IIENRY A. PARSONS, Jr., Editor and Publisher,
ELK COUNTY T II II REPUBLICAN PARTY.
Two Doi.LAna rER Annum
VOL. II.
RIDGWAY, PA., THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1872.
NO. 1.
VOETllY.
TIIK LONG REPOSE.
IThe following hymn was tianslutod from the tier
man by thu late Dr. James Hamilton of London :1
Neighbor, accept our parting soup;
The road Is shoTt, the rest Is lonp;
The Lord brought horo, the Lord takei houco,
There la no house of permanence
On bread of mirth and bread of tears
The pilgrim fed theso checkorod years;
Now, landlord world, shut to the door,
Thy guost Is pone forevermore.
Oone to a realm of sweet rcposo,
His comrades bless liim as bo pocs ;
Of toil and moll the day was full
A pood sleep now, the nlpbt is cool.
Ye village bolls, rinp, softly rinp,
And in the blossed Sabbath brinp,
Which from this weary work-day tryst,
Awaits God's folk through Jesus Christ.
And open wide, thou Gate of Poaco,
An) let this other Journey cease ;
Nor grudpe a narrow conch, dear neighbor.
For slumbers won by life-long labors.
Beneath theso sods, how close ye He 1
But many mansion in yon sky.
Even now, beneath the sapphire throne,
Ie his propared through God's dear Son.
' I quickly come," that Saviour cries ;
Yea, qnickly come, thiB churchyard sighs :
Come, Jesus, come, wo wait for Theo
Thine now and ever let us be.
Till! S TO R Y- TETj l is it.
HOW SANTA CLAUS CAME TO SIMP
SOX'S BAR.
It hud Ijoon raining in tlio valley of
tho (Sacramento. Tho North Fork has
overflowed its banks and Rattlesnako
Creek was impassable. Tho few bould
ers that had marked tho summer ford at
Simpson's Crossing wcro obliterated by
a vast sheet of water stretching to tho
foothills. Tho up stage was stopped at
Granger's ; tho lust mail had been aban
doned in tho title, tho rider swimming
for his life ' An urea," remarked the
Hicrm Avalanche with pensive local
pride, " as largo as tho Stato of Massa
chusetts is now under water."
Nor was tho weather any better in tho
foothills. Tho mud lay deep on tho
mountain road ; wagons that neither
physical force nor moral objurgation
ctpild niovo from tho ovil ways into
which they had fallen, incumbered tho
track, and tho way to Simpson's Bar was
indicated by broken-down teams and
hard swearing. And farther on, cut off
and inaccessible, rained upon and be
draggled, smitten by high winds and
threatened by high water, Simpson's
Bar on tho eve of Christmas day, 1SU2,
clung like a swallow's nest to tho rocky
entablaturo and splintered capitals of
Table Mountain, and shook in tho blast.
As night shut down on the settlement,
a few lights gleamed through tho mist
from tho windows of cabins on either
side of tho highway now crossed and
gullied by lawless streams and swept by
marauding winds. Happily most of the
population were gathered at Thompson's
store, clustered around a red-hot stove,
at which they silently spat in some ac
cepted sense of social communion that
perhaps rendered conversation unneces
sary. Indeed, most methods of diver
sion had long since been exhausted on
Simpson's Bur ; high water had suspend
ed tho regular occupations on gulch and
on river, and aconsequent lack of money
and whiskey had taken tho zest from
most illegitimate recreation. Even Mr.
Hamlin was fain to leave tho Bar with
iifty dollars in his pocket tho only
amount actually realized of tho largo
sums won by him in the successful exer
ciso of his arduous profession. "Ef I
was usked," ho remarked somewhat later
" ef I was asked to pint out a purty
little villago whero a retired sport as
didn't caro for money could exercise his
self frequent and lively, I'd say Simp
son's Bar ; but for a young man with a
large family depending on his exertions,
it don't pay." As Mr. Hamlin's family
consisted mainly of femalo adults, this
remark is quoted rather to show the
breadth of his humor than the exact ex
tent of his responsibilities.
Howbeit, tho unconscious objects of
this satire sat that evening in, tho list
less apathy begotten of idleness and
lack of excitement. Even the sudden
splashing of hoofs before tho door, did
not arouse them. Dick Bullon ulono
paused in tho act of scraping out his
pipe, and lifted his head, but no other
one of tho group indicated any interest
in, or recognition of, tho man who en
tered. It was a figure familiar enough to tho
company, and known in Simpson's Bar
as " Tho Old Man." A man of perhaps
fifty years j grizzlod and scant of hair,
but still f rcslh and youthful of complex
ion. A faco full of ready, but not very
powerful sympathy, with a chameleon
liko aptitudo for taking on tho shade
und color of contiguous inoods and feel
ings. He had evidently just left some
hilarious companions, and did not at
first notice tho gravity of the group,
but clapped the shoulder of the nearest
man jocularly, and threw himself into
a vacant chair.
