in IK 1 1? muimi i Alf INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. rLI Vol. "V. Now J31ooiiittoll, Xn,., Tucsaixy, April 25, 171. IVo. T7. Is Published Weekly, At New KloomflcM, Tenn'a. FRANK MORTIMER. BUB8CKirTION TERMS. ONE DOLL All rEll YE A II t GO Cents ford Months 40 Cents for 3 Months, IN A.rVAlCIC. A CALIFORNIA WEDDING. 'CO JL lived over in the canon ; there were thirty of us in the gang, and we had four cabins with a store houso, which was gen eral property. We all worked hard through tho week, and on Sunday did our washing and caught our houso work up a little. I suppose we would liavo bocn called a hard not, but we were not any rougher than men generally get living oft" by themselves for a year or two. "Eight of us camped together, and each of us had as distinct an Individuality as though wo represented different nations. Somehow he had all acquired a sobriquet which was acknowledged to bo character istic, and we were called by it in camp to the complete ignoring of our real names. "There was Hal Wintorton, a southerner and a fierce Secessionist ; we called him "South Carolina." Dave Austin, a Con necticut man, and a regular sell, we chris tened bim "Nutmegs." "Dandy" stuck to Charley Champin, for ho was a natural fop. Then there was Ed Simpson, a gon uine "Aunt Betty ;" you'd know his namo at the first glimpse without my saying a word. Otis Allen would faint if he jam med his finger or had a sight of blood ; he was "Our Baby." Jack dimming was a wag, and he certainly deserved his cogno men of Jack tho Wickod." Jim Wood ruff was known all over the country by tho appellation of the ' Judgo,' and ' your hum ble servant,' from his black eyes, swarthly complexion and jetty locks, perhaps some thing, too, in iny manner, was styled "Senor." " Well, we wero a good naturcd set of fellows, always making allowance for each other's peculiarities, and never having any friction in the camp. Sometimes I used to think we joked "Aunt Betty" and "Our Baby" rather unmercifully, but a word from our "Judge," would straighten us out at once " If one was sick we all took turn about in watching and nursing, but the " Judge" was the one who knew just what to do, and was always near to do it. Tender and patieut as a woman, wo all honored him and held him a little higher in our estima tion than we did any one else at the camp, " I forgot to tell you, that a mouth before and when Dandy' and Auut Betty wero not of our number, we had in their place Will Browning, who was equal to two men any day. Qood to work and good to play, smart as need be, and true to tho core. think most any of us would have been glsid to have gone with Will when he wont over the mountains, but he said ' No ; stay where you are boys ; you are doing well, and if I find anything better, I will let you know at once. Then come, all hands of you, and it will be a Jolly time when we get togother again.' " You know It wasn't the pleasantcst traveling in tho world to get around two years ago. "We hadn't a word from Will thougli he had been gone a long time. Several let ters had come for him, but, of course, wo could not forward thein, having no idea of his whereabouts, and we had come to tho conclusion that he would walk in upon us somo time.dead broke, and cured of his rov ing disposition. We had finished work ono day j supped off our 'three B's, as we called our beans, baoou and broad ; the table stood just whero we had loft it, for you know miners are not very fastidious in their no tions. We were sitting orr a long bonch which went across one end of our cabin talking1 over the day's work and speculating on what tho boys were doing over to the left of us. when all at onco a woman stood in our cabin door. " Now a woman in those days was a curiosity with bucks here among tlio hills and there wore inno In our camp, even, who hadn't set eyes on one for better than two years. She stood still, just looking nt us. 1 don t know what the rest tliouglit, but ' Aunt Betty,' said afterwards, that ' it scorned liko a warning to somo of ns,' and ho was ' wondering whose timo had come.' Tho 'Judgo' sat on tho edgo of tho bench and he arose and took off his hat. Ono af ter anothor followed his example- slowly, each ono getting up in tuni and taking off his hat. Wo must have looked comical for we all had on woolen shirts, with our sleeves rolled up and collars turned back. Our pants were tied around our waists, and tucked in no careful manner into our rub ber boot legs. Add to our costume, eight faces unshaven and unshorn for weeks, and you can catch some idea of our general ap pearance. " The pale light of our sputtering candlo added to the weirdness of the scene, and when 'Jack tho wicked' murmured, 'To your knees, boys, nt once,' I guess we wero all more than half inclined to obey. Tho Judgo recovered himself quickest, and ad- anccd toward the door. ' I wish to sco my brother, Will Browning. I heard ho was here,' said about tho most musical voice I ever heard. "' Ho was here months ago,' answered tho Judge, ' but wo do not know where ho is now. How did you come, and where aro your friends?" " ' I camo through tho valley and shadow of death, I should think, for I am nearly dead with