The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-10-08

ing impatiently. Sauger's held its
breath.
At last a familiar figure was seen
to descend from the high steps. "All
aboard" shouted the conductor, sig
mailing the engineer.
AS the engine began to gather mo.
mentum slowly, in puffy jerks, for the
upgrade run, there was spilled from
the second day coach an accumulation
of females of assorted sizes, which
piled up in heap on the cindery path
beside the track, then rose, one by
one, and meekly tagged the steps OF
Joseph Cunnill, capitalist
The train crept out of sight around
the curve, but Sauger's did not know
1t. The brass band was silent, and the
reception committee stood stock still,
and stared stupidity. The committee,
at last, regained its presence of mind,
and stepped up to Old Joe, but Sau.
gers guest of honor was timldly ma
king for the trail behind the station,
which was the short cut to the town
Isaac Pendleton stopped him. Here
Joe, old fellow, you amt goin' to give
us the cold shoulder are you? What
you in such hurry for?'
Old Joe glanced nervously at the
storekeeper, then at the unusua'
crowd. His face turned ashen, he
clutched at his wrinkled throat. You
amt goin' to make me swing for it,
air ye?" he pleaded piteously.
The reception committee laughed.
IT'S turned his head, sure"
mo. joe" Mr.. Pendleton replied,
this isn't Judge Lynchs party, though
all the other prominent officials are
out to honor you Come on to the bus
and tell us all about it, But Joe
fell to trembling so that he could
scarcely stand.
"Ask-ask her; she'll tell ye," he
stammered, pointing behind him. The
gaze of the crowd was transferred to
the aggregation of females, which pre-,
sented a shrinking front to the pub.
lie eye. The oldest, of about As sum.
mers, unkempt and forlorn-eyed, gath.
cred the youngest, aged two, to her
breast, grouped around her the re.
naming seven, ranging from Is down,
and cast her eyes on the ground in
frightened confusion. The old miner
braced himself, and turned bravely
toward the crowd. We'll, ye see, Mr..
Pendleton," he said, keeping his eye
on the mild-faced storekeeper, 1T was
somethin' like this. | was prospect.
in "a smile went the rounds of the
crowd-"an' that night the mule died
an | was peggin' along afoot, kinder
lonesome, an I come across, down the
creek, a woman and eight kids what
their husband and father had died a
week before, and she'd been doin' odd
jobs round the diggin's and was clean
beat out an lonely-like. Well, when
l come along, she jest cried, she was
so glad to see me, cause I looked like
her old dad, an the children called
me grandpap. An she was goin' tc
pull up stakes an make tracks for the
poor farm. So l seZ: Come along
with me to the parsons, the one what
peddles his gospel talk through the
minin' country sez l, because there
didn't seem to be nothin' else to do
seems how she didn't have no per
tector. An l thought mebbe ye
wouldn't be terrible put out, gentle
men, if | used the rest of the money
to come back to Saugers an set uE
Nelly an the children"
The crowd was very quiet.
But what about your pile, Joe?'
asked Spandling after a moment
How much, and where did you make
the strike?"
striker" repeated Joe in bewilder
ment. Il didn't make none this time
less Melys the strike"
A groan ran through the multitude
disappointment was pictured on a
hundred faces, some looked fairly men
acing. 1t was not often that Sauger's
bestirred itself as it had for this oc
casion which had ended so absurdly
They would be butt for the ridicule
Of the whole county.
Suddenly, the hotel man stepped uE
to the woman and spoke to her in 6
low tone. Then he faced the crowd
Boys, you're scarin' the poor crit
turs to death, with the tender feelip
for Charley Mason glarin' out of youl
eyes. The reception committee will
be responsible fOr the draWin' up o.
a testimonial to that gentleman; yor
leave that to us. But we're pack O.
fools, just the same, not to see tha
this is the biggest joke in California
bigger than the Barneses' strike. L
Old Joe didn't bring back nine time.
mere than We expected, then In
crazy. Whoever heard of a claim tha
panneG1 cut such nuggets as thest
here?" pointing to the eight youns
women. Il find," he continued, "tha
this estimable lady, Mrs. Joseph Gun
mill, is a past master at the wash tub
What do you say to setting her up il
The Grubstake Laundry and re
questing that heathen clothes-destroy
er, Chin Lee, to seek another sheep
range?"
Sauger's gave a lusty roar Clarl
had touched vulnerable spot. Ever.
man who wore collar clutched at it
ragged edges with one hand, AM
threw his hat in the air with tn
other.
The bus was filled with Sauger'
guests on its way to town, and the i'm
ported band was not wasted. 1t wa
not equal to the wedding March,
but Old Joe and his wife and he
progeny rode in state to supper at tn
Shasta house quite as blissfully t