" Jest heard the best thing out, boys !
ie know bnnley, over yar Jim Smut
milcy
Well,
funniest man in tho Bar Y
Jim was jest telling tho richest yarn
ttbout"
" Sniiley's a fool," interrupted a
gloomy voice.
" A particular skunk," added an
other in sepulchral accents.
A silence followed these positive state
ments. ' The Old Man glanced quickly
around the group. Then his face slow
ly changed. " That's so," ho said re
flectively, after a pauso, "certingly a
sort of a skunk and suthin of a fool. In
.course." Ho was silent for a moment
as iu painful contemplation of tho un
savoriuoss and folly of the unpopular
Smiley. " Dismal weather, ain't it '"
he added, now fully embarked on tho
current of prevailing sentiment. "Mighty
rough papcr4 on thojjpys, and n show
for money this season. And to-morrow's
Christmas."
There wag a movement among the
men at this announcement, but whether
of satisfaction or disgtst was not plain.
" Yes," continued tho Old Man in the
lugubrious tone ho had within Uie last
few moments unconsciously adopted
" yes, Christmas, and to-night's Christ
inas Eve. Ye see, boys, I kinder thought
that is, I sorter hail an idee, jest pass
in like you know that may bo ye'd all
like to coino over to my house to-night
and have a sort of tear round. But I
suppose, now, yen wouldn't V Don't
feel like it, may bo t1" ho added with anx
ious sympathy, peering into tho faces
of his companions.
" Well, I don't know," responded Tom
Flynn, with somo cheerfulness. " F'r'ups
wo may. But how about your wife, Old
Man i What docs she say to it i"
The Old Man hesitated. His conjugal
experience had not been a happy one,
and the fact was known to Simpson's Bar.
His first wife, a delicate, pretty little
woman, had suffered keenly and secret
ly from tho jeulous suspicions of her hus
band, until one day ho invited the wholo
Bar to his house to expose her infidelity.
On arriving, tho party found tho shy,
eti(e creature quietly engaged in her
household duties, and retired abashed
and discomfitted. But theKonsitivo wo
man did not easily recover from the
shock of this extraordinary outrage. It
was with difficulty sho regained her
equanimity sufficiently to release her
lover from the closet in which ho was
concealed and escape with him. She
left a boy of three years to comfort her
bereaved husband. Tho Old Man's pre
sent wife had been his cook. Sho was
large, loyal and aggressive.
Before ho could reply, Joe Dimmick
suggested with great directness that it
was tho " Old Man's house," and that,
invoking tho Divine Power, if tho case
wore his own, ho would invito who ho
pleased, even if in so doing ho imperiled
his salvation. Tho Powers of Evil, ho
further remarked, should contend against
him vainly. All this delivered with a
terseness and vigor lost in this necessary
translation.
"In collide. Certainly. That's it,"
said tho Old Man with a sympathetic
frown. " Thar's no trouble about that.
It's my own house, built every stick on
it myself. Don't you be ufeared o' her,
boys. Sho may cut up a little rough
ez wimmin do but she'll como rouud."
Secretly the Old Man trusted to tho ex
altation of liquor and the power of a
courageous example to sustain him in
such an emergency.
As yet, Dick Bullon, tho oracle and
leader of Simpson's Bar, had not spoken.
He now took his pipe from his lips.
" Old Man, how's that yer Johnny get
tin' on V Seems to mo ho didn't look so
peart the last timo I seed him on the
bluff heavin' rooks at Chinamen. Didn't
seem to tako much interest in it. Thar
was a gang of 'em by yar yesterday
drowned out up the river and I kinder
thought o' Johnny, and how he'd miss
'em ! May be now, we'd be in the way
ef he wus sick ':"
The father, evidently touched not on
ly by this pathetic picture of Johnny's
deprivation, but by tho considerate deli
cacy of the speaker, hastened to assure
him that Johnny was better, and that a
"little fun might 'liven him up."
Whereupon Dick arose, shook himself,
and saying, " I'm ready. Lead tho
way, Old Man, here goes" himself led
tho way with a leap, a characteristic
howl, und darted out into tho night. As
ho passed through tho outer room he
caught up a blazing brand from the
hearth. Tho action was repeated by tho
rest of tho party, closely following and
elbowing each other, and before tho as
tonished proprietor of Thompson's gro
cery was aware of the intention of his
guests, tho room was deserted.
The night was pitchy dark. In tho
first gust of wind their temporary torches
were extinguished, and only tho rod
brands dancing und Hitting in the
gloom like drunken will-o'-the-wisps in
dicated lu-ir whereabouts. Their way
led up tho Pino Troo Canon, at tho head
of which a broad, low bark-thatched
cabin burrowed in tho mountain-side.
It was the homo of the Old Man, and
tho entrance to tho tunnel in which he
worked. Hero the crowd paused
for a moment, out of delicate deference
to their host, who cume up panting in
tho rear.
" P'r'aps ye'd better hold on a second
out yer, whilst I go in and seo thet
things is all right," said tho Old Man
with an indill'erenoo he. was far Irom
feeling. The suggestion was graciously
accepted, tho door opened and closed on
tho host, and the crowd, leaning their
backs against the wall and cowering
under tho eaves, waited and listened.
