Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1915-02-12
A Miner S
Love Story
By DWIGHT NORWOOD

Colorado, good many years ago. He
was one of party of miners who
were sitting out under the blue heav-
ems after supper smoking their pipes
and trying to get rid of the time which
hung heavy on their hands when they
were not at work. The literature of
uneducated persons. be they sailors,
soldiers or laborers. is yarns, and the
man who can supply them is the best
fellow.
II don't mind" said Jim, taking his
pipe out of his mouth. "givin' you a
story, but | feel kind O. backward
about 1t, seem I'm the hero of 1t, and
there's Il heroine"
We'll, now. we like that" said one
of the party. Boys. we're goin to get
love story out o. Jim, and he's to be
the lover"
Jim put his pipe back into his mouth
and said nothing more. 1t was evi.
dent that he had been scared Off. But
after good deal of coaxing he was
persuaded and started in:
1T was when was prospectin'
along the creek. the first off on the
gold fever In these parts Most O. the
boys was washin' for gold right here
on the creek, but some of US lit out to
see what we could git furder I'D,
where Georgetown is now. | camped
one night on the side of the divide
and was Weakened toward mornin' by
shots fired down in the valley below
me. | started up and listened 1t was
just comm dawn. and everything ex-
cept an occasional shot was still as
the stars fadin' above that no man
has ever heard a sound come from
Thinks 1. reckon I'll just drop down
there and see what's goin' on. So
tux my rife and meandered down
among rocks and trees till come to
the edge Of a cleHrin'. BY this time
1t was gettin' light enough to see. and
l seen. There beneath me was a man
and woman tryin' to hold Off three
men. There was a pile o. dirt beside
a hole in the ground, and the man and
woman was firm from behind the pile
II TUX In the situation at onct. The
man and the woman had been diggin
for gold. and the others was claim
jumpers. Like enough the diggers
had struck payin' dirt and them as
was firin mt 'em had got on to 1t and
was tryin 10 drive 'em away. Bout
that time II gal come outer cabin
beside the hole and handed some am
munition to the man and the woman
Then she TUX II place behind the dirt
~,
men herself
Them WIS the days when every
time rifle was fired it had TO be
loaded agin. had no load in mine,
but had some ammunition Before
! could get it into my gun the man
below was hit and fell senseless. leav
in the TWO women to defend ther
selves rs best they could agin three
men. The men thinkin' they had an
easy job OF it started TO rush EN-.
Just then ! got my gun loaded and
ut the same time seen the gal drop her
gun and put her hand to her shoulder.
| knOwed she was hit. and II made me
mad to see gal struck like that with
lead fired by man. | let drive. and
l dropped the first man that left cover
to make the rush
THAT kind o. fustered the jumpers.
They didn't realize at first where my
shot come from. While they was
thinkin about it | got in a fresh load
and dropped another man. This only
TUX two OF 'em. but two out left only
one. He caught sight Of a little smoke
driftin' Off up where | was. and al
though it tioated quiet, like bit o
fleece cloud in the sky above. 1t made
him jump. He didn't seem TO know
what to do KEEP out o. sight. and
he didn't know whether there was
one o. me or II dozen He looked at
the two dead men, then lit out.
Il just dropped down among the fam
lily to see how bad they was hurt. They
was 50 unsartin about who had helped
'em out and so anxious about each
others wounds that they didn't know
whether to take notice O. me or the
wounded. | went for the gal and
stanched the blood from her shoulder
while the woman was pickin' up the
man. There was two wounded and
two OF us all right. The man was shot
through the lungs and was in a purity
bad way. lit out for a doctor and
got one there by noon. He said that
the mans wound wasn't mortal. but
1t was mighty close call
THE gals wound was bound up, and
she was well on to recovery in ten
days, but the man-her father-was
nigh on TO ak weeks before he WAS
out o the woods | stayed with 'em
and TUX care of 'em, and when they
got Strengthened out | bid 'em goodby
and was goin away. The man stopped
me and told me that he'd struck payin'
dirt, and since I'd saved him and his
wife's and daughters lives | was vel
come to any part o. the mine wanted.
/ tole him ! wasn't so low down as 10
take mine for little thing Ike that