fatigue and hunger, and for friends I havo tho gloomiest old teamster you over Baw ; though I thought it rare good luck when I found him, and ho en gaged to to take mo up here to Will. I paid bim every cent of money I had, and I have not had a mouthful for days but ba con and bread. Is there any hotel within a short distance ? If not, perhaps thore is some good woman who would let we stay with her until I can get word to Will. "I guess every man hugged to himself the thought that she would bo obliged to stop with us awhile ; even tho Judgo did not look very sorry, though he professed to feel dreadfully for her dilemma. " Ho said, and I am sure his full rich voice must havo seemed a tower of strength to her : " Will is a dear friend of ours, and if you will kindly allow us tho honor of pro tecting bis sister until ho can be co mmuni catcd with, we shall be under great obliga tions to you. We must look very odd to you, but we all claim to be gentlemen, and I assure wo can and will make you comfort able." " She had a pcrploxcd look on her face when the Judge told her there was no woman living near, but she was mistress of the situation in a moment, and said do murcly, though with a sly sparklo, O, ! shall bo comfortable enough, but shan't I bo troubling you terribly ?' " Every one spoke at once,' ' No troublo not tho least.' And then Dandy said, " Judge, if you wore to introduce us to tho lady, perhaps sho would feel more at ease with us.' Tho Judge must havo been awfully smitten at first sight, or ho would not have bocn guilty of introducing us by our camp titles. As it was ho said, gravely, "Miss Browning allow me to introduce to you Will's friend, Mr. South Carolina.' He ad vanced as he was called, and in the most chivalrio manner, bowed ovor tho lady's extended hand. 'This is Mr. Nutmeg, an other friend of youi brother's.' "He bowed stiRly, and looked every where but at her. " Aunt Betty, did you know Will ? be lievo you didn't ; but he will be a friend all tho same to you, Miss Browning.' " ' You can Dot your lilo on mat every time,' said Aunt Betty, and we were all ready to split by that timo, the Judge looked so dignified doing the honors of tho occasion in such a happy manner, as ho no doubt thought. " He continued, 'This is Mr. Dandy;' I wish you could have socn the bowing and scraping. By that time the lady had taken in the drollery of the thing, and when the Dandy bowed so profoundly, she swept him a courtesy that liked to have flnishod him on the spot. " Honor ana Will were sworn allies : we used to call them David and John then " blio smiled and asked, " Inch are you ?" And for the first and only time in my life I did not know what to say,, but stammered out, ' Either ma'am.' There was something like a snicker from our com- pany, but tho Judgo had no eyes or ears for any one but her ; so he kept on ; and Willi a wave of tho hand, presented ' Our Baby, The great, big, six-footed fellow looked for all the world as though ho would put up lip and cry, until Miss Browning said: How do you do dear? Can he talk?" and then ho blurted out, 4 My name is Otis Al len.' " Jack got the start of them, and step ping in front of them, said, in tragic tones, Jack, the Wicked, known all over the Pacific coast for my diabolical acts and lot mo assist our friend this is the Judge, who is tho terror of all evil doers, and tho pro tector of distressed innocents, wherever and whenever they havo tho good fortune to fall into his hands.' Yes,' said Judgo, with tho most im perturbable gravity j and now you know us all, and must consider us your obedient servants.' She laughed a low, rippling laugh, and said : ' Yes, I am sure I know you nil, now, and I should like to shako hands all around ; it would give mo a sort of homo fceling,and you would feel better acquaint ed with mo, I guess.' " She began with the judge, and ho look ed, whilo ho held her hand, as though ho had been translated. "She has got an awful lot of magnetism about her, I tell you, my arm and hand thrills now when I think of that first hand clasp. We hadu't a chair in the cabin, but wo gave her out our best three-legged stool. She took off her jaunty hat and sack, and each one of us sprang to take them. She didn't seem to notice us, but left them lying in her lap. Sho told us she had some baggago a little way from the houso, she had left it there so as to walk in upon Will unannounced, but instead of finding dear old Will, she had stumbled upon such a lot of friends. " ' Can you give me something real good to eat ?' and she glanced at the table with its dirty dishes and tho scanty remains of our supper. ino taoie was cleared on in a jiiiy ; a plate was washed, and a can of chicken opened. Aunt Betty mado a cup of too, and another stirred up some flapjacks, and one ua of thought to scour a knife and fork by running them into tho ground several times. Oh, there wore lively times for a few minutes, you'd bettor believe. Only the Judge he novcr moved, but looked right nt her. She did not seem to notice him, but watched our operations with great interest. " While she ate and the quaintness of her surroundings did not effect her appetite we all stood round and waited upon her. I guess never a day while she lived with us but what she laughed about her first meal there. We partitioned her off a bedroom in one corner, putting up somo blankets, and all but the Judge and Auut Butty went into the store houso to sleep for awhile. " You'd think that when we got there wo should bo likely to talk over the won doi ful event, but wo didn't ; not a word was spoken concerning it. But I reckon there was considerable thinking done in that place that night. By light we were all up and pacing in front of the cabin. The teamstor had given notice of the charge he had left with us, and all the other boys were over to learn how things wero. There wasn't a stroke of work dono in camp tliat day, and not much for a week. 