For a few moments there was no
sound but tho dripping of water from
tho caves, und tho stir and rustle of
wrestling boughs among them. Then
tho men became uneasy, and whispered
suggestion and suspicion passed from
tho ono to tho other. Reckon she's
caved in his head the first lick !" " De
coyed him inter the tunnel, and barred
him up, likely. " Got mm down, and
sittin' on him." "Prob'ly bilin suthin
to heave on us ; clear tho door, boys !"
For just then tho latch clicked, the door
slowly opened, and a voico said, " Como
in out o' tho wet."
Tho voice was neither that of the
Old Man nor of his wife. It was the
voice of a small boy, its weak treble
broken by that preternatural hoarseness
which only vagabondage and the habit
of premature self-assertion can givo.
It was tho luce ot a small boy that
looked up at theirs a face that might
have boon pretty und even rehned, but
that it was darkened by evil knowledge
from within, and dirt and hard expe
rience trom without, lie had a blanket
around his shoulders, and had evidently
just risen from his bed. " Come iu," he
repeated, " and don t make no noise.
The Old Man's in there talking to mar,"
ho continued, pointing to an adjacent
room which seemed to bo a kitchen,
from which the Old Man's voice camo in
deprecating accents. " Let uie be," he
added, querulously to Dick Bullen who
had caught him up, blanket and all, and
was affecting to toss him into the fire,
" let go o' me you d d old fool, d'ye
hear '("
Thus adjured, Dick Bullen lowered
Johnny to the ground with a smothered
laugh, whilo tho mon, entering quietly,
ranged themselves around a long table
of rough boards which occupied the
centre of the room. Johnny then grave
ly proceeded to a cupboard and brought
out several articles which he deposited
on 'the table. "Thar's whiskey and
crackers and red herons and choeso."
He took a bite of tho latter on his way
to tho table " And Biignr." He scooped
up a mouthful en routo with a small and
very dirty ruind. " And terbacker.
Thar's dried appils too on the shelf, but
I don't admire cm. Appils is swellin'.
Thar," ho concluded, "now wado in, and
don't bo afanrd. I don't mind tho old
woman. Sho don't b'long to inc.
S'long."
Ho had stepped to the threshold of a
small room, scarcely larger than a closet,
partitioned off"from the main apart
ment, and holding in its dim recess a
small bed. Ho stood there a moment
looking at tho company, his bare feet
peeping from the blanket, and nodded.
" Hello, Johnny ! You ain't goin' to
turn in agin, are yo'f" said Dick.
' Yes, I are," responded Johnny, de
cidedly." " Why, wot's up, old fellow '("
" I'm sick."
" How sick
" I've got a fevier. And chilblains.
And roomatiz," returned Johnny, and
vunished within. After a moment's
pause, ho added in the dark, apparently
from under tho bed-clothes " ami
biles !"
There was an embarrassing silence.
Tho men looked at each other, and at
tho fire. Even with the appetizing ban
quet before them, it seemed as if they
might again fall into tho despondency
of Thompson's grocery, when tho voice
of tho Old Man, incautiously lifted,
cafuo deprecatingly from the kitchen :
" Certainly ! Thet's so. In course
they is. A gang o' lazy drunken loafers,
and that ar Dick Bullen tho ornarest of
all. Didn't hov no more sabo than to
come round yar with sickness in the
house and no provision. Thet's what I
said : ' Bullen,' sez I, ' it's crazy drunk
you are, or a fool,' sez I, 'to think o'
such a thing. ' Staples,' I sez, 'be you a
man, Staples, and 'spect to raise h 11
under my roof and invalids lyin' round 'r"
But they would come they would.
Thet's wot you must 'spect o' such trash
as lays round tho Bar."
A burst of laughter from tho men fol
lowed this unfortunate exposure. Wheth
er it was overheard iu tho kitchen, or
whether tho Old Man's iiato companion
had just then exhausted all other modes
of expressing her contemptuous indigna
tion, I cannot say, but a back door was
suddenly slammed with great violence.
A moment later and tho Old Man reap
peared, haply unconscious of tho cause
of tho late.hilarious outburst, and smiled
blandly.
" The old woman thought she'd jest
run over to Mrs. McFuddcu's for a so
ciablo call," ho explained, with a jaunty
indifference, as ho took a seat at tho
board.
Oddly enough it needed this unto
ward incidont to relieve tho embarrass
ment that was beginning to be felt by
tho party, and their natural audacity
returned with their host. I do not
purposo to record tho convivialities of
that evening. Tho inquisitive reader
will accept tho statement that tho con
versation was characterized by tho same
intellectual exaltation, tho samo cau
tious reverence, tho samo fastidious del
icacy, tho samo rhetorical precision, and
tho same logical and coherent dis
course somewhat later in tho evening,
which distinguish similar gatherings of
the masculine sex in more civilized lo
calities and under more favorablo aus
pices. ' No glasses were broken in tho
absence of uny ; no liquor was uselessly
spilt on floor or table in tho scarcity of
that article.
