Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-10-08

AT IdSL d ldLlllldT u6ulC WdS oSSA
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 cindery path
beside the track, then rose, n 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 its 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?"
Old Joe glanced %nervously at the
! s~torekeeper, then at the unusual
crowd. His face turned ashen, he
clutched at his wrinkled throat. "You
amt goin' to make me swing for 1t,
air ye?" he pleaded %piteously.
The reception committee laughed.
Its turned his head, sure"
mo, joe" Mr.. Pendleton replied,
this isn't Judge Lynch's 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-
scented a shrinking front to the pub
lie eye. The oldest, of about 45 sum-
mers, unkempt and f~orlorn-eyed, gath
cred the youngest, aged two, to her
breast, grouped around her the re-
manning 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, We see, Mr..
Pendleton,'' he said, keeping his eye
on the m~ild-faced s~torekeeper, "it was
somethin' like this. / was prospect
ina smile went the rounds of the
crowd-"an' that night the mule died,
an | was peggin' along afoot, kinder
lonesome, an ! come across, down the
creek, a 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 | seq: Come along
with me to the parsons, the one what
peddles his gospel talk through the
mimi country SEE |, because there
didn't seem to be nothin' else to do
seems how she didn't have no per
Q tector. An / thought mebbe ye
wouldn't be terrible put out, gentle
men, if I used the rest of the money
to come back to Sauger's an set III
Nelly an the children"
@ The crowd was very quiet.
"But what about your pile, Joe?'
asked S~pandling after a moment
How much, and where did you make
! the striker
:, Striker" repeated Joe in bewilder
ment. 81 didn't make non this time
. less Mely's the strike
a A groan ran through the multitude
a disappointment was pictured on
(. hundred faces, some looked fairly men
4 acing. 1t was not often that SAUCER
bestirred itself as it had for this oc
casion which had ended so absurdly
They would be a butt for the ridicult
. Of the whole county.
Suddenly, the hotel man stepped u
n to the woman and spoke to her in
low tone. Then he faced the crowd.
m Boys, you're scarin' the poor crit
n turs to death, with the tender feelir
for Charley Mason glarin' out of you
II eyes. The reception committee wi
#. be responsible for the DRAWN up G
a. a testimonial to that gentleman; yo
leave that to us. But we're a pack c
:, fools, Just the same, not to see tina
is this is the biggest joke in California
Q; bigger than the Barneses' strike.
II Old Joe didn't bring back nine time
:, . more than we expected, then III
ne crazy. Whoever heard Of a claim ths
panned out such nuggets as thes
here?" pointing to the eight youn
"A women. Il find" he continued, "ths
this estimable lady, Mrs. Joseph Cul
mill, is a past master at the wash tut
re What do you say to setting her up l
IN The Grubstake Laundry and r.
" questing that heather clothes-destro,
III er, Chin Lee, to seek another shee.
ranger"
u.s. Sauger's gave a lusty roar. Clar
of had touched a vulnerable spot. Ever
Ip- man who wore q collar clutched at II
ar. ragged edges with one hand, an
Sc threw his hat in the air with Il
on other.
ce The bus was filed with Sanger
I'M guests on its way to town, and the ir
ported band was not wasted. 1t wa
he not equal to the Wedding March
on but Old Joe and his wife and h,
Or progeny rode in state to supper at Il
Xix Shasta house quite as blissfully
ay the tune Of "a Hot Time In the o
'Fown To-Nipht"