Catoctin clarion., 1900-11-22
The Angel Of San Diab|o.

gambling bells, jacals and hasherles, and
blacksmith shop, but never church
or spire. A bedlam of noises-oaths
and curses, futter of cards and rattle Of
chips, popping of corks and clinking Of
glasses and now and then pistol shot.
but never a prayer. A little army OF
people-burly Americans and swarthy
Mexlcans, a few silent Indians, one AT.
rican and a Chinaman or two, but never
a-woman. That was San Diablo.
Small wonder that the advent Of
>The Angel as the dainty little woman
was Immediately denominated, should
have created furore in the place. She
was discoyered one morning by >Sheeny'
Dave standing torlornly in front of the
hut where the daily, or nightly to be
exact, stage deposited its occasional
passenger; and at first sight she set him
rembling violently, for he had been
freely indulging in stimulants Of late
and thought he had Them again. But
as she did not resolve into either sea-
serpent or gila onster, he regained
courage, and approaching her, hat in
hand, bowed low aud gallantly prof.
fered his services.
She did need little assistance, she
answered with winsome smile; she ex
pected the Reverend John Edwards.
with whose family she was to live, to
meet her at the stage; but be had failed
to come and would the gentleman be so
kind as to direct her to his residence?
Daye gasp"d, then pinched himself to
make sure that he was awake, and with
another bow, expressed his sorrow that
he did not know the gent named-at
least not by that name. But if she
wished, he would rustic up some of the
other boys and see if they knew him
She did wish this. and again bowling
low he turned and hurried away. His
was startling news and quickly spread
ing to the uttermost limits of the camp
it soon gathered a crowd of wondering
but respectful men in the vicinity OF
The Angel. But none of these could
give her any information concerning
the Reverend John Edwards; there was
not in the camp such a man as she de-
scribed; and was she certain that he had
told her to come to San Diablo?
'San Disblov she exclaimed; why, Of
course not. San Pablo; and ia not this
San Pablo!'
Not by er d Dave checked hi
tongue in time, and then he explained
that San Pablo lay two hundred miles
southward; that she must haYe takeI
the wrong stage when she changed a
Cuencame; and that the driver must
have been drunk, as Mexicans usually
were when they could raise the price ,ol
he would have discovered her mistake
Evidencly this was discomforting in
formation to the The Angel, for sh
looked widely around moment, thel
covered her face with her hands an;
burst into tears. Instantly, as on
man, the crowd moved toward her, bu
halted as suddenly, absshed by tn
thought that such as they could sa,
nothing to assuage the grief of one 81
refined and lovely as che. Now the!
drew back distance to hold whisp
cred consultation, and that ended Dav
again drew near to her.
>'Scuse ME, Miss he said, iu his EN-
barassmeut almost pulling his hat t
pieces, but it's got tn boys all brok
up seem yuh worryin' so, an I've com
ter see eff there amt sometbin' we XIII
do to stop them purity eyes o your
irum leakin'. All you've got ter do Il
ter stand pat It'll tn stage comes Ion
back ter take yur ter San Pablo, an
reckin we can rustic up er game er som
kind ter amuse yuh til then
But she sobbed the more violently
she had had only sufficient money t
take her to San Pablo, where she wa
going to assist Mr.. Edwards in his mis-
sionary work, she explained; and 60
and 80 she was without means to pa
her passage to San Pablo.
Dave retreated precipitately to repor
her answer to his fellows. She's dow
on her luck, boys-plumb busted h
exclaimed, AN as gents it's our duty te
stake her out, but how in HI weir
goin ter do it gifts next ter me-
wy, pass ther hat and raise er poi
O. course
>O' course not returned Dave scorn
fully. 'Yuh don't sabe her kind, Bill
er yuh wouldn't make such er loc
break as that; her kind won't sit in a
no game less'n they're lowed ter ant
long with tn rest. What we've 60
ter do, boys he went on, Us ter Civ
'er job an pay her fer doiu it. No,
all l kin think of that suits her shap