It was nearly midnight when tho fes
tivities were interrupted. " Hush," said
Dick Bullen, holding up his hand. It
was the querulous voico of Johnny from
his adjacent closet : "Odad." '
The Old Man uroso hurriedly and dis
appeared in the closet. Presently ho re
appeared., i" His rheumatiz is coming
on agin bad," he explained, "and ho
wants rubbin." He lifted tho demijohn
of whiskey from the table and shook it.
It was empty. Dick Bullen put down
his tin cup with an embarrassed laugh.
So did the others. Tho Old Man exam
ined their contents and said hopefully,
" I reckon that's enough ; ho don't need
much. You hold on all o' you for a
spell, and I'll be back j" and vanished in
the closet with an old flannel shirt and
tho whiskey. Tho door closed but im
perfectly, and tho following dialogue
was distinctly audible :
"Now, sonny, whar does sho ache
worst 'r"
" Sometimes over yar and sometimes
under yer ; but its most powerful from
yer to yer. Hub yer, dad."
A silence seemed to indicate a brisk
rubbing. Then Johnny :
"Hovin" a good time out yer, dad ?''
"Yes, sonny."
" To-mo'rrer's Chrismiss ain't it '("
" Yes, sonny. How does she feel
now r "
" Butter. Rub a little furder down.
Wot's Chrismiss, anyway ? What's it all
about '("
" O, it's a day." - ;
Thjs exhaustive definition was appar
ently satisfactory, for there was a silent
interval of rubbing. Presently Johnny
again :
" Mar sez that everywhere else but
yer everybody gives things to everybody
Chrismiss, and then site jist waded inter
you. She sez thur's a man they call
Sandy Claws, not a white man, you
know, but a kind o Chinemin, comes
down the chimbly night afore Chrismiss
and gives things to chillorn boys like
me. . Put's 'em in their butts I Thet's
what she tried to play on me. Easy
now, pop, whar are you rubbin to
thet's a mile from the place. She jost
made that up, didn't she, jost to aggre
wate me and your1 Don't rub thar
Why, dad r '
In the great quiet that seemed to have
fallen upon the house the sigh of the
near pines and the drip of leaves with
out was very distinct. Johnny's voice,
too, was lowered as ho went on, " Don't
you take on now, fur I'm gittin' all
right fast. Wot's the boys doin' out
thar'r"
The Old Man partly opened tho door
and peered through. His guests were
sitting there sociably enough, and there
were a few silver coins in a lean buck
skin purse on tho table. " Bettin' on
suthin' some little game or 'nother,
They're all right," ho replied to Johnny,
and recommenced his rubbing.
" I'd liko to take a hand and win
somo money," said Johnny, reflectively,
after a pauso.
Tho Old Man glibly repeated what
was evidently a familiar formula, that
if Johnny would wait until he Btruck it
rich in tho tunnel he'd have lots of
money, &c, &c.
" Yes," said Johnny, "but you don't.
And whether you strike it or I win it,
it's about the same. It's all luck. But
it's mighty cur'o's about Chrisniiss
ain't it ' Why do they call it Chrismiss '("
Perhaps from some instinctive de
ference to the overhearing of his guests,
or from some vaguo sense of incongruity,
tho Old Man's reply was so low as to bo
inaudible beyond the room.
" Yes," said Johnny, with somo slight
abatement of interest, "I've heerdo' him
before. Thar, that'll do, dad. I don't
ache near sd bad as I did. Now wrap
mo tight in this yer blanket. So. Now,"
he added in a muffled whisper, " sit down
yer by mo till I go asleep." To assuro
himself of obedience, ho disengaged ono
hand from tho blanket, and grasping
his father's sleeve, again composed him
self to rest.
For somo moments tho Old Man wait
ed patiently. Then tho unwonted still
ness of the houso excited his curiosity,
and without moving from tho bed, he
cautiously opened the door with his dis
engaged hand, and looked into the main
room. To his infinite surprise it was
dark and deserted. But even then a
smouldering log on tho hearth broke,
and by tho upspringing blazo he saw the
figure of Dick Bullen sitting by tho dy
ing embers.
" Hello ! "
Dick started, rose, and came somewhat
unsteadily toward him.
"Whar's the boys?" said tho Old
Man.
" Gone up tho canon on a littlo paneur.
They're coming back for me in a minit.
I'm waitin' round for "em. What are
your starin' at, Old Man," he added with
a forced laugh ; " do you think I'm
drunk "
The Old Man might havo been par
doned tho supposition, for Dick's eyes
were humid and his faco flushed. Ho
loitered and lounged back to the chim
ney, yawned, shook himself, buttoned
up his coat and laughed. " Liquor ain't
so plenty as that, Old Man. Now don't
you git up, ho continued as tho Old
Aran made a movement to release his
sleeve from Johnny's hand. " Don't
you mind manners. Sit jest whar you
bo ; I'm goin' in a jiffy. Thar, that's
them now."
There was a low tap at the door. Dick
Bullen opened it quickly, nodded "good
night" to his host, und disappeared.
