The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-07

window. The window gave upon a
background of Serrated mountain and
olive Swallowed canon, with faint adj
ditional outline of a 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
lilarity were set forth with all the cruel
uncompromising clearness of the Cali
fornia atmosphere There was the
straight Main street with its new brick
block of stores" ending abruptly
against Il 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 mockery. 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, but moved her cheek
up and down before the glass, the bet
ter to examine by the merciless glare
or the sunlight 4 few freckles that
starred the hollowS of her temples Lake
others of her sex, she was q 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 in
her bright eyes and expression. Never
theless she was somewhat consoed 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 Il 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-
sionally used by Cissy's father in pri-
vate business interviews with anxious
seekers of advances" who stunned the
publicity of the bank. Here she in
stantly flew into the arms of her bosom
friend, Miss Piney Tibbs--a girl only Il
shade or two less pretty than herself
who, always more or less i'll at ease i'll
these splendors, was awaiting her i'm
patiently. For Miss Ifbbs was merely
the daughter of the hotel keeper, and,
although Tibbs was a SOutherner and
had owned This own 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 Eve bin sittin'
here till j nigh took root What KEEP
ye?"
How does it look?" responded Cissy,
as a relevant reply.
The lit" referred to Cissy's new hat,
and to the young girl the Conference was
perfectly plain Miss Tibbs looked at
lit" severely. 1t would not do for a
protege to be too complaisant.
Hem. Must have cost 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 Something-ditch stocks and such.
Yes! True, o king! POpper'll do any
thing for me-" she added a little loftiiy.
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 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 comet caught Cissy around the |
waist, pranced with her out into the |
veranda, and gasped out of breath, |
where are we going irst?'
NI)OWn Main street !" said fficcv |
promptly.
'.And let us stop at Markham's store. |
They've got some new things in from |
Sacramento" said Piney
Country styles" returned Cissy with |
Markham's head clerk is gettin' too pre-
Just guess! He asked me
while / was buying something's en-
joyed the dance last Monday"
But you danced with him." said the
simple Piney in establishment.
But not in his store among his Gus
TONER'S" said Cissy sapiently MOI
were 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
lou re just nOrrlu, ClSS. SAID Plney |
with admiration.
''And then, continued Cissy, well just |
sail down past the new block to the par
sons and make call"
20, see,' said Piney archly. It'll be |
Just about the time when the new engI- |
neer of the Mill work has a clean shirt |
on and is smoking his cigar before the
office"
Cissy tossed her hat disdainfully. |
Much anybody cares whether he's there
or not! | haven't forgotten how he
showed us over the mill the ether day
in pair of overalls just like work
man."
But they say he's awfully smart and !
well 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 |
'em." urged Piney.
BAH That was just to show that he |
didn't care what we thought of him
he's that eonceited! And it wasn't re-
spectfui, 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