The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-08-01
HOW SOPHIE HARKINS /
GOT HER GRAY SWITCH !
by John II. Raftery. !
EVERYBODY in the American river

!
| r, bottom knew Bill Shea. The new
! corners called him the hermit" and
| wondered at his long white hair and
| beard, his impenetraHe loneliness and
utter disregard FOR all mankind. lie
! lived on the bar near Placeryille 80
| long that only the old-timers knew
how he happenes to set up his cabin
there and linger alone while more
| progressive miners sought new dig
gings or deserted the placer mines al
together to seek their fortunes in
buried mines of quartz.
1t was in the early days that Bill
Shea and Nat Harkins came to Cali
fornia from Ohio. They were like
brothers, holding together closer even
than ties Of blood could hold them.
suffering, toiling, fighting and living,
as it seemed, wholly for each other.
Nat was the more brilliant of the part
ners. lie had the gift Of CAB" and
made friends faster than Bill. The
latter talked to nobody but Nat and
for two years nothing came between
them. Hard work and diligence net
ted them each "A comfortable sun
from the golden sands Of the river
aud even when smarter gold seekers
drifted restlcssly away from the Ole
bar Bill and Nat bade them good-by
without a sign of yearning for ne"
fields of work or adventure. They
had built a cabin and the place had
become home TO them. When Nat wa
sick Bill nursed him. When MAJ
swore, Bill blasplvmed in sympathy,
If one wandered from the path OF
virtue amid the red lights of Placer
Vile, the other was always at hand
TO guide his errant footsteps, to de-
fcnd his rights with words or money,
and TO fight if necessary for the cause
which, no matter how slight, was mu-
tual.
The partners had been living on the
bar two years when the Tittin family
struck Placerville. They came from
Ohio, and of course Nat cooked them
up" There was daughter sophie,
and Nat discovered her. Then Bill, as
in duty bound, also discovered her.
Finest gal ever breathed!" swore
Nat.
Finest ever seen the day!" echoed
Bill
Bill" said Nat, after a long pause,
I'm goin' Z git that gal r know the
reason why!"
"You kin git r." said Bill with an
emphasis on the you" because he
I 1 ri. IY lao
might have anything he went after.
At first Daddt Tiilin, Nanny Tii'in
and Sophie herself were inclined to
favor" Bill He was handsomer,
stcadcr and came from the county
which Ti1ins called home" But he
never got within haiIing distance of
| the lovely Sophie. Nat was SO all
/ fired eloquent that he talked the
whole family into loving him before
| Bin had summoned enough nerve to
/ squeeze the girls fingers. Everybody.
/ including Nat, knew that Bill was
/ hard hit when his partner left him
! night after night 10 WOO the buN"m
| Ohio girl, but nobody except Bill him
self knew that the biggest sacrifice
"' "'' "'>''''S" ., ",v ~ =,
-, ~ 80 - ,,. ;, -
"a' F"' "'''' Nv
mere m'ghl nave o''I reason.
why p"' ON N'S ""' '''' W." ~
=" partner. Na' MARIE" '"Pn't ~
! righi' an" '''I was at 'hr N'ru'nr'
Si't'ng f""Hd Sh'' my ANA Si''".
every h""\ wei ne o'an / even nav
sand enough I" KISS the or'"' ''i' Na'
i"rcr" nun I" lace rae mus an" 'n'i
ne seemed 8" a. name" an" '''r'u 'n"'
he went nome looking quite pare aht
dome.
Nat and his hrloe settled ~ RACER
Vile TIL the piaccrS seemed aho"'