Tho Old Man would have followed him
but for the hand that still unconsciously
grasped his sleeve. He could havo easily
disengaged it ; it was small, weak und
emaciated. But perhaps because it was
small, weak and emaciated, ho changed
his mind, and, drawing his chair closer
to tho bed, rested his head upon it. In
this defenseless attitudo the potency of
his earlior potations surprised him. Tho
room flickered and faded before his eyes,
reappeared, faded again, went out, und
left him asleep.
Meuntimo Dick Bullen, closing the
door, confronted his companions. " Aro
you ready?" said Staples. "Ready,"
said Dick ; " what's tho time 'i " " Past
twelve," was tho reply ; " can you make
it '( it's nigh on fifty miles, the round
trip hither and yon." " I reckon," re
turned Dick, shortly. " Whar's tho
mare 'r " " Bill and Jack's holdin' her
at tho crossin'." " Let 'em hold on a
minit longer," said Dick.
Ho turned ond re-entered tho house
softly. By tho light of tho guttering
candle and dying fire fio saw that tho
door of tho littlo room was open. Ho
stepped toward it on tiptoo and looked
in. The Old Man had fallen baclf in his
chair, snoring, his helpless feet thrust
out in a line with his collapsed shouldors,
and his hat pulled over his eyes. Be
side him, on- a narrow wooden bedstead,
lay Johnny, mulllud tightly in a blanket
that hid all save a strip of forehead and
a few curls damp with perspiration.
Dick Bullen made a step forward, hes
itated, and glanced over his shoulder
into the deserted room. Everything was
quiet. With a sudden resolution he part
ed his Lugo mustaches with both hands
and stooped over tho sleeping boy. But
even as he did so a mischievous blast,
lying in wait, swooped down the chim
ney, rekindling the hearth, and lit up
the room with a shameless glow from
which Dick fled in bashful terror.
nis companions were already waiting
for him at the crossing. Two of them
were struggling in the darkness with
somo strange misshapen bulk, which, as
Dick came nearer, took the somblauco
of a great yellow horse.
It was the mare. Sho was not a pret
ty picture. From her Roman noso to
her rising haunches, from her arched
spino hidden by the stiff mack Ulan of a
Mexican saddle, to her thick, straight,
bony logs, there was not a line of equine
grace. In her half-blind but wholly
vicious white eyes, in her protruding
under lip, in her monstrous color, there
was nothing but ugliness and vice.
" Now then," said Staples, " stand
cl ar of her heels, boys, and up with you.
Don't miss your first holt of her mane,
and mind yo get your on stirrup quick,
Ready ! "
Thero was a leap, a scrambling strug
gle, a bound, a wild retreat of the crowd.
a circle of flying .hoofs, two springless
loapB thatjarred the earth, a rapid play
and jingle of spurs, -a plunge, and. then
the voice of xnck somewhere in the dark
ness, " All right ! "
" Don't take the lower road back on
less you're hard pushed for timo ! Don't
hold her in down cm i we u be at tho
G'lang! Hoopa! Mula!
A splash, a spark struck from tho
lodge in tho road, a clatter in tho rocky
cut beyond, and Dick was gone.
V V ' T
Sing, O Muse, tho rido of Richard
Bullen I Sing, O Muso, of chivalrous
men I tho sacred quest, tho doughty
deeds, the battery of low churls, the
fearsome rido and grewsomo perils of tho
Flower of Simpson's Bar I Alack I sho is
dainty, this Muso I Sho will havo nono
ot this bucking brute and swaggering,
ragged rider, .nrtd I must fain follow him,
in prose, afoot I
It was ono o clock, and vet he had only
gained Rattlesnake Hill. For in that
timo Jovita had rehearsed to him all her
imperfections and practiced' all her vices.
Thrico had sho 'stumbled. Twice had
she thrown up her Roman noso in a
straight line with the reins, and, resisting
bit and spur, struck out madly across
country. Twico had sho reared, and,
rearing, fallen backward j and twice had
the agile Dick, unharmed, regained his
seat before sho found her vicious logs
again. And a milo beyond them, at the
foot of a long hill, was Rattlesnake
Creek. Dick knew that here was the
crucial test of his ability to perform his
enterprise, set his teeth grimly, put his
knees well into her flanks, and changed
Ins defensive tactics to brisk aggression.
Bullied and maddened, Jovita began
the descent of tho hill. Hero tho artful
Richard pretended to hold her in with
ostentatious objurgation and well
feigned cries of alarm. It is unneces
sary to add that Jovita instantly ran
away. Nor need I state tho timo mado
in the descent ; it is written in tho chron
icles of Simpson s Bar. Enough that
in another moment, as it seemed to Dick,
sho was splashing on tho overflowed
banks of Rattlesnake Creek. As Dick
expected, tho momentum sho had ac
quired oarried her beyond tho point of
balking, and holding her well together
for a mighty leap, they dashed iuto tho
swiftly-flowing current. A few moments
of kicking, wading and swimming, and
Dick drow a long breath on tho opposite
bank.
The road from Rattlesnake Creek to
Red Mountain was tolerably level.