'Then the Judge callod us together and told us it wouldn't do ; we wero get ting demoralized ; that Miss Browning was unhappy, because sho felt she bad inter rupted our arrangements, and we must come right down to stoudy day's work after that. ' Well, we triod to, but we could nev er get back to the old tlmos. There was a good deal of rivalry among us, and some cutting things woro said. Tho Judge sent letters in every direction for Will, but three weeks had passed without a word in reply, We hud all in turn 'offered to accompany Miss Browning to Ban Francisco, but she she knew no one there Will would be sure to come before long, and would be so dis appointed if she should leave ; besides, had she not eight of the best brothers in the world? She would stay awhile longer, and she would help to cook and moud for us, so as not to burden us too much. Sho had a few new books sho hud brought for Will, luid would read to Us evenings. We came up an hour earlier than usual, and our tiv blo was always ready for us, and it had many au extra touch that none but a wo man would havo thought of. , Wo were silent set of men .through tho day ; but each did hU best , when we got homo. Stories, were- Mo, songs wuig, mid with her reading we wore: all entranced, She called us by the names which were first given her, and over so many times she went through with tho introduction, aoting out all the purls. It seamed funnier to her than it did to us. She talked with South Carolina about tho beauties of the Southern sky, and of the flowers and trees which clipso anything of tho North. To Nut meg, she praised New England, and sho had somo favorite topic to discuss with each of us. " Of course wo woro all in love with her, but none dare boast of having received any sign of preference from the lady. We had all proposed to her once, and some of us had a dozen times. Sho just mado light of it ; said wo wero crazy, and did not know what wo wero about, but she camo to believe, after a while, that we did. "Thore was open war. We all acted liko madman, except the Judgo ; he would not answer any of our taunts, but was most pleasant to all. Yet ho grew to look real careworn, and every time he met any of us alone ho would say ho hoped Will would come soon. Ho talked to us about keeping the peace, and appealed to our honor as ii, and our lovo for our old comrade She herself had a quiet talk with each one. I don't know how she managed it, but she left the impression upon us all that we wore likely to bo accepted if wo behaved ourselves and kept quiet ; but it was no go we couldn't. " One evening she refused to sit down with us at tho table, and so little was eaten. She walked up and down th'e room a few times and then she said emphatically, "I am going off. I don't know whero, but I must go away ; this is getting unbearable 1 cannot meet one ot you but what 1 am importuned to marry you. Don't you know, gentlemen, I cannot marry you all, and if I choose to show ono bit of pleasure in tho society of any one, the rest are all angry. Now I ask you what I shall do ; Will doesn't come, and I am all alone. do wish you'd drop this nonsense and bo- have yourselves. Why won't you. " Sho looked from ono to another, and finally asked of Jack, 'Come, you own to being wicked, and you'vo been one awful tease; won't you reform, and then all the rest will ?" "Aunt Betty said ' If you care for any of us make it known, and then the rest shall behave, or there will be a row." "'That is just it ; you will light any way, you ere getting so savage. In being lovers I am afraid you have forgotten to be gentlemen.' 'Wasn't that a stinger for us? But we didn't feel It then as we have since. We all promised we would not say a word after her decision was made known to us. And each may havo felt a little elated, thinking he was likely to bo chosen. Sho sat down and put her face on her arm, but it was only lor a minute, men sho said, 'I shall ask for two days to think of it. Next Sunday there will bo a wed ding here, and a supper afterward, which we will all help to prepare. If any ono speaks to mo on the subject between this and that timo bis doom is scaled for cer tain.' "Thore was an oldish man ovor the next cabin who had soemod to have a kind of fatherly care over Kate. And I might as well say here that all of the thirty who were not married had offered themselves to her and boon proromtorlly refused. " Well, Kate, and the old man, Howe, had a long talk together, and then he went off and did