Beadle's Dime Library No. 299 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

~~ ——— = —~ - e ee —_ ———— eee ee ——- —— — nicely,so far. Hominy and boiled potatoes and molasses! 1 suppose you have coffee?” ‘*Ob, yes, ma’am! We kin give yea bar’l o’ cotfee!” ‘Sweetened with molasses?” ‘‘Some is likin’er to go it plain, ma’am, with a dash o’ whisky fur to take the curse fr.” The lady laughed. ‘*T have no doubt that that is very aptly ex- ressed! But you spoke of bread.” ‘‘Generally in the shape o’ biscuit, ma’am— and,” he went on, with a brightening as when he bad offered hog-meat as a substitute for chickens, ‘‘ short-cake!” “‘ Short-cake! How do you make it?’ ‘‘Waal,” said the landlord, scratching bis head once more, ‘‘ I suppose it’s like most short- cake, Thar’s flour, an’ water, an’ salt, an’ a gob o’ lard, an’ the usual raisin’ o’ soda, an’—” ‘In short,” interrupted the lady, ‘* your short- cake is very much like your biscuit, except that it is baked in a larger loaf?” “Waal, ma’am, I allow you’re about’ right thar, fur a sure-enough fact.” ‘* And that is all, I suppose?” ‘‘Waal, ma’am, ef thar is anythin’ more, I ain’t beknownst to it. I give ye thaton the honor of a gentleman!” “T place implicit confidence in your word, sir, in this matter. I will thank you for some hominy, a whole boiled potato, a little salt, andacup of water. You needn’t trouble about the other things. To tell you the truth,I haven’t much appetite; and I shall probably have less the longer Ihave tothink aboutit; so please don’t keep me snore ‘¢ Ma’am, you shall be sarved in three shakes of a lamb’s tail!” His guest left him to follow the shock-headed handmaiden, who during this colloquy had been ogling her with great awe, And now, in testimony of the deference shown to women in this western country, it is but fair to say that, had a man raised any question as to the fare offered by the Egg Har- bor Hotel, the ‘‘head referee” of that estab- lishment would have placed himself opposite the faultfinder, flanked a twelve-inch wie | with a revolver half as Jong as his arm on the table before him, and said: “My Christian friend, in this hyar country, when we have grub set before us, we goes fur it without nary questions! Did I understand you to remark— No? I thought I must be mistaken! The best you’ve had this side o’ Frisco? That’s our reputation, sir. We always studies to please. More hog-meat? I’m glad to see ye en- joyin’ it, sir. Thar was a tenderfoot as come along hyar last year, the which he hadn’t no fondness fur hog-meat; so a piece as we per- suaded him to eat sot on his stummick as heavy as lead, an’ we ally him a high lot up yonder fur to takehis time a digestin’ of it. This hyar ain’t no country fur a feller with a finiiin’ stummick, no bow ye kin fix it.” Meanwhile Mr. Jack Drew had struck a | graceful attitude just beside the door, standing with one leg thrown across the other, so that the toe of his fine boot rested ou the ground— the admiration and envy of all less lucky fel- lows who came trooping up, not without some show of sheepishness. When the lady bad disappeared, leaving the landlord her slave as @ man, yet sorely per- plexed in the gered of purveyor for her fas- tidious palate, which spurned hog-meat and even looked with suspicion on molasses in cof- fee—Mr. Drew turned sufficiently to look into -the door over bis shoulder, and clear his throat. The landlord caught his eye, and went up to im, ‘* You're trottin’ out yer silver to-day, ye on- derstand,” he said, with a pointed look into the landlord’s eyes. ‘‘ And thar’s that can of desic- cated meat in my plunder-box. Yow know, Pete Lane, that you deal out such dog’s rations hyar that it stands an ordinary Christian in hand to travel with his own commissariat. But this hyar ticular can, ye onderstund, you have jest found, the which you didn’t know it was left. Along side of the can you will find a flask, with something in it that kin be taken without following it up with an antidote for bedbug poison. You kin pour it into a bottle of your own; but be sure te rinse the bottle out well first. And thar’s Mrs. Folger;—you know she kin make biscuit without having ’em smell as strong of soda as a Chinese stinkpot, and coffee that doesn’t bear so strong a resemblance to dishwater as that which you usually foist upon the traveling public. Perhaps ye had better git her to come and cook dinner fur ye to-day, and fetch over some o’ the milk of that goat goat, that Matty Davison Yassoed fur her when her baby was ailin’, This hyar’s all yer own notion, Pete, ye