The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-02-13


"I'll give you till count five"
'My dear Ethel good night and good
by" said Scott as he half turned and
lifted his ragged cap to the girl.
She did not rise up nor call out. Ag-
new meant to kill the man before him
II he did not move off, but after his
W ,rds to the girl his arm slowly fell.
There was silence for "A minute, and |
then the boss of the gang said:
''Cuss me, but you've got nerve! Sit |
down with the gal and fill up
1t was accounted a strange thing |
with the "ruShers" to see a little girl |
among that band of bad 'uns," each |
taking turn and turn about to carry |
her on his back, and both guardian
and ward found themselves among
friends.
Indeed before the new diggings were
reached Jim Agnew and Scott were ac-
counted partners" 1t was stranger
yet that little Ethel had a liking for
Jim.
At Woona Walla the child shared the
tent or shanty with the two men. Child
though she was, Scott treated her with
almost as much fOrmality as if she had
been Il girl of 20.
Agnew treated her as a child, and,
though his ways were rough and his
speech shocked her at times, he won
her heart more than the other.
Disappointment awaited hundreds of
the rushers to Woona Walla. One
night, tired and discouraged, the two
mir. in Gil
| for an hour, while the child played
about or watched them and wondered
if they had quarreled. BY and by
Scott looked up quietly and said:-
"Jim, we are downed here"
"For sure" was the reply.
| LETS move on"
"Where?"
| up the creek, down, over the hills,
anywhere for her sake. I'm down to
| stay down, and the eud is not far
| away, but I'd like to make a stake for
| her,"
In the gray of the morning they took
their way over the hills, one carrying
the packs and the other the girl. Fifty
miles away, on the banks of Brawling
| creek, they made a camp and two
hours later were prospecting for gold.
They found sufficient to encourage
| them to persevere, but not in quanti-
ties to rejoice over On the third day
the men left the girl asleep and moved
farther down the creek.
She awoke and went searching for
them up stream. She had walked for
quarter of mile, calling as she went
| vx-hO in 70 Hla lAr ho MI
she caught at and uprooted bush.
With the dirt aud stones nugget of
gold rolled down into the stream and
lay there like spot of sunshine. An
hour later Scott threw down his pick
and said:
"Jim, it's the richest spot on the face
of the globe. There'H be a rush here,
of course, but well have our claims
entered first. I'll start for Woona
WaIla within half an hour.
In 80 minutes he was on his way
over the hills, and in three days he
was back again. 1t would have been
no use to try to hide the new find. He
had to state its location in order to file
his claim. and the very official who
made good his papers was at his heels
as he made his way back to camp.
''Ive got it," he said to his partner
after picking up the girl and kissing
her. Here it is-the Ethel claim
There'l be enough for both of you
aye, enough to make a dozen men
richv'
After supper that night the child
climbed upon Scotts knee, and he
stroked her hair until she fell asleep.
For long time after he had gently
laid her down there was silence be-
tween the two men. He was the first
to break it by saying:
"Jim, the girl is to go back to sgd
ney and be brought up a lady,"
"Yes." replied Jim.
'Deal square with her and give her
half"
For sure, but where do you come
in?'
Scott sat in the door Of the shanty,
with his face upturned to the full
moon. 1t was three or four minutes
before he replied:
"Jim, you can't understand"
"But we've got gold-barrels OF
gold.'
"And I'm an old mana drunkard, q
gambler, swindler, q wreck. Money
could only bring new vices-new degra
dations. Can you understand"
mo, hanged if l canr'
. "But you were not born and reared
, gentleman. | wanted to make 6
stake for the girl. I've made it,
"And now what?" asked Jim.
) Scott knelt down beside the sleeping
, child and kissed her. When he arose
| he held out his hand to his partner
and said:
"Goodby, old man; give her a square
; divide"
D "And you-you"-
! "Hushl Don't wake her!'
2 He passed out into the moonligh
and up to the creek. Next morning
! they found his dead body half milt
beyond the last campfire.
e Yes, he was my partner" said jim
D as they called him to lock at she dea(
. | man.
] "And why did he kill himselfp
= Because he couldn't forget that ht
+ was once a n."-Philadelp
. Press.
5 TWO ROSES.
+ red, red rose, whose heart of gold
=, Damask petals with graceful fold
II Encircle round