Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-09-01
Grandmother's Yarn.
tOriginal.1 l

"Well. sit down and be quiet and e1on't ask any questions till get Gsrough, for l don't want to be inter cupted. When l was a young lady u1y father took US all out To a mine he 9wpad in Colorado Tn those days the railroads were not yet built. and We were obliged to go by stage. Father $ o1ine was up in the mountains II was q rough country at that time. had f1o associates and found it hard to get away with the time.
 zone day heard that there was go ing to be a masquerade dance at the could get costumes in that country so remote from civilization. was just crazy to go to the dance. but of course father wouldn't hear of such a thing. But life for me was dull, and kept &1inking what a curious affair mas Querade ball would be among such q people, and I resolved to steal away and go without father or anybody ssUowing about it. had gone to Il fan cy dress ball in the east as Marguerite Sud knew how to get up the costume CT, rather, improvise it, and when the night for the dance came around I stole out after all in the house were asleep and joined the dancers ill the dining room of the tavern
 There were not many different cos G1mes, the disguiscs consisting mostly of Mexican, Indian and made-up dress cs that represented nothing in particu- tar Since all faces were masked there ESas no difference in this from any oth- CT ball, except that the people were Goisier.'
 When is the stage robbery to come 5n, gran,lma::' - interrupted the listener
 Didn't you promise to ask no ques tions: Well. 10 go on With my story. sa man in the costume of Mexican. sombrcro. jacket Slashed treu and all that. with plenty of Gol, iicc. c;iif4e np L. H4e aAd asne.i lIle to dance. l! preferred tu book ,i.,6Gt .ts there We're fariee ..., many Hvn as women. SaW at oast tilat this W5;S impaactie.;;h!e Beside there Was somethinc about the Mc,fF.an-=l could not tell what :hat Was familiar to me and l WAS sure had heard his voice before l fancied he might be q young mining engineer whom ! had previously met. At any rate. danced with him and found him Il very good partner. easy on his feet aud light as q feather
 After our dance we made a few com he said:
 It is hot i'll here Come outside
 s.l took his arm and went with him on 10 the verantla. where, after walking back and forth for q time, we took seats in q corner. when we removed our masks, which were uncomfortable. ! could see something of his face in the dim light and he could see as much of miuc
 ''To make long story short, he made love to me and l confess he did it very nicely. He told me he was a rich mine owner and had to start at . o'clock the next morning for Mexico. where his mines lay. l told him of my being at the ball without permission. What did he do but beg me to go with him from the ball. marry him and ac- company him to Mexico"
 But. grandma-the robbery; 1 hear nothing of that
 "Hush. child; it's coming My lover drew ring from his finger and gave it 10 me. 1 took it to where the light poured through window, and it sparkied beautifully l. was dia- mond ill an antique setting. went back to the siyer. thanked him, and when he continued to urge me to go ~9Ith him 1 hung my head as if Sorely tempted He redoubled his pleading. endearorin@ to catch the fancy of young girl by the romance of such an slopcment, Finally l told him that l would % home. gather up what valua- Dles l possessed and meet him in an hour at my fathers front gate. To this he consented, and I left him, running home as fast as my legs would carry rne.'
 .Oh, grandma, l don't believe the Sfageeoach robbery is in the story at all
 Yes, it is. In an hour looked out toward the gate and saw the dim fig. nre of my lover waiting for me I put a whistle to my lips and blow shrid blast, He bounded away. out was met by figures on every side that could see dimly, and heard cries of "Ihrow up your hands, My lover was captured, and I had arranged his e.,9- lure. He was a road agent"
 Whats that?"
 "A stage robber."
 .Now are We coming to the r,5. bery?"
 ''Yes."
 ~How did you know he W q rot, ber:"
 When We were coming from the east the coach was stopped by mask. Cd man, who took all the yaluables we sIcQ with uS As soon aS Sou. +b,