was a Southerner and
had owned his W niggers' in the
States, she was Of inferior position and
a protege of Cissy's.
Thank goodness you've come" eX-
claimed Miss Tibbs, for rve bin sittin'
here till j nigh took root. What KEEP
ye:"
How does it look:' responded Cissy.
as a relevant reply.
The 1T" referred to Cissy'S new hat.
and 10 the young girl the conference was
perfectly plain. Miss Tibbs looked at
''it' severely. 1t would not do for a
protege to be too compiaisant.
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-
sumed envy, when your pepper runs
the bank and just wallows in gold!''
Never mind. dear said Cissy cheer
fully. soil your pepper some day.
I'm goin' to get mine to let your pepper
into sOm~ething-ditch stocks and such.
Yes! True, o king, Popper'n do any
thing for me- she added a little loftily.
Loyal as Piney was to her friend she
was by no means convinced of this.
She knew the difference between the
two men, and had a vivid recollection
of hearing her own father express his
opinion of Cissy's respected parent as
a gold shark and quartz miner
crusher'' 1t did not, however. affect
her friendship for Cissy. She only said:
Lets Gomez caught Cissy around the
waist. pranced with her ont into the
veranda, and gasped out of breath,
"Where are we going frst:'
Down Main street, said Cissy
promptly.
'And let US stop at Markham's store.
They've got some new things III from
Sacramento" said Piney.
Country Styles returned Cissy with
a supercilious air. NO. Besides,
Markham's head clerk is Gettin' too pre-
sumptuous. Just guess. He asked me-
while | was buying something-if | en-
joyed the dance last Monday
But YOU danced with him." said the
simple Piney in establishment.
But not III his store among his Gus
TONER'S said Cissy sapiently. >"No.-
We're goin' down Main street past
Secamp's. Those Scamp girls are sure
to be at their windows. looking out.
This hat will just turn 'em ~green-green-
er than ever"
You're just horrid, Ciss.'' said Piney
with admiration.
And then, continued Cissy, "we'H just
sail down past the new block to the par
sons and make q call
20, 1 see" said Piney archly. It'll be
just about the time when the new engl-
neer Of the Mill work has a clean shirt
on and is smoking his cigar before the
Office
CiSSy tossed her hat d~iSdainfullv.
much anybody cares whether he's there
or not! | haven't forgotten how he
showed Us over the mill the other day
in a pair Of overalis just like Il work
man.
But they say he's awfully smart and
we'll educated. and needn't work, and
I'm sure its very nice Of him to dress
just like the other men when he's with
EN-" urged Piney.
Bah! That was just to show tina he
didn't care what we thought of him
he's that cOnceited. And it wasn't re-
spectful, considering one Of the directors
was there, all dressed up. Don't tell
me-! You can see it in his eye-looking
you over without blinking and then
turning away as if he'd got enough Of
you. He makes me tired
Piney did not reply. The engineer had
seemed to her to be Il %singularly at
tractive young man. yet she was equally
impressed with Cissy's superior condi-
tion which could find flaws in such per-
lection. Following her friend down the
steps Of the veranda, they passed into