Year: 1876

BY T. L. JONES.


Mr.. Swipes hastened through the rair
until he reached his cabin on Gouge- eye
Point. Naturally one would not think
an old she'll back miner like Swipes, who
had stood the storms of nearly half a cen
tury would care for a little rain, that be-
ing, as the old women used so say, neith-
er sugar nor salt, he could stand any
storm of any winter, and welcome it as a
guarantee of that great desidcratum in
every mining mmunity-water. II
may be, however, that it was just be
cause he had stood the brunt of SO many
winters in the past, that the amiablC
| Swipes felt himself admonished to keer
keen lookout for his own wholesome
throughout the future. AT any rate, hav-
ing gone out to the dggings that morn.
ing under cloudless sky, he had omit.
ted the precaution of taking with him a
gum coat, consequently he was caught by
the storm at every disadvantage. And
like prudent man, as he is he "streak-
ed it" for home.


| Of course he reached there without any
thing very serious occurring, for it was
not the Iirst time he had darted home
"between drops" A glance at the sky
convinced him that the storm was proba.
bly, good for the rest of the day, so he pre-
prepared to make himself omtortable.- -
From his store of pitch wood II few piece;
were selected, the dry pine piled over
bunch, he struck it to start fro. But
rs he bent down his head in the pursuit
of this laudable purpose, the water which
had collected on his hat brim poured of
in a little stream and extinguished it.
1t was very little thing, but then life is
made up Of trihes. Mr.. Swipes swore-
actually swore, over this little mishap
Having relieved his feelings in this man
ner, he essayed to strike another match
but to his discontinue found they had all
collected dampness, and the heads scrap
cd of in manner peculiarly aggravatinp
to chilly man. At each successive
failure Mr.. Swipes swore again, but II
was no go, the last one went and the
prospect Of cheerful fire to dispel the
dampncss of the cabin seemed very slim
indeed.


"This comes of baching." growled
Mr.. Swipes, L" if | had woman to
keep house for me, | wouldn't be shiver-
ing this way now. Dog on it, why ain't
married ?"


Swipes scratched his head as he pro
pounded this conundrum to himself, but
he failed to elicit any response. Then he
commenced exploring his pockets in Tho
hope Of finding stub, but was equally
unsuccessful. 1t was rather distressing
thought that he had to go halfa mile tC
the nearest neighbor to get enough match
es to light the fire, but there was no gain
saying the fact, and grabbing up the ha
which had caused his mishap, he was
about to open his door to pass out wher
there was a light tap at it.


Now it was not usual for any Of Mr.
Swipes visitors to announce their pres
ence in this manner. Generally, the doc
opened, and they came bulging in, or i
they knocked at all it was in a manner
which gave unmistakeable evidence o
somebody's presence. This light tap dis
composed our friend Swipe more than {
salvo of artillery would have done, anC
he hestated before opening the door
And well he might.


For there stood three specimens oI
Goods last best gift to man." Tha
they were not able to stand the storm
like young ducks, their forlorn appear
ance and the haste with which they bolt
ed into the cabin at the invitation Of Mr.
Swipcs was ample proof


How glad we we're to sec you come
home, Mr. Swipes. We were standing
under the big pine, bat you see We
couldn't keep dry. Why in the world
don't you build fire when you got every
thing ready. Don't you see we're al
most froze ?"


lie did see it. But that didn't help
matters bit and he was forced to the
humiiating confession that there was
not match in the house.


"Then Jane will give you one. She
had some awhile ago. Now, don't pre-
tend to deny it, Jane ; you do smoke and
we know it,"


Whether Jane, whom Mr.. Swipes had
never before seen, she being q recent ar
rival in the place, intended to deny the
fact or not, we are not prepared to say;
but after several preliminary motions she
commenced searching the pocket Of her
dress. From thence she drew first ball
of blue yarn, knife, bunch Of keys,