Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1003 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

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Some emigrant had erected it with the idea of making a living by cultivating the soil around, but had speedily given up the notion in disguet and had pushed further on toward the set- VP rse reget Pe tems d ee f ey ‘,a * glways dancing me : ting sun in search of a more fertile land. * Within the little two-roomed shanty dwelt a strange couple, and one, too, known far and wide—a wee bit of a girl and an oid, crippled many | Polly Pickles, the girl was called, but the men of Corinne had s far prettier title for her; they called the girl the “‘ Bear River ; ” The maiden was a pretty little thing. She was ebout sixteen or seventeen years old; small in stature; active as a cricket, and handsome as a picture; and yet her features were irreguiar, the nose disposed to turn up and the forehead narrow; but still there was something about the face attractive te the masculine taste at the first glance.. She possessed the prettiness of a kitten, being arch, playful, and cunning. Her great, gray eyes were ily; a smile ever dimpled her sheeks, and the shining yellow hair which floated freely over her shoulders glimmered in the sun like strands of beaten gold. ; And then, too, not only from her persona] appearance did she enjoy the name, but she had attended to sick and suffering men like a ministering angel. Wise was she in a knowledge of ‘roots and yarbs;” the sim- ~ ples of the forest effected great cures in her hands, and many a ~ fever-amitten emigrant blessed the hour when the girl-doctor, as she was commonly termed, came to his bedside, Her companion, the crippled old man, was a character indeed. * Be was thin and gaunt, with scattered, elfish-like hair, sticking . wp all over his head like so many bristles. Old Joe Cripples he was called, and the name fitted him . well, for he was bent nearly double with rheumatism, and was wapposed to be a little weak in his mind. “Granddad,” the girl always called him, and the old man never termed her anything but ‘‘ Puss,” It was a bright morning, and the sun, high in the heavens, was playing in shining ripples upon the surface of the river > when the Mormon elder, Biddeman, halted his old gray mule in . front of the door of the fairy’s shanty. The old man sat upon a tree-trunk by the door, gazing vacantly out upon the shining surface of the river. “Hollo! here’s that old maniac,” the Mormon muttered, as * he drew rein in front of the house. ‘I wonder where the girl is? I don’t see her anywhere around,” Cripples never took the least notice of the elder, but still gazed with vacant stare out upon the water. The door of the shanty was open so tbat the horseman could see into the interior, but the pretty figure of the girl was not visible. ‘*T suppose I may as well ask the old fool where she is. The - grazy old loon! It would be a good riddance if somebody were “- to knock him in the head one of these days.” These reflections were uttered quite loud, so that the old man . could easily have overheard them if his hearing had been keen, but it was well known that he was quite deaf, and therefore the = Mermou spoke without caution. “Say, old codger, where’s the gal?” exclaimed the elder, rais- ing his voice so as to attract the attention of the old man. “ Eh?’ and Cripples looked at the Mormon as if he hadn’t heard ~ g word he bad said, “ Where's the gal?’ Biddeman bawled. ‘‘ All safe; nobody would harm her,” nodding his head wisely, - “ Brerybody knows her; no danger, thank you. ‘Who in thunder said that there was, you stupid old fool!” growled the Mormon, in wrath. ‘‘I didn’t say that she was in any danger!” he bawled. “ Where is she? I want to see her!” “You want to see her?’ squeaked Cripples +4 Yes,” “What for? Be you sick?” ‘Yes, Pm sick!” replied Biddeman, thinking that such a state- mont would make the old man go after the girl. ‘Sick enough of you,” he added in an undertone. / “Got a fever?’ “ Yes, a fever.” , “Well, 1 dunno. I guess I kin give you the medicine as well as she kin,” observed Cripplos, sagely. “J don’t want any medicine, you old stupid!” the elde gelled. “T want to see Polly!” “J kin cure you jest as well as she kin, every bit!” the old man rsisted. | : “T tell you I want to see her! Where is shef’ The elder was getting tired of this bawling. ‘Gone out,” replied Cripples, placidly, and then he sunk his bead between his knees and turned his attention again to the river. = : ‘‘ Where has she gone?” “Where has she gone?” yelled the Mormon, getting red in the And then, just: “ Dunno.” : “How soon will she be back?” “ Dunno.” . It was plain there wasn’t much information to be got out of as the Mormon was about to explode in wrath, -—— é — ~y J Pt Fa ue pS My i 7H» ¥ e : foe” Tn . " , - i “ i a ree a ,. ; —™ a gee ue - r < Neo “9 > - > on + *ad Tw BR eee ae Se ar MRICS ee Fat ’ nal = a a let —? a x* “— <i > . an ir - : ~ / " % : - the shanty, with a pail “Aha! quoth the elder, smoothing his frown into a smile, *} was just inquiring for you.” “Yes, I beard somebody shouting, and I thought perhaps is was some stranger trying to make granddad understand,” “T should think that you would get sick of living bere with * this old lunatic. Why, he’s as deaf asa post. I’ve been shouting at the top of my lings, for the last balf-hour, trying to maks him understand,” “ That’s strange; he always seems to understand what 1 say & him.” “ But ez sou lonely, living bere with this old madman?’ “Ob, he: not mad,” the girl replied, quickly, “(he knows waa enough what he’s about; it’s only an odd way he’s got.” ‘¢But ain’t you lonely here?” the elder persisted. “Oh, no, not at all.” “Do you know, Polly, I'd like to carry you away from this piace? You ought to go Salt Lake; that’s the place for you You’re too pretty to live here in this wilderness. The fact is, Polly, I’ve taken a great fancy to you. How would you like te go to Salt Lake and be married to me?” The elder rather prided himself upon his taking way with wonankind in general, and in this little speech be had exerted all his gifts; but, to his aste1ishment, the girl, instead of taking the matter seriously, laughed in his face, ‘Why, elder, you've got five wives already!” she exclaimad, tnughing, ‘‘and what would poor little I do among so many? Why I should be lost!” The Mormon got very red in the face, and it was only wits a great effort that he checked the oath rising to his lips, ‘‘ My dear, that is an infernal Gentilelie!” he exclaimed, “ And then you haven't got five wives?” ‘‘ No, not even one, and if you consent to become mine, my» dear Polly, I will never take another wife. You mustn’t believe \all the Gentile lies that you hear about us, Polly. You had better think the matter over seriously. I’m quite rich, you know, Polly, and I'll dress you up like a queen, that’s so! You shall have everything that you desire! Silks and satins and velvets! why, you shall walk on them.” ‘And that will be so nice for granddad!” Polly exclaimed, clapping ber hands with girlish glee, “Granddad!” and the elder pursed up his lips. ‘Yes, of course he'll have to go with me,” the girl exclaimed, — ‘‘ He’s always taken care of me, and now that he’s getting old, i& would be both mean and wicked for me to desert him.” “Certainly, of course; such sentiments do you honor,” Bidde man said with his lips, but his eyes said something entirely diifer- ent. ‘Of course I shall look out for him. Any one dear to you will be dear to me, Weli, I must be going; as 1 was pasting by I couldn’t resist the temptation to stop and exchange a word with you. Just think the matter over, and don’t give any heed to those Gentile lies about me; good-by!” And then the elder pus spurs to his mule and rode off, the girl, the while, watchiug bic with a very peculiar expression upon her pretty face. If the scheming hypocrite could have seen that look, it is doubtful if would have pleased him. And Biddeman, as he rode along, put his thoughts into words: ‘She is sly; the old man is en excuse; I must entrap her. Once in my ranch, force wil! do if fair means fail. I don’t trust John Clark. If what I bear is true, he is after the jade himsolf. A message to visit a woman down with the fever! That will do, and once she is in my power, neither the Danites or the Gentilee shall tear her from me!” There was peril ahead for the Bear River Fairy. CHAPTER X. BUNTED DOWR, Rie@wi vu the outskirts of Corinne an enterprising builder had erected a simall shanty-store; one story only, the front part arranged with a counter and shelves for store purposes, the back, partitioned off, forming a small room, This builiing being a little removed from the center cf tiie town did not rent readily, but at last a tenant came along, aud as the owner bad had the place on his hands for some time, 2¢ offered it at a bargain, which was at once accepted. A small stock of cigars, canned fruits, and notions, was put iu and the store formally opened, On the frontier there is very little ceremony, and the psigh- bors of the new-comers—for there were two who were connected with the new store—soon made bold to call upon them. Within twenty minutes after the shanty was made ready for business, the Celtic gentleman who kept what in his native ‘‘ Oir- land,” would have been called a “ Sheebeen ”"—a little whiskv- shop a huudred yards or 80 down the street—sallied forth to catf upon the strangers. Mr. McGinnis, as this gentleman was named, rather prid® himself upon bis civility. — | $s “in Oirland, me buck,” he was wont to declare, when in bk, cups, ‘‘there’s moighty foine blood in the McGinnises. Go far enough back, and it’s dooks and princes you'll come to do ya mind!” : Business was never driving during the morniz, at the Peep-o'- Day House, as the little whisky-shanty was cali@ , she bulk of ita trade coy-‘ng in the wee stmmail hours when larger and more repue table saluons were closed. | i ane ‘Therefore, the bold McGinnis, who was a little, sandy-baireg _ pug-nosed gentleman, much reseu bling a Seoteh terrier in hy — oP % 2 . “. > 3 oF - * wr = ye aa pa an, f om a= = \ . ."—e ‘ j re Le > | . ne —_ Ba ee | Le e = -* di . | 4) ” oR” Ly | le ~ | Cai waz | Ey > Jr] — 4 | _ “Sa / > __d i. : | J om | s _ (—- —_ — 7 ee Spee a ~~ 3 or METAS PE rT if be See yy atta) nen a ae is ~