Year: 1878

Anny's Exploit


When Harry Dean told his love 10
Amy Roberts, and asked her to be his
wife, she did not hesitate in her reply
because he possessed few worldly goods
and had his way in the world to make.
He was young, strong, energetic and
manly, and she put her hand in his,
knowing that she was safe In his keep
ing. And when after a few months of
happy welded life, he broke to her ten
derly his purpose to follow the great
tide of adventurous spirits that was
setting towards the new western Colo.
rado-the Black TIills-she astonisbed
and pleased him by saying that she
would follow him and share in his for
tunes. He fully appreciated the love
and gratitude that won this decision
from her, but, withal, he did not know
how fierce was the battle she waged
with her terror at the thought of turn.
ing her back on that pretty Ohio village
that she had ever known as a home, and
where she had always felt safe and con-
tented, to enter upon new life away
from civilized haunts, and among fierce
savages, Tough miners and Adventures.


The Deans, however, were soon
settled in their new home. Harry,
with his quick judgement, had forseen
that, in consequence of the great rush to
the new diggings, and of new towns
that would spring up like magic, in al.
most every gulch and on almost every
hillside, lumber would be an article
greatly in demand, and therefore invest.
ed the greater part of his capital in the
machinery necessary for building a
mill. The mill was soon built under
the spur of Harry's restless energies its
site being at the foot of a wooded height,
where, with little labor, rapid stream
was fettered and made to supply an even
| dCUiNO nOJlNo HOW6Is


Harry's next thought was of home
for his bride, and the first product of
the mill was shaped by his own hands
into primitive but comfortable dwell
ling. He built it in pretty little val.
ley half mile distant from the mill,
because this spot was sheltered from
the observation of struggling savages
and adventurers.


AS the Deans were the avanJ couriers
of civilization in this region, the mining
ranges and mining towns being in the
bald and untimbered heights and gulch.
es several miles distant, they we're not
annoyed with pryng visitors, and even
Amy had lost much of her carefully
hidden terror at this new, wild, exposed
life, when months passed and she had
not caught even a glimpse of an Indian
and the few miners who ventured so far
in their prospecting were so kind and
gentle in their demeanoT to the sweet
faced little woman, whom any of them
would have died in the defense of.


But that which satisfied Amy most
of all with this wild, lonely life, was
the fact that Harry was prospecting far
beyond his widest anticipation. The
demand for the product of his mill, at
prices that furnished him very large
profit, was greatly beyond his ability to
meet. His energy was untiring, and
from early morning until late in the
evening he toled with his hired help at
the mill OF away in the woods.


Amy's old terror of danger to her
husband in his exposed life from prowl.
ing bands of Indians would occasional.
" return to torment her, though she
always kept the fact secret from
Harry; and when on such occasions af
ter day of excruciating torment to her
her husband returned in the evening,
safe, she would promise herself never
again to give way to these fears, and
she faithfully kept this promise for
week or two.


One morning after Harry had left
her with tender kiss and his happy
assurance that, if his success in busi-
ness continued a few months longer,
he would be able to remove her for.
ever from these wild surroundings, she
returned to her daily house duties
very cheerful and with joyous heart
AS the hours flew onward, and it ap.
, preached midday, her. spirits grew
lighter, her step merrier and her song
more brd'like than they had been fol
some time. Her home seemed toe
small to encompass her bounding hap,
piness, and she wandered out into the
forest that reaches down from the over,
hanging heights to her little valley
2 home. Scampering after a frightened
; squirrel, clambering over huge bould-
ers, rended ages before from their pa
. rent by some mighty CONFUSION of ma
q ture, bathing her feet in the eddy oI
the trembling stream, or picking hand
fuls of moss and flowers, she gave nc
heed to the direction in which her steps
tended until, suddenly, with a little
cry of joy, she realized that she wa:
close to her husbands mill. Springiue
t. into the trOdden path, and Fastening OF
with the intent of surprising Harry a


his toll, and yet wondering why the
saw was not in motion, she stumbled
over huddled mass of something likt
q human figure. Half STOPPING to ex


anime it, she caught tine hideous star
/. of face set in death and covered Will
blood, and a head ruthlessly stripped
of its scalpl Uttering low agonizinl
!, moan, she sunk back a step. and ther,
stood motionless, palsied in tongue anC
limb, paralyzed in everything but he