Either the plungo in Rattlesnake Creek
had daniponed her baleful fire, or the art
which led to it had shown her the su-
pcrior wickedness of her rider, for Jovita
no longer wasted her surplus energy
in wanton coneeits. Onco sho bucked,
but it was from forco of habit ; once
sho shied, but it was from a now freshly
painted luccting-houso at the crossing
ot tho country road. Hollows, ditches,
gravelly deposits, patches of freshly-
springing grasses flew from beneath her
rattling hoots, bho began to smell un-
nleasantlv. onen or twien sho cniiclind
slightly, but there was no abatement of
her strength or speed, liy two o clock
ho had passed Rod Mountain and begun
tho descent to tho plum, len minutes
later tho driver of tho fast Pioneer coach
was overtaken and passed by a " man on
a I'into hoss an event suthciently no-
tablo for remark. At half-past two
Dick rose in his stirrups with a great
shout. Stars were glittering through
tho rifted clouds, and beyond him, out
of tho plain, rose two spires, a flag-staff
and a straggling line ot black objects.
Dick jingled his spurs and swung his
riata, Jovita bounded forward, and in
another moment they swept into Tuttle-
ville, and drew up betoro the wooden
piazza ot " Hie Hotel ot All Nations.
What transpired that night at Tuttle-
villo is not strictly a part of this record.
Briefly I may state, however, that after
Jovita had been handed over to a sleepy
ostler, whom sho at onco kicked into un
pleasant consciousness, Dick sallied out
with tho barkeeper for a tour of tho
sleeping town. Lights still gleamed
from a few saloons and gambling-houses;
but, avoiding these, they stopped before
several closed shops, and by persistent
tapping and judicious outcry roused tlio
proprietors from their beds, and made
them unbar tho doors of their inagazines
and exposo their wares. Sometimes
they wero met by curses, but oftenor by
interest and somo concern in their needs,
and tho interview was invariably con
eluded by a drink. It was threo o'clock
before this pleasantry was given over,
and with a small water-proof bag of
india-rubber strapped on his shoulders
Dick returned to the hotel. But here
he was waylaid by Beauty Beauty opu-
lent in charms, uiilucnt in dress, persua
sive in speech, and Spanish m accent ! In
vain she reupted the invitation in " Ex
celsior," happily scorned by all Alpine
climbing youth, and rejected by this
child ot the Sierras a rejection soltened
in this instanco by a laugh and his last
gold coin. And then he sprang to tho
saddle and dashed down tho lonely street
and out iuto the lonelier plain, whero
presently tho lights, tho black lino of
houses, the spires and tho tlag-statt sank
into the earth behind him again , and
were lost in tho distance,
The storm had cleared away, tho air
was brisk and cold, the outlines ot ad
jacent landmarks were distinct, but it
was half-past four before Dick reached
the meeting-house and the crossing ot
the country road.' To avoid the rising
grade he had taken a longer and more
circuitous road, in whose viscid mud
Jovita sank tetlock deep at every bound,
It was a poor preparation for a steady
ascent of five miles more : but Jovita
gathering her legs un&jr her, took it
with her usual blind, unreasoning fury,
and a half-hour later reached tho long
level that led to Rattlesnake Creek,
Another half-hour would bring him to
the creek. He threw the reins lightly
upon the neck of the mare, chirruped to
her, and bogan to sing.
Suddenly Jovita shied with a bound
that would have unseated a less-prac
ticed rider. Hanging to her reins was a
figure that hud leaped from the back,
and at the same time from the road
before her arose a shadowy horse and
rider. "Throw, up your hands, com
man'ded this sccuiid apparition, with an
oath. '-
Dick felt the mare tremble, quiver,
and apparently sink under him. He
knew what it meant and was propared,
" Stand asido, Jack Simpson, I know
ford at five.
Oo!"
you, you d d thief. Let mo pass o'r "
Ho did not hnish the sentence. Jovita
rose straight in tho air with Ti terrific
bound, threw tho figuro from her bit
with a singlo shako of her vicious head,
and charged her deadly lnalevolenco
down on tho impediment before her.
An oath, a pistol-shot, horse and high
wayman rolled over in tho road, and tho
next moment Jovita was a hundred
yards away. But tho good right arm of
her rider, shattered by a bullet, dropped
helplessly at his side.
Without slackening. Ins sliced he
shifted tho reins to his left hand. But
a few moments later ho was obliged to
halt and tighten tho saddlo-girths that
had slipped in tho onset. This in his
crippled condition took somo time. Ho
had no fear of pursuit, but looking up
ho saw that tho eastern stars wero
already paling, and that tho distant
peaks had lost their ghostly whiteness,
and now stood out blackly against a
lighter sky. Day was upon him. Then
completely absorbed in a single
idea, ho forgot tho pain of his
wound, and mounting again dashed on
toward Rattlesnako Creek. But now
Jo vita's breath came broken by gasps,
Dick reeled in his saddle, and brighter
and brighter grow tho sky.
Kide, iuchard; run Jovita: linsrer.
O dav !
