Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-04-21
THE MARIPOSA WAR
By ROY NORTON
Copyright By y. L. Nelson

II had sounded rather inspiriting
then when read at THE Woman's
Saturday Advancement Club, but
when put to the test its ringing turn
ed to pitiable tinklings. She decided
she would have to have help.
So 1t was that one night she took
Bills advice. He agreed to hire a
man for her, let the man live at his
cabin, and kinder boss the job" The
hiring wasn't easy, as men were
scarce In those days in Mariposa-
that is, men who would work for day
wages; but Bill hired an ancient
miner whose chief claim to notice was
that he complained about most every
thing In sight, from the way the will
lows grew on the creek to his daily
rheumatism. They called him DOC"
because he had never been q doctor,
but had taken more patent medicines
than any other man on the Big d.
vide, and titles don't count much,
after all in hydraulicking. That lat
ter part he understood, and In q few
days more there might be heard each
morning the mighty rush of we'll
directed waters on Number Three.
Miss Esmerelda did learn one thing
about mining. though. She knew how
to clean up the sluices and treasure
the gold that came in inviting yellow
| grains between the rifies. So, before
long, affairs on Mariposa were pros
porous and pleasant.
There came a day, as before, when
the stage came up with jerk before
the Palace Hotel, and as II in repeti-
ton. dumped out another woman who
didn't have much luggage and was not
alone. She was accompanied by about
the ugliest brindle bulldog that ever
came west Of the Rockies. She step
ped out with a self-confident air,
glowered unabashed at the men who
CAPPED at her, and said to the pro-
prietor of the Palace:
Here, yc-, Hook onto them things
and look lively! I'm Mrs. Mirandy
Tibbets, and I've bought Number
Three gold mine on river called the
Mariposa. Take them things inside
till find some one who amt too lazy
to take me up to my property"
She was business, all right. and she
knew woman's rights and Mrs. Pink
ham from A to 2. She made folks
step around lively, and, partly be-
cause he was afraid of her, and part
ly because he didn't want to work. the
landlord Stuffed her on" on Jim Tip
ton. She started in to boss Jim from
the minute she met him, but he
wasn't the kind to be bcssed. He
sized her up critically. and decided. as
he afterward said, that IL she were
well halter-broke and taught not to
tangle her picket-rope, she wouldn't
be bad one to own" So he called
her down.
Look here, Mrs. Mirandy," he said,
with his soft drawl, Il don't know
nothin' about wimmen's rights, nor
none of them things. SO don't give me
none of your gun on that line. You
amt got no soft snap buttin' up agin'
you. There's q woman a-workin'
Number Three now, an she says she
owns 1t. Ell you've got the goods. it's
your'n. FL you amt you've been
bunked, an somebody's peddled you q
brick. Now. let's git down to bust
, ness"
| That took her down some. She
looked at Jim for minute, as II she
thought of sticking the dog on him
but he didn't look the kind to BE-
afraid. They stared into each others
! eyes for about a moment, and from
|, then on she belonged to James Tip
! ton. She was widow. and under
| stood men. After that they got OF
! amicable terms, and 1t wasn't very
, long until Jim was involved In all the
| trouble about Number Three. H,
pacifed her as best he could. and
told her that on the following day h'
would take her up to the claim and
, try TO get the tangle Strengthened out
The sun was shining. the bird
| singing, and everything bright ant
! gay, when they came up to Numbe
, Three on the following morning
, heard the boom of the hydraulic. an,
|, the singing notes of q woman's voice
, Doc was hard at work, grumbling Il
1 himself as usual, and Bill was Jus
coming down the trail when the visi
tors arrived. II all looked peaceful
. and very little Hike war.
Z Morning" said Jim. after stopping
I his horses.
. "Mornin'," answered Bill, coming I,
; halt and looking at them. He cor
z fessed after that he thought by tn
3 way Jim assumed PROFESSIONALLY owe
. the woman. and the bulldog that b
y owned them both.
r Jim calmly climbed down from hi
|. blackboard. after throwing the reins t
Mrs. Mirandy. and sauntered forward
= The singing inside the cabin ha
n stopped. and Esmerelda stood In. tn
> doorway. looking with wonderment o.
K the meeting.
d BILL" began Jim, there's somethir
r crooked about this deal out here O
d Three. This here woman with me /
a Mrs. Mirandy Tibbets. and she's got
l. deed of sale for this mine She's com
{ after It."
/ Bill stopped an instant, aghsst H
q recalled now that he had never see
+ any papers conveying the claim I
Q Esmerelda, and suddenly 1t came owe
|, him strongly that he would hate I
. see her worsted in something o
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