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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1875)
G THE WEST SHORE. K December. TEE FAITHLESS TO Br CHAS. Bf.5SF.RER. " Hark I" exclaimed And)-, as the thrill ing notes of the Catholic church bells called invitingly the denizens of Auburn and list less miners from surrounding gulches lo midnight mass. "Hark!" he repeated earnestly. Then, as though satisfied that his sharp cars had uot deceived him, he continued: "Here, boys, this 'seven up' has to be stopped if you wish to hear the glorious 'Te Dcum' and the holy gospel. This is the second bell, and there is no time to waste in paste-board." "All right, boss!" was the unanimous reply; only hold your horses until we play this hand, then we all go." Andy li was a man of sterling qual ities; an industrious, hard-working miner, of a fine intellect and a noble heart, never indulging in the games of chance common among miners. He loved solitude, spent hit leisure hours in company with his shep herd dog hunting, and devoted the long winter evenings in writing. He was far from happy, and seemed to be afflicted with some hidden woe and mystic sorrow. His strange and sometimes even eccentric ways, did not escape the notice of his com panions; but, by a silent concession, Ihey strenuously avoided all interrogation, out of respect for Andy's feelings, for he was ex tremely sensitive. However, the game had terminated, and all arose simultaneously to accompany their now impatient "boss," as they called him. " Hold on, boys!" nervously ejaculated Jack Dannels when all were ready to start; " Hold on; 1 forgot my pipe." " You need no pipe," said Andy reprov ingly; "come along, boys!" " Why, said Jack, " can't fellow smoke in church while listening lo the music !" Hut his partners made no further answer, and hurried on after Andy. The fact is, Jack was an old trapper and miner. The mountains were his home, and his entire belief rested in something good lo eal. He was fond of his stomach, and t perfect disciple of Voltaire. He re traced his steps hack to the cabin, mutter ing to himself as he went: "Hang the church, I don't run with that shift! It's a good thing, no doubt, and Christmas eve, too; but it is so long since I was inside of a church, that I would hardly know how to conduct myself, and the chances are, they will take me up and have me bound over to keep the acc. No; I'll stay and prepare a rousing oyster stew and some hot stuff, and give the boys a ' lay out. Now, then," he again soliloquized, as all was ready and his pipe lit, "let them come; we'll follow up the night, for Christmas comes but once a year, and it's not every day we kill a pig or 0wn half a dozen cans of McMoriis's oysters at a lick." "A queer soul," he continued alter a pause; " what can trouble Andy, I should like to know. There is something sad in that dark, dreamy eye of his." " Hello, Slu-p!" (addressing the dug,) " an alarm at the door ? " At that moment Andy stcpd in alone and all in a rage, walked the cabin floor, and talked incoherently about " a villain " and " a perfidious wife." Jack endcavoicd to calm him, and offer ed him, in his jolly, droll, way, " a nip of the criuer;" but Andy looked despondent, ami refused to eat or drink. Now Jack, for the first lime, ventured to ask questions, Iml Ami) mildly evaded them. Reinforce ment was requisite, and Jack quietly waited for his comrades, leaving Andy undistutbed in his mtiaii.g of days gune by. The dog once more gave the alarm as the other partners returned cold and hungry, ' Why didn't you stay and tee the thing out i " queried they. " Is this the way you cots us off to mass, and leave us in the lurch r Come, Andy, tell us why you left to abruptly ! " At Ant Andy looked wild, but he grad ually limbered up, and, after considerable persuasion, took a drink or two. "That's the medicine," gleefully mur mured Jack when he saw that his well mixed decoctions had the desired effect; " that's the stuff to cheer the heart of Laza rus." We proposed the health of Andy, and of course all hands joined and circled to the left. Andy was now no longer mute, but a sparkle of his penetrating eyes gave us due notice of a good and well-related adventure. Strictly speaking, I did not belong to the party, but I made their cabin my home during the winter, and of course was considered as one of the family. " Now," said Andy, will each and every one of you promise never to lisp, far less tell, of what I am about to confide to you f" We willingly and firmly pledged our selves, and made a semi-circie around the cozy fireplace, over which Jack presided with becoming dignity. "Of course you all know Miller's ranch on Burnt river I" deliberately began Andy. " Well, it was I who first took np that stand in the spring of '6a. Soon after, the Boise mines and the Bannock diggings were dis covered, and I struck a little mint. It's true, it kept my wife and me busy day and night, but we made money, and that was quite an auxiliary. I never felt tired; acted landlord in one hour, hostler the next, and chief cook and dishwasher at intervals; but, as I said before, we did a ' land office busi ness,' as the travelers called it, and we' felt contented. Our nearest neighbor, Dr. Mousliy, who resided on the Farewell Bend, took a lively interest in our welfare, and was a constant visitor at our wavside inn. He made himself very agreeable, and my wife never tired in eulogizing his every word and deed, and his smooth, gentlemanly de portment in particular; but I had no reason to differ with her, neither did I suspect any thing wrong or criminal Juntil too late. Loving my wife as I did, I should have considered it a crime on my part to even suspect her, " Well, as I said before, all went swim mingly till, one day, my wife fell sick, as though attacked by hysterics. I became alarmed, saddled my best horse and rode over in post haste to summon Dr. Moushv. He had sold out, and was just ready to leave the country. I told him my wife was very sick, and as I said that he smiled a suppressed, cynical smile which I shall never forget. I did not understand it then, but I have learned its origin since. ' I am in earnest, doctor,' I resumed; 'my wife will surely die unless relieved by speedy aid.' " ' What are the symptoms f ' laconically inquired the doctor. "'Heaven only knows!' I answered, 'but she is subject to some apopletic disease, and she was in a fit when I left, and rather light in her head.' 1 " He now assumed a serious air, pecu liar to quacks, wrote a prescription, and ordered me to hasten to Hoisc City to have it filled without delay. At that time I was willing to do anything and sacrifice all to save the life of my wife. I dropped into the saddle and sped anay, for the distance was great and delay dangerons. On the second evening, just as the Walla Walla stage drove up to the Overland Hotel, I arrived at my destination, having changed horses twice on the road. Here the driver, who knew me well, handed me a note from Dr. M., informing me that my wife was better, but that I should remain in Boise City and await orders, as in case of a re lapse he would have to change the prescrip tion and forward the same by express. Well, 1 felt better, and waited till patience oozed out to give place to gloomy forebod ings. Was she dead 1 And had they buried her, so that I should never gaze on her again ! Oh ! it was awful to indulge in such conjectures even; how much more would I feel the pang of grief were they stem reali ties f " I arrived home late in the night. All was still, stark and dreary. I hastened to the house, and called my wife by that, to me, familiar name' Darling;' but no one answered. I called again and again, Dut with the same result. I was bewildered even terrified though in my own home. Finally I succeeded in procuring a light; then I called again; but even the echo died before it reached my ears, Comrades, I was on the burning ship, Gulden Gall, and prayed for help to live; and I was once strychnined on the plains, and prayed again to God for help to die, for the anguish was terrible; but the intense suffering which I now suffered was indescribable. Domestic misfortune is indeed a hard master. But, to be brief, my wife had eloped with that villainous, self-styled doctor, robbed me of my little all, and left me penniless and broken-hearted." "Andy, how did you arrive at such a conclusion ? " I asked. " How did I ? " he continued. " A love letter, written by her to him, fell inadver tently into my hands, and disclosed to me all their vile duplicity and treachery. They were gone