Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-03-19

voice of mo Creek Lee, the mining king.
but in no other way showing sign or
symbol of their old friend. Its style OF
face and curious outfit were utterly for
eign to the miner, for he had been beard
ed with the robust, unkempt growth of
many years, tanned to a leathery hue,
and CARRIED perenniaIly in the habit of a
scarecrow, while this creature was shaved
and clipped and curled, and the clothes
1t stood up in were of many startling
hues. Its face was scraped so clean of
whiskers as to be a pallid white, but
lack of adornment ended at this point
and the rest was overladen wondrously,
while from the center of the half brown,
half-white face the long. red nose OF Lee
ran out. Beside IT rolled his lonesome
eye, alive with excitement.
He came up with a strut, illumining the
landscape. and inquired:
We'll, how do I look?"
I'm darned If I know" said Gale. "But
it's plumb unusual"
These here shoes leak" said the spec
tacle, pulling up his baggy trousers to
display his tan footgear, because they
was made for dry goin'-that's why they
left the tops off; but they've got a nice,
healthy color, amt they? AS a whole, 1t
seems to me I'm sort of nifty" He re-
a0TnlrlnR
gaze. and while to one versed in the man
ners of the Far East it would have
been evident that the original owner of
these clothes had come from somewhere
beyond the Susquehanna, and had either
been football player or had Travelled
with glee club, to these three Mortimer
1t seemed merely that here was the mod
ish echo of a distant civilization.
Watts do matter on your face?" said
Poleon. you been fightin2''
"I amt shaved in a long time. and
this here excitement has kind of shatter-
ed my nerves. didn't have no lookin'-
glass, neither, in my shack, so I had to
use a lard-can cover. Does it look bad?"
mot to my way of thinkin'," said Gale,
allaying mo Creeks anxiety Its
more desperate than bad, but it sort of
adds expression" At which the miners
pride burst bounds.
I'm kindly ask you to note the shirt
ten dollars a copy, that's ALL I got it
from the little Jew down yonder. See
them red spear-heads on the boosum?
Flower dee Lizzies,' which means 'calla
lilies in French. Every one of 'em cost
me four bits. On the level-how am I?'
Il never see no harness, JUS lax it me-
self" exclaimed Doret. You look good
'nough for tin-horn gambler. Say, don't
you wear no necktie wit dem kim of
clothes?"
mo, sir! Not me. I'm a rude, rough
miner. and L dress the part. Low-cut,
blushin' shoes and straw hats I can stand
for. likewise collars-they so hand-in-hand
with pay-streaks; but a necl1tie amt
neither wore for warmth nor protection;
it's a pomp and vanity, and I'm a plain
man without conceit. Now, let's proceed
with the obsequies."
1t was a very simple, unpretentious
ceremony that took place inside the long,
low house of logs, and yet it was a won
derful thing to the dark, shy maid who
hearkened SO breathlessly beside the man
she had singled out-the clean-cut man in
uniform, who stood so straight and tall,
making response in a voice that had
neither fear nor weakness In 1t. When
they had done he turned and took her
reverently in his arms and kissed her be-