not got back until Sunday, and ho brought a minister with him. Thore was somo kind of Bervico in tho afternoon out under tho trees, but none of us paid much attention. Our eyes were all for Kate, and sho was crying softly all the time. When it was over she took the preacher's arm and talked with him some time. Tbcy went into the cabin and we all followed. Mean, wasn't it? But we didn't see It in that light theu. "The man took a Biblo from bis pocket, and said, This lady informs me that you have all promised to abide quietly by her decision, and to dwell in peace and liarmo no together. For her sake you cannot ob. joct to come hero, one by one and take an oath which I shall dictate It is that you each reiterate your promise with a hand on this sacred book.' " Wo advanced and received it as sol cmnly as though it was to be tho last of our lives. Tl)on lie tola us Uiut Miss Browning was very much attached to us all, but of course could uot marry but ono, and wo must bear our disappointment like men. . 1 . ii ' i "She went and stood besido bim thought she would faint, but she did not. We all arose, when the minister said, 1 Let us pray.' When ho was part through, tho Judgo sat down, completely overcome by is feelings. I am free to say that it was tho longest prayer I ever heard. If the minister had been suspended between hea ven and that other place, as we wero, ho would have had fowcr words, I am suro. " When it was over, he said, ' I am here to solemnize marriage between Catherine K. Browning (he must have fait an inward chuckle over the torture he was inflicting, tor he paused, well, maybe only a minute, but it seemed a whole hour,) and James A. Woodruff. If any of you know cause or just impediment why these two persons should not be joined in holy matrimony you aro to declare it now, or else forever hold your peace.' " Jim had not stirred a step. The min ister took his hand then, and placed him besido tho bride. Ho waked up then, and guess tho look ho gave, satisfied her. for her face cleared up like a summer sky after the rain. " The brief service was soon over that made the Judge a happy Benedict, and us, perhaps, bachelors for lifo. "Jim looked up earnestly at us. Boys, I do not deserve this happiness as much as cither of you ; but it has fallen to me, and I will do my best to make her happy. Will you not wish us God speed ?' and he held out his hand. Each onco of us was man enough to walk up and take it, and the little brown hand that had been given to Jim. "Then we had supper. There wasn't much eaten, yet we all lived through it ; butnone.of us have felt much like han kering after weddings since, I reckon." A LARUE FOOT. ONE day, near the close of tho la to un civil war, the two armies were con fronting each other, and exchanging nrtil- ery compliments as opportunity offered. A Licutenaiiff Smith, in tho performance of his duty, was engaged in managing the gun of which he had charge. Ho was or dered to direct his fire upon a rebel battery, and had loaded his piece, and was just ready to discharge it, whon the rebels, with a disregard of the properties of lifo most painful to contemplate, turned their fire di rectly upon him. Liko a prudent man and a good officer Smith incontinently lied, and shelved himself in a bomb-proof. Now, you know, Smith is rather tall, and much space Is required for the accommodation of his person. But by dint of hard squeezing he stowed himself away, shielding every part of his body except one foot: there was no help for it that hod to remain ex posed. General Lee, roconuoitcring the works of tho Union army, cast a glance upon tho position occupied by Smith's gun. After gazing a moment, he seemed to see something that attracted his close scrutiny. "Hand mo a field-glass," said lie to a soldier standing by. Through the glass he looked long and earnestly, and at lust, lowering tho glass, said, sadly : , " I can't make it out." Tho soldier took the glass, squinted at the mysterious object, and said, rather con temptuously, "That? why, that's a man's foot 1" " What 1" cried the General. " A man's foot," repeated tho soldior. " You don't moan that any mortal man has a foot like that?" exclaimed the vener able chieftain. ' "Certainly I do, General; he's one of the new recruits they're sending down by thousands." , , Tho General sighed deeply, and rode away, exclaiming : . " If the United States aro sending for ward men with feet liko that, aud bod ies of proportionate size, the Confederacy must go down 1" ' . The next day, Lee's army was surren dered. 1 i ' 135" A norvous man, whose lifo was mado miserable by tho clattering of two black smiths, prevailed upon both of them to re move by tho oiler of a liberal compensation. Wheu the mouey was paid down, he kindly Inquired what neighborhood they Intended to remove to. " Why, sir," replied Jack, with' a' grin on his phiz, "Tom Smith moves to my shop, and I movo to his." tiT Josh Billings says ho has known a mule to bo a good mule for six months so as to got a chance to kick somebody, i 1 i t" Tuo Japanese have but one newspa per,' published once a mouth, iu the shape of a stitched pamphlet ot about 100 page?.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers