Year: 1876

"Charlie, you are wrong to feel SO
you have sent the money to bring
your Edith here, and if she followed
your directions, she could hardly have
communicated with you yet. You'll
find that am right, so don't be down
hearted"


Charlie did not answer, but pretend
ed to be satisfied with the view which
had taken of the case.


The next morning as we were on
the way to our claim, we saw large
crowd of miners gathered in the vi
cinity of tall old oak tree which had
been left standing in camp.


Curious to know the cause we hur-
ried up and forced our way through
the crowd.


In moment the scene was made
plain to us.


A tall ruffian. miner, was standing
in the midst of the circle with his
grasp on the shrinking shoulder Of a
lad who appeared to be about fifteen
years of age. The poor child was
trembling from head to foot, and Sob
bing as if his heart would break.


Charlie could stand it no longer, nor
could 1, so making our way to the
side of the lad, we asked the cause of
the tumult.


The miner tightened the grasp on
the lad, and then said:


"Why, you see, mates, this young
hound broke into our tent this morn
ing, and he has stole our gold and
hidden it away. Amt it so? ye little
varmint, YEP"


The lad could hardly speak for his
sobs, but he managed to stammer out ::


"Oh, gentlemen, do not believe him
1t is true that was in his tent, for
had just got into camp, after having
been robbed and beaten on my way
here. l saw that the tent was open,
and creeping in, L lay down and went
to sleep. When l awoke, l saw this
man standing over me. That is the
truth, SO help me God!"


Charlie did not hesitate for mo-
ment. Said he:


"You hear, my men! Can't you see
that the child's story is true. If Big
Ben has been robbed I'll make it
good, but he must give me up the boy.
Come, Ben, how much did you lose ?"
But this was not what the rutfian
wanted. He wished to see the boy
logged, and then turned over to his
tender mercies as drudge.


So he turned contemptuously to
Charlie, and said:


aye can't have the boy. lie is my
prisoner. l caught him in my tent.
So let him alone and go your ways"


Charlie looked thoughtfully at the
lad for moment and then said he:


"You cowardly scoundrel, will you
fight for the boy?"


Eyes! I'll fight for him, provided if
you lose get him and that revolver
you wear," and the ruflian looked al
the crowd with a wink.


AT this the boy broke away from
Ben and rushed up to Charlie, begging
him not to fight.


But Charlie quickly gave the boy
over to my custody, and making ready
for the contest, stepped up to his adj
versary.


For a few moments the battle
wagcd fiercely, but Charlie was much
the best boxer of the two. and in q
moment, big Ben lay at his feet in
sensible, the blood rushing from his
mouth and nose.


The miners declared the fight a fair
one, and my chum and l took the lad
to our tent, while Ben's friends took
charge of him.


Little was said between us till our
tent was reached, and Charlie was
wondering what we would do with |
the boy.


But no sooner were we under the |
shelter and free from the gaze of the |
outsiders than the lad rushed up to
Charlie, and clasping him around the
neck, he exclaimed:


s.Oh, Charlie-Charlie, my dearest |
Charlie! do you not know who it is |
you have saved? l had such hard |
work to refrain from telling you be- |
fore that dreadful crowd of men. l /
am Edith, and have done as you COM
manded mel"


l will not attempt to describe the
JOY of my friend, and his subsequent
happiness as the proud husband of
Edith suffice it to explain how she
had reached her lover.


The man to whom her father had
promised her was impatient for his
bride, and poor Edith, as soon as she |
received the money from Charlie, had
cut off her hair, put on a suit of boys |
clothes and started on her perilous !
journey.


All had gone well until within a
short distance Of her destination, when
she was robbed of her money, and |
forced TO walk the rest of the way. |
Arriving i'm camp weary and foOtsOre,
she crept into the first open tent she |
saw, and tried to get an hours sleep.


The rest we knew.


Charlie and Edith soon returned to |
our native city, and in the beautiful |
and stately wife of my friend, we |
could scarcely recognize the poor and |
friendless boy whom we saved from
logging in n California mining camp. |


SYMPTOMS.


When q woman begins to drink her !
tea with sugar-that' 8 symptom.


When woman gives sigh on
hearing OF q xxedlinm--ihai'S " q QUINN. /