For tho last few rods there was a
roaring in his cars. Was it exhaustion
from loss of blood, or what ? Ho was
dazed and giddy as he swept down tho
hill, and did not recognize his surround
ings. Had ho taken tho wrong roud, or
was this Rattlesnako Creek t
It was. But tho bra wlinff creek ho
hadiswam a few hours before had risen,
more than doubled its volume, and now
rolled a swift and resistless river be
tween him and Rattlesnake Hill.
For tho first time that night Richard's
heart sank within him. Tho river, tho
mountain, tho quickening cast swam
beforo his eyes. Ho shut them to re
cover his sn't-control. In that brief in
terval, by somo fantastic mental process,
the little room at Simpson's Bar, and
tho figures of tho sleeping father and
son, rose upon him. He opened his eyes
wildly, cast oft his coat, -pistol, boots and
saddle, bound his precious pack tightly
to his shoulders, grasped tho baro flanks
ot Jovita with his bared knees, and with
a shout, dashod into tho yellow water.
A cry. rose from tho opposite bank as
tho head of a man and horso struggled
for a few moments against tho battling
current, and then wcro swept away,
amid uprooted trees and whirling drift
wood.
Tho Old Man started and woke. Tho
fire on tho hearth was dead, tho candlo
in tho outer roonrflickoring in its socket,
and somebody was rapping at tlio door.
Ho opened it, but fell back with a cry
beforo tho dropping, half-naked figure
mat reeiod against the doorpost.
" Dick '("
" Hush ! Is ho awako yet ':"
" No, but Dick '("
" Dry up, you old fool ! Get me somo
whisky quirk .'" Tho Old Man flew and
returned with an empty bottle ! Dick
would havo sworn, but his strength was
not equal to tlio occasion. Ho staffserod.
caught at tho handlo of tho door, and
motioned to the Old Man.
" Thar's suthin' in inv pack ver for
donnny. lake it on. l can t.
lho Old Man unstrapped tho pack
and laid it betore the exhausted man
" Open it quick !"
Ho did so with tremblinr finjrers. It
contained only a few toys cheap and
barbaric enough, goodness knows, but
bright with paint and tinsel. One of
them was broken ; another, 1 teiw, was
irretrievably ruined by water ; and on
tho third ah mo ! thero was a cruel
spot.
"It don't look liko much, that's a
fact," said Dick ruefully "But it's
tho best wo could do Tako 'cm Old
Man, and put 'em in his stocking, and
tell him tell him, you know hold nioj
Old Man" Tho old man caught at his
sinking figuro. " Tell him," said Dick.
with a weak littlo laugh "tell him
Sandy Claus has come."
And even so, bedraggled, ragged, un
shaven and unshorn, with ono urm hang
ing helplessly at his sido, Santa Claus
camo to Simpson's Bar and full fainting
on tho first threshold. Tho Christmaa
dawn came slowly after, touching tho
remoter peaks with tho rosy warmth of
inenauie lovo. And it looked so tenderly
on ssinipson s liar that the wholo moun
tain, as if caught in a generous action.
blushed to tho skies. Uret Ilu-tc, in the
Atlantic Monthly.
The Jelly Fish.
So lnrfn n. nnrfirm nf ita KulV nrxncietm
O l v - - v- vi i i.jitj L.3
. L' 1 j 1 . (. 1 ....
ui wuver inai one oi no less than thirty-
iour pounds weight, being loft to dry in
tho sun for some days, was found to
have lost 99 per cent, of its original
weigut. writing ot tne not very at
tractive aDneuraiicn of thean Tinern inllv
j
fish, Agassiz observes that " to form an
; 1 - -i? t a .
luea oi uis true appearance, one must
meet him as ho swims along at midday,
rather lazily withul, his huge somi-traus-
narent. dwlr. witli ifa tii.vil J.i lilko.l hiuf.
frin. cliftrtrino i iha aim mir? liia tnnln
r ' ri n -r - uB ivuw
cles floating to a distance of many yards
ucninu mm. .encountering one ot these
huge jelly fishes, when out in a rowing
1 A. .LI A- J A 1 P
uuai, we tuiciupicu to laako a rough
measurement of his dmipnsirma nrnn
the spot. Ho was lying quietly near
the surface, and did not seem in the least
disturbed by the proceeding, but allow
ed the oar, eight feet in length, to b
laid across the disk, which proved to b
seven feet in diameter. Backing the
boat slowly along the line of the tenta
cles, which were floating at their utmost
extension behind him, we measured
those in the same manner, and found
them tn ha riifVinr mnm fV,an .....
- uuv uuu
times, the length of the oar, thus cover
ing a space oi some hundred and twelve
feet." This
O - l'-..v.. J VM
hydroid niearuring not more than half
; l - l i . ., . .
uu incu ui lengtn wnon lull grara.
XuO last Year s necan errm in Texas is
estimated over one million of bushels
lor eXOOrt. Which will tarIib in that
I Diato several millions ot dollars.
Facts and Figures,
Alabama has six cotton factories.
which work up 20,090 bales of.Votton an
nually. .
