The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-08-02

! morning-so early that there was only a
very faint tinge of light in the east-but
he hadn't slept wink, so it was as good
as tossing about for another hour or 50.
He unmatched the door of the shanty as
noiselessly as he could, for fear of wax
ing Sam, who was snoring away on his
back, and slipped out into the open. He
wanted to have last look around, and
straighten things up for his going-he'd
nave to make some excuse to the boys,
he thought, they'd think it so strange,
and so he walked down to the claim.
Although he had gone out so quietly,
the click of the latch had been enough
for Sam. who woke 10 find himself laugh
ing, positively laughing, he was 50 hap
py.
He didn't get up Immediately. but lay
there planning out his future happiness.
but perhaps the. nugget would be some
consolation to him; besides, he didn't
think Bob liked the girl as much as he
did.
Quite an hour passed before he dressed
himself, bit smarter than usual, and
went out. He even picked little yell
low flower that was growing among the
grass by the side of the track and put it
into his buttonhole.
He had been walking for some time,
now and then breaking into song in his
deep, rough voice. and hardly noticing
where he went-till he looked up and
found himself by Peep Hollow. some way
out Of the camp; so he sat down with
his back against a big pine and lit his
pipe.
LAS happy as king I'd be,' he start
ed to sing between the puffs of smoke,
when he stopped suddenly, for coming
s sG5S the sr path tn 5oT2 s xt him he saw
heart gave bound It was lii!
Ugly sat very still as she approa ched,
and she didn't see him, being very in
terested in something she was talking to
he strained his ears to listen.
"You dear, dear, old fellow-how I love
Camp thrown in
1t was photo-picture she addressed
these remarks to, Sam could make that
much out.
There, back to your little hiding place
and nobody knows nothing about yer''
So saying she kissed it and slipped it into
the front of her blouse, then. turning
from the path. cut off through the pines.
Sam had stopped his song to listen and
1t was some moments before he thought
of getting up to follow her. but he did
after time, and tried to make out the
way she had gone.
He had been breaking through the un-
dergrowth for few minutes when he
saw something on the ground few
yards ahead.
Its the picture she had" said Sam
to himself. SO he forced his way through
to the spot where it lay. It was face
downward-he picked it up and turned it
overt was the Beauty's.
Sam let it fall with half-stiaed cry
and put his hand to his throat, then
kicked his way out to the track again
and made for the shanty.
He met two or three Of the boys who
were off to work, but he never raised his
head to their greetings. Reaching the
hut he pushed the door open and stun
bled in. Bob hadn't returned (his things
were still unpackeD; he took, long time
to say goodby to his friends
Sam dropped into a chair, and stared
hard at the door, then he jumped up and
rummaged in the locker for something
and returned to "he table with dirty
piece Of paper and little stump of a
pencil.
He sat down and then. with his great
heart like a lump Of lead, wrote, in a
very llegible hand:
when yer see this, but you'll be glad. We
tossed fair and square for the gal, and
wcn WE'LL were Il fool ter think that gal
would like me in pref. ter you. Anyway, I
socn found out my mistake, so I'm goin
instead Of you.
The. 'rangements were that if one had
Lii. the other had the nugget-so being, it
UcAOhSS tcI liz, Dul l ain SOln { Ter take II
you'd ave ter wait time fore yer found
anotber-p'raps neyer-1 don't want it, Yer
stay-I 60.
Still always yer mate and pard.
UGLY SAM
Leaving this scrawl upon the table,
Sam put few belongings into bundle
and went outstanding the door,
AS he threw the bundle over his shout
der he noticed the little yellow flower in
his buttonhole. He took it out and threw
it away, lit his pipe and turned his back
on Sleepy Camp.-Main!y About People.