Year: 1872

tie sigh, but he added, dlSdalNfully,aS as
rallying himself, eve don't have n,
time to fool away on posics, you bet.
Every once in while he got up and
walked the room. and then I though
my time had come, but he only strodI
across the little parlor with two or thre
long steps. making the house rattle il
every joint, $50 that I thought it woult
come down about my ears again. Ono,
he extended his walk into the door
yard, but soon came back, smelling
dreadfully of tobacco smoke, whict
the wind, now lulled to q zephyr, wa,
not strong enough t. blow away. Th,
children having been put to bed, ani
Norah, shivering with apprehension
being permitted to curl herself up in .
corner of my own chamber, had moth
ing to do but sit up with fearful sor
of fascination and listen vacantly t.
the discursive talk of the gentleman
from Reno. sat and looked at hin
as he half nodded in his chair, wildly
wondering if he could not go to sleep
and il I could not seize him and pin
ion him before he could awake.
thought how terribly he would struggle
and how Norab would hear him and
come bowling down stairs, or vainlJ
scream for help from the windows.
Sometimes I thought 1 would rise ur
and fercely ask him why he did moi
begin his bloody work, and put me out
of miseryl But as ] am o timid and
nervous little woman, I did no such
thing but let him run on with his talk,
and wonder at his voice, which actually,
now that the wind was down, made the
house shake.


Led by some awful spell upon me,
showed him shudderingly, to the cham.
ber, and after his gray suit had dropped
in detached parts oil over the floor, ]
heard him throw himself, with sort
of snort, upon the pretty little spare
bed in the best room, with crash that
threatened to bring the frail thing in
fragments through the thin floor.
did not dare to take off my clothes,
but softly placing chair before the
door OF the gentleman from Reno,
slipped into my own room, locked the
door, and lay quaking through the
night, waiting for the signal when the
violence would begin. Confused
dreams of great many gentlemen
from Reno carrying off my children
and best china in small 1nstallments,
made my night long and troubled.
started up at every sound, rigid with
terror as I fancied heard my lodger
fall over the chair which I had placed
to trap him, or I was sure that I heard
the cracking of fire on the stairs, or
the low whistle of confederate under
the windows. But no sound smote on
the ear but the melancholy boom OF
the fog-bell at Fort Point, the occa.
sional barking of the dogs in the West
ern Addition, and the stertorous breath.
ing of the gentleman from Reno.


Daylight came, and brought with it q
sense of security if not of rest. J had
passed a miserable night, but some
what to my astonishment found myself
alive and unharmed, and the house as
peaceful and serene as usual. When
heard my visitor stirring in his room,
I went and took away the chair from
his door, feeling little ashamed of
the feat that looked so very ridiculous
by daylight. We had an early break.
fast, after which the gentleman from
Reno, who was now as much of q puz.
zie as a terror to me, announced that
he would go to meet my husband Of
the boat. As he went out he stopped
and kissed little Minnie. saying, '7Say
what you will, we havn't got no sucil
nice little gals as this over to Reno
Crocker-he's the chief contractor o1
that town-he's offered prize of town
lot for the first baby that's born on the
place, and you just better believe the
women are oil looking after that lot,
and they do say some women are com.
ing up from Cisco, and those in towr
are mad to think-but guess I'll tel
Hank about that" he added, with 6
queer little laugh and SO went off owe,
the sandhills, and with q great gulp O,
satisfaction I actually saw the last O.
the gentleman from Reno.


Harry came driving up to the oat1
about noon, just as that wretched vino
began to blow again; and as soon as
could get him inside the door, I said
reproachingly: "Oh, Harry I hav,
had such time!"


"Have you, my dear2 Why Vol
look as If you had seen ghost. There
there, now, don't set the deck-pumni
going, but tell me all about it,


Harry used to be in the navy, ant
had that injurious manner of twitter
ing me about "deck-pumps," that
never dare let the water come into m,
eyes when he was about, so I swallow
ed my grief, under which + was weakl,
inclined to give way, and told him tn,
whole story from beginning to end
infinitely describing the mysteriou'
visitor Having listened attentvely
his big eyes growing bigger and dane
ing with fun as I went on, finally b
burst out with-"W Why, that's Bol
Patchen from Reno. He's one of m
old cronies that T used to know up il
Brandy Canon in 80"


In vain I told him of the way h
came into the house how he shook til
building with his tread, and wha
dreadful stories he told about -" M
and Hank" in those wild days of old
He protested that Bob Patchen was on
OF the best fellows in the world, an,
he was sorry that he had missed him a
the Oakland boat. In fact, he said.
believe, that the gentleman, every incl
OF him-rough, to be sure, and as un
couth as any man gets to be knockin,
about the world and deprived of tn
society of women; but, nevertheless,
tender-hearted, whole-souled fellow
who would not needlessly harm fly
but who could drop his man at hun
dred yards, just as easy" Well, I ha,
to give in, of course, and was wei
laughed at for my foolish fears, an,
that cruel husband of mine roared un
til I thought he and the wind togethe
would raise the roof as told him o
my furtive preparations to carry hi
silver goblet and my Bismarck silk o.,
at the back door.


He drove off down town to hunt II,
"honest Bob Patcllen, who went bacj
to Reno that very night, and I neve
saw him again. But as Harry cam
into the house at supper time, he hand
ed me a square pasteboard box, il
which 1 found one of the most lovelies
and most delicate boquets ever lai
eyes on. None but refined taste coul
have selected it; and in the bottom q
the box was a card on which was writ
ten, crookelly and slantwise,


MIR. ROBERT PATol1EN.


Reno, Nevada.
A Shocking Railroad Accident.
Atcrriblc accident occurred Oh Tucsda,
on tho Kansas Pacific Railroad, liz mile
east Of Denver. Tho westward boun,
passenger train consisting Of two sleepin
CARE one first class and one second-cla
coach, and the baggage and express carr
ran m through tho bridge over Coon Crcel
The entire train. excent tho slecn;nv m r,