onderstand.” * Jest nt Gy say! jest as you say!” assented the landlord, hastily and he disappeared to- ward the kitchen. Few men could have dictated to him as Jack Drew bad done; but Jack had an intent way of looking into the eyes of any one to whom he ‘talking business” that usually checked any impulse to *‘ jaw back,” When the lady in whose honor the domestic ae eee ee j | Three of a Kind. : ——————— ———— —— economy of the Egg Harbor Hotel had been thoroughly revolutionized was summoned to dinner, she was very agreeably surprised. Instead of the landlord in his shirt-sleeves, with a dirty towel over his arm, she found a neatly dressed woman in attendance. Although the table was without a cloth, a napkin was spread beneath her plate, and another lay neatly folded on it. This last luxury of the elegant Mr. Drew had caused it to be said of him, that he not only ‘‘carried a nose-wiper in his pocket,” but even ‘‘swabbed his mug on a towel when he bolted his grub.” The lady noticed that her own plate was served with silver, while the one opposite—the a was set for two—was flanked by plebeian steel, Her curiosity as to who was to occupy it was soon satisfied by the appearance of Mr. Jack Drew, who took his place with a matter- of-course air, as if this was an ordinary state of things. s T begin to think that we are in fairy-land,” she said. Jack bowed and elevate! his brows inquir- ingly, with the conventional: ** Beg pardon!” ‘* Where bave they conjured this spread from, after so unpromising a prospectus?” ““Oh! Pete’s a better fellow than be looks.” She scanned his face searchingly; but it was as ‘‘child-like and bland” as that of any ‘‘ hea- then Chinee,” when interrogated in a matter that he prefers not to understand. The biscuits, instead of being the color of saf- fron and having that pungent odor with which the olfactories of travelers in the West are so offended, are an equal delight to the sight, smell and taste; while the coffee, served with goat cream, was hardly the worse for being sweet- ened with just a dash of molasses. The finishing touch was put to this excep- tional repast by what was unquestionably wine. Charmed at every thing, the lady Giomns nite animated and chatty; and when she was ollowed into the coach by Mr. Jack Drew, she smiled ber pleasure so frankly that he was em- boldened to take his seat beside her, instead of opposite. As he gathered up the reins, Sam Seaver regarded the envious crowd gathered in front of the Egg Harbor Hotel, with one eye closed and his tongue thrust into his cheek, ‘You are going on to Coyote?’ they heard her ask, wwantty. ‘“‘T have business that way,” was Mr, Jack Drew's grave reply. Theu Sam Seaver’s whiplash shot out with a ringing crack, and the coach rolled away be- fore a cloud of dust. PA ‘* Hang his business!” growled a disgusted wit- ness of Jack’s eek: : The others heartily echoed the spirit of this sentiment, as they dispersed to their several claims; and Egg Harbor was under a cloud. CHAPTER XXI. SHADOW JIM IN HOT WATER. But a far more cheerful air pervaded the coach, Jack was getting on swimmingly, when the lady began to question him about Coyote. ‘Oh, yes!” he replied, ‘‘it’s a rushing place. Only night before last they had a battle which brought the whole camp out of bed.” Whereupon he related the recent ‘‘ unpleas- antness.” | ** But have you any society at Coyote—any ladies?” ‘* W-waal,” replied Jack, hesitatingly, ‘“‘ to tell you the truth, I don’t believe that you will find many there quite to your taste. But then there’s one—yes, there’s one that might—” ** What of her?” ‘* Waal, now, really, that’s hurdtosay. You see, there don’t nobody know much of anything about ber.” ‘** Which isn’t saying that nobody wishes to?” “You hit it there! Most of the boys would be punching one another’s heads over her, if she gave them any encouragement. But for my part, my interest has quite abated, if I ever bad any in that quarter.” Then, while his eyes told/her why the belle of Coyote bad suffered such an eclipse in his regard, he described the Golden Serpent and her posi- tion in Coyote. “* But,” she persisted, “‘ if this severe lady has no favorite, are there none who show a special regard for her?” ‘Oh, well, the boys have all had it, first or last, like the measles; but they have to be con- tent with losing their money to her. The old hands have all thrown off, calling it no go. It’s the new-comers that keep trying their Juck. I believe the last they call ‘Shadow Jim.” Jack Drew looked at the lady and smiled quite innocently as he made this