The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1911-04-28


- ID Of entertainer for women
"Most of the women l have known
have been a nuisance" he said audi
blv In his growing annoyance.
"Ne. too. Mack" piped up small
voice beside him.
Mccarthy turned and swore. His
oatb was answered with such an en-
nbatic string of profanity that it al
most drowned the whistle of the in.
coming train.
The superintendent looked reprov-
ingly at his companion, Sanders, the
stage.driver. The latter, nearly four
feet in height and thirteen years old,
returned the gaze unblinkingly from
nair of wise-looking Irish-American
ewes which belied his age, meanwhile
wrinkling his freckles into mass that
served as a harmonious fresco below
his red hair Again he gave speech.
Most women" he said, lis like ore
wagons; take up too much room on
the trail"
The train groaned and creaked along
the rails, and came to whining, per
spring halt
Sanders drove frantically through
The crowd, swearing with earnestness
as he went, and planted himself before
the platform. Down the steps surged
prospeetors, miners, commercial traY-
elers, and women, humping each 9th
as legs with bales, bundles, and bags,
and all In a hurry. But 1t was not
10 who
knew him-and those who were at
tracted by his shrill voice crying
"Stage-line to Horne" paid small heed
TO his appeal, and trafficked with his
rival. He lodged to and fro to avoid
being trampled upon, and tried to gain
fare FRONT the other stage-driyer.
The rival looked the part, thought San
ders enviously, as he gazed with ami
mostly at the six feet OF Drawn sur
mounted by SLOUGH hat, and listened
to the voice which came with hoarse
below
Sanders turned disconsolately to-
ward his own stage, and in emulation
OF his elders of the wilder mining
camp up in the hills from which he
came. again swore with proficiency.
Here, you, Sanders" hailed Nc
Carthys voice from the diminishing
crowd, here are some passengers for
you"
The wise-looking little, old face
Frightened up hopefully. and he came
forward unasashed. but colored with
self-consciousness before the outburst
Of merriment of the most beautiful
lady he had ever seen. He recalled in
stantly story his father used to tell
him before he went to rest back up
there in the hills, and from then on
she became TO him the Dream Lady.
But it wouldn't do to blush, he
thought furiously He must play the
part, because, after all, he was real
stage-driver He braced his feet wide
iy apart, assumed a hoarse voice, and
In answer TO her question, Are you a
Itage-driyer" vociferated, You bet
your damn life am"
The Dream Lady laughed with such
abandonment that the superintend-
ents sharp reproof was unuttered.
Mccarthy led the way to the stage,
assisted the presidents wife and
daughter to a seat and then deposit
ed his own huge bulk beside the driv-
ers cushion
Sanders crawled up TO his place,
using the spokes of the wheel as
ladder. clutched the reins in his small
hands. tripped the brake with much
effort and started his ses with
yelp. He reasoned over the intricacies
OF the situation, and decided that he
had been TESTED with, Inundated. set
upon, and ridiculed. 1t hurt because
The Dream Lady was so beautiful and
had such shining eyes.
II was too much. and as big lump
came suddenly into his throat, San.
ders almost swallowed the ample
CHEW OF tobacco that distorted the
contour of his face. Hitherto he had
ieit the pride OF position. Why
shouldn't he Joy In his independence?
lie had always made his own way and
mad been no mark for humor. Why,
even when he wanted to go into the
stage business after Old Patch, ow-
ing to too many stops at the road
'ouse, mad simultaneously lost his
mold on the reins of horses and of
hie by falling from his seat, the min
ers had not treated him as Joke.
win great gravity they had subscrib-
ed Tor the purchase of the outfit and
aad called him Mister Sanders" True,
some of them had winked and grown
ROD In the face when they put their
names and their money down, but
'ney had not laughed at him broadly
as the Dream Lady did
sanders recalled that entry into
s'agedom with a warmth in his heart
ior Mccarthy, who was so outspoken
win all men and whom so many fear
gu The big man, he remembered,
uad read the list without a change of
OPPRESSION and had even taken the
pains TO test his ability or ac the how