A littlo boy in Quincy, 111., drank a
bottleful of car-ache niudiciue, and died
in 30 minutes.
" Assaults with intent to become in-
sano" is the way they put it now in an
nouncing deadly attacks.
A Lanorto countv flnd.i horso has
learned how to operato a pump, no is
tho property ot a milk-vendor.
An undertaker's offico in Indianapolis
recently bore this cheering inscriptioa
on tho front door : " Gono for a dead
man back soon."
A tree which was cut down last weok
in Kansas contained two bushels of boos
and threo hundrod pounds of beautiful
transparent honey.
Tho Danburv New savs : " A Danburv
German is naniod Waclischloighon
shamel. How would you like to stand
on a back stoop,-with the thermometer
1 1 degrees below zoro, and call that in
to breakfast V"
After tho performance of marriage of
Mr. C. W. Whito and Miss M. Jennie
Brush, at Austin, Texas, tho Rov. Mr.
Kegan extended to tho brido her father s
blessing, and presented her from hii
with a check for $10,000.
An man in Robertson county, Texas,
has forty-one living children. Sixteen
of them served in the same company in
a Confederate regiment during tlio war.
Ho is now living with hw eighth wile,
and is sixty-fivo yours old.
Tho girls in the State Iowa Agricul
tural College not only know more about
farming tlxui tho male students, but
havo become proficients in making bods
and dusting, under tho superintendence
of a matron and general housekeeper.
Tho latest plan for increasing Yalo's
endowment is proposed by a correspon
dent of tho College Courant. Ho suggests
that on graduation each member ot tho
class shall got his lifo insured for" f 1,000,
tlio amount to bo paid to tho collogo on
his decease
While a rather affected young lady was
confiding -to her admirer how ethereal
her appetite was, and the rensitivo deli
catcness of her organization, the too
matter-ot-tact help bawled out, " bay I
will ye have yer biled pork and beans
now or wait till yer feller's gone ? " The
" feller " has been gono over since.
A young lady in Mississippi, who had
just graduated, camo homo and hired a
tew colored pooplo, and undertook tho
experiment of woman farming. Tho
results at the end of tho year wcro :
Eight banks of potatoes, 600 bushels of
corn, and $909 in cash trom tho salo of
cotton, after all expenses wore paid.
There is much talk just now among
tho stock raisors of tho West about
domesticating tho bison or American
buffulo. It is claimed that by taking
charge of their training and diet, at an
early age, they can bo made to do all
kinds of work for which oxen aro usod,
and 'to afford oxcollent moat for tho
market.
A very careful bridegroom in Cleve
land kept tho wedding ring in his mouth
during tho first part of the ceremony, so
that he could find it when tho right
timo arrived, ne mumbled tho rcsponsos
all right till tho minister winked at him
as a hint to produco tho ring, when in
his nervousness he swallowed ft, and was
stood on his head by three groomsmen
to facilitate its recovory.
At a late masquerade ball at Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, one young lady's dress
was composed entirely of newspapers,
the Daily Olmerter being the journal thus
honored and adorned. Another young
lady appeared at an evening party at
Kock Island, ill., with her dress flounced
with copies of tho Arqu newspaper,
her waist being spanned with the title
head ot that journal.
Wapollo County, Iowa, held a crand
circular and preherulded wolf hunt on
January 20. After a due amount of
buth beating, a man was driven out
from a cabin, and said that his father
know a man who said he saw a wolf out
there once but it was in a menagerie.
Tho " hunt " disbandod, as tho participa
tors thought further investigation and
pursuit would be unnecessary.
Among other incidents of the temper
ance reformation now unusually active
in various parts of the country, we hear
that in Uambndgo, Mass., tho printers
employed by one of tho largest book
manufacturing establishments in that
city, have formed a temperance society
among themselves, and it is intimated
that those employed in other establish
ments will follow this good example.
There isn't a kinder-hearted, more bo
nevolent, more intelligent, and more in
dustrious class of mechanics in the coun
try than that which journeymen prin
ters constitute ; nor is there any which
has found a bitterer foe to permanent
prosperity in strong drink. To this we
most cheerfully add our firm belief that
no mon, when once they get startod in
tho right direction, can do better sorvice
or more of it in the battlo for total ab
stinence. The overthrow of Japan's feudal no
bility has been accomplished without
serious disturbance. Most of the Daiiiii
os are now living quietly in private
dwellings, having been notified that
thoir former extensive habitations are
required for tho business purposes of the
Government. A few of the deposed no
bles still linger on distant estates, but
the Government expects to have them
all in the capital by the first of Maroh.
A conflict is expected between the Mika
do's troops and the populace at Taka
niata, where the vassals rose up en maue
to oppose the departure of thoir mediat
ized lord. . The gold mines of Sado have
been seized by 2,000 desperate insurgents.
The people of Yeddo manifest the strong
est confidence iu the GovBrnueni. The
sovereign has thrown off the uaek tif se
cresy, and may be seen riding about the
streets. The wearing oi swords, though
not formally prohibited, is now discount
tenanced.