revelation. With a slight inclination of the head and lift. ing of the eyebrows, she said: ““Ah? Poor fellow! No doubt he is quite in- fatuated?” It was very cleverly done; but Jack Drew de- an accession of color to her delicately- ~— cheeks, and made a long leap at t truth. oe Dee “By Jove! He’s her man: and she’s come for him!” was Jack’s reflection. This discovery was far from being a sweet morsel, considering the bopes he had begun to entertain on bis own account, “How can I slaughter him?’ was his next thought. But dissembling his personal interest in the matter, he replied: **Clean gone! But he don’t get much sym- rs It’s fun for the boys. They all know ow it is themselves, you see.” So Shadow Jim was making such bot love to this lady that he bad become the laughing stock of the whole camp! At that her lips bardened, and her nostrils quivered slightly. **A home shot!” said Jack to himself. ** We’ll give it time to soak in!” In pursuance of this policy, he let the con- versation flag for a while; and when he resumed it, it was with an observation on the scenery through which they were passing. As the stage brought up before the City Hotel, be leaped to the ground and assisted the lady to alight, when who should be airing his person before the door but Shadow Jim bimself? “What! Maude?” he cried, springing for- ward. Mr. Jack Drew turned upon him with a look of astonishment and displeasure, which gave the lady on his arm a most excellent oppor- tunity to snub ber recreant lover, if such was bis relation, and such ber pleasure. But she said, with the most perfect ignoring of their recent conversation: ‘* My busband.” And to Jim, quite as sweetly: “A gentleman who bas been very courteous to me,’ And back to Jack: “* T haven’t the pleasure of your name, sir.” For an instant Shadow Jim’s jaw dropped. **My husband!” he repeated to himself, in dismay. Bat Maude, as be had called her, shot a level ae into his eyes, so keen that it sent a thrill own to his toes.” ‘* Something up!” he said to himself. ‘‘ That look means business. What has she dropped onto? But maybe it’s only bluff on general principles.” While he was extracting what comfort he could from this we al elegant Mr. Jack Drew introduced himself by name with bis usual inimitable grace. It gave Jim time to recover himself, as Maude, with a woman’s tact, intended. “Tam glad to know you, sir,” he said, “‘ and to have an opportunity tothank you for your kindness to my wife,” He said it ‘like a little man.” Maude rewarded him with a smile of recon- ciliation. It was nothing to her, nor indeed to Jim him- self, that Mr. Jack Drew overlooked the hand that he extended, as he bowed. himself. free, turning the lady over to the new claimant, and walking into the house, But Shadow Jim was disgusted with himself. He, who prided himself on bis manipulation of women so that none of them ever got any hold on him, had been bullied into complete subjec- tion by the daring stand this one had taken. “From this time on, I am her slave!” he groaned within himself, though he was all smiles without. ‘*But what in the world has brought you here?’ he asked, even before he had her housed —as became a solicitous busband! ‘* No doubt you are as = age as surprised to see me!” said Maude, witha t. “On the contrary, it is quite needless to pe sey { am delighted!” cried Jim, unblusb- ingly. ‘* Well, Ihave come to take you home with me!” declared the lady, with a touch of defiant determination. : ** And robbed me of the chance to show you how short a time I could bear to stay away — you!” said Jim, with the air of love’s re- uke. ‘** Short !” eried the lady, with fine emphasis. Jim cursed himself for make such a blunder. ‘“‘Of course it bas seemed long to me,” he said, trying to patch the matter up. ‘“ But you know it is only a week.” “Only a week! No doubt that seems very short to you!” ** Now, Maude!” ‘Oh! you needn’t ‘Maude’ me! You had — forgotten me—you know you bad! And shall go back alone! You may stay—with— witb—whoever you have found that pleases you so well! Oh! you have broke—broke— en my heart! But it isamatterof perfect indiffer- ence to you! Ob! ob! ob! was there ever any one so wickedly—wickedly cruel!” And, thev being by this time in the house and oem Shadow Jim had on his ah a eo man who gave every promise of to violent hysterics. She might sesamin one fall on the floor, and kick, and raise the house, be- fore she got through with it. And like all men, Jim hated a “‘scene” above every thing. Before she “‘ let up on bim,” she bad reduced EOMMIC OOOKS — -_ (E(0) _ ——— _