Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1908-10-24

the NcIy Jugs Hdu HOJ CoHoiuSlSu
worth bark
An echoing whistle from far down
the canyon at last brought silence, and
the crowd made way for the recep-
ton committee TO step close to the
track. With warning screech from
the engine and changing OF the bell,
the train swept around a curve, rum
bled over the bridge, and stopped, puff
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 a heap on the cndery 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
it. The brass band was silent, and the
reception committee stood stock still,
and stared stupidity. The committee,
at last, regained it's presence of mind.
and stepped up to Old Joe, but Sau-
gers guest of honor was timidly 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 a hurry for?''
"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-
scented 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. well, We see, Mr..
Pendleton." he said, keeping his eye
on the mild-faced storekeeper, ut 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 l come across, down the
creek, woman and eight kids what
their husband and father had died a
week before, and she'd been dom odd
jobs round the diggin's and was clean
beat out an lonely-like. Well, when
/ come along, she jest cried, she was
SO glad to see me, cause / looked like
her old dad, an the children called
me grandpap. An she was goin' to
pull up stakes an make tracks for the
poor farm. So l seq: Come along
with me TO the parsons, the one what
peddles his gospel talk through the
mimi country seq l, because there
didn't seem to be nothin' else to do,
seems how she didn't have no per-
tector. An | thought mebbe We
wouldn't be terrible put out, gentle
men, if / used the rest of the money
to come back TO Sauger's an set up
Nelly an the children"
The crowd was very quiet
But what about your pile, Joe?"
asked Spandling after moment.
How much, and where did you make
1.-The striker"
Strike? ?" repeated Joe in bewilder-
ment Il didn't make none this time,
less Mely's the strike"
A groan ran through the multitude,
disappointment was pictured on Q
hundred faces, some looked fairly men
acing. 1t was not often that Sauger's
bestirred itself as 1t had for this &C.
casion which had ended so absurdly.
They would be a butt for the ridiculc
OF the whole county.
Suddenly, the hotel man stepped up
to the woman and spoke to her In a
low tone Then he faced the crowd.
Boys. you're scarin' the poor CRIT
turs to death, with the tender feelin'
for Charley Mason glarin' out of your
eyes. The reception committee will
be responsible for the DRAWN up of
testimonial to that gentleman; you
leave that to US. But we're a pack of
fools. just the same, not to sec that
this Is the biggest joke in California,
bigger than the Barneses' strike. II
Old Joe didn't bring back nine times
more than we expected, then I'm
crazy. Whoever heard Of q claim that
panned out such nuggets as these
here" pointing TO the eight young
women. Il nnd," he continued, that
this estimable lady, Mrs. Joseph Gun.
Mill, is q past master at the wash tub.
What do you say to- setting her up In
The Grubstaks Laundry and re-
Questing that heather clothes destroy
er. Chin Lee, TO seek another sheep
ranger
Saugers gave lusty roar Clark
had touched \ vulnerable spot. Every
man who wore a collar clutched at it's
ragged edges with one hand, and
- l.s Ist g.. ~