Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-05-22

-T-S;=! but with fight in every line Of
kszSGSy his face. ! tried to cheer him
in my clumsy way by chatting him
about his league. but he did not blaze
up. as he often did 1t was a thing too
near his heart for that. He only shrank
a little from my stupid chaff and said:
"Don't. old chap. This is good deal
TO me. I've tried for two years to get
this. and if it falls through now l shall
End it hard to bear"
Then l repented my light words and
said: "Why. the thing will go sure
enough. After that scene in the church
they won't go back"
Poor fellows!" he said. as if to him.
self. Whisky is about the only excite.
ment they have, and they find it pretty
tough to give it up, and a lot Of the
men are against the total abstinence
idea. 1t seems rot to them
at is pretty steep" l said. cant
you do without it,
"No; fear not. There is nothing else
for it. Some of them talk Of compro.
mise. They want to quit the saloon
and drink quietly in their shacks. The
moderate drinkcr may have his place
in other countries, though | can't see
1t. | haven't thought that out, but here
the only safe man is the man who quits
II dead and fights it straight. Anything
else is Sheerest humbug and nonsense"
| had not gone in much for total alb.
stinence up to this time, chiefly because
its advocates seemed for the most part.
90 I.o l,.,1n hut 7
listened to Craig | began to feel that
perhaps there was a total abstinence
side TO the temperance question, and,
as to Black Rock, l could see how it
must be one thing or the other.
We found Mrs. Mavor brave and
bright. She shared lIr. Craig's ankle
ty, but not his gloom. Her courage
was of that serene kind that refuses
to believe defeat possible and lifts the
spirit into the triumph of final victory.
Through the past week she had been
carefully disposing her forces and win
ming recruits. and yet she never seemed
to urge or persuade the men. But as
evening after evening the miners drop
ped into the coy room down stairs
with her talk and her songs she charm
ed them till they We're wholly hers.
She took for granted their loyalty,
trusted them utterly and 80 made il
difficult for them TO be other than true
men.
That night Mrs MAYORS large store
room, which had been fitted up with
seats. was crowded with miners when
Mr.. Craig and | entered.
After "A glance over the crowd Craig
said: "Theres the manager That
means war" And ! saw tall man,
very fair whose chin fell away to the
vanishing point and whose hair was
parted in the middle, talking to Mrs
Mavor She was dressed in some rich,
soft stuff that became her we'll She
was looking beautiful as ever, but
there was something quite new in her
manner. Her air Of good fellowship
was gone and she was the high bred
lady, whose gentle dignity and sweet
grace. while very winning, made IA
niliarity impossible.
The manager was doing his best and
appeared to be well pleased with him.
self.
She'll get him if any one can. I
failed said Craig.
stood looking at the men, and fine
lot of fellows they We're. Free, easy
bold in their bearing, they gave no
sign OF rudeness, and from their fire.
qucnt Chances toward Mrs Mavor |
could see they were always conscious
OF her presence. No men are so truly
genie as are the WesternerS in the
presence Of good woman They were
evidently Of all classes and ranks orig.
1nallv, but now and in this country of
real measurements they ranked sim
ply according to the imam" in them.
See that handsome young chan of
dissipated appearance" said Craig.
"Thats Vernon Winton, an Oxford
graduate, blue blood. awfully pluckv.
but quite gone. When he gets repent.
ant instead of shooting himself he
comes to Mrs. Mavor Fact"
Prom Oxford university to Black
Rock mining camp is something of n
step replied,
THAT queer looking little chap in the
corner is Billy Breen. How in tho
world has he got here?" went on Mr..
Craig.
Queer looking he was--a little man.
with small head set on heavy. square
shoulders; long arms, and huge hands
That sprawled all over his body; alto.
gether most ungainly specimen of hu.
mainly.
By this time Mrs. Mavor had finished
with the manager and was I'm the cen
Ter or a group Of miners. Her grand
air was all gone, and she was their
cohrade their friend. one Of them
selves Nor did she assume the role
OF entertainer, but rather did she, with
half shy air, cast herself upon their
chiyalry, and they were too truly gen.
tlemen to fail her. 1t is hard to make |
western men, and especially old tim
ers, talk. But this gift was hers. and
1t stirred my admiration to see her
draw on grizzled veteran to tell how.
twenty years ago, he had crossed the
Great Divide and had seen and done
what no longer fell to men to see or
do In these new days. And so she won
the old timer. But it was beautiful to
see the innocent guile with which she
caught Billy Breen and drew him to
her corner near the organ. What she
was saying | knew not, but Door Billy
was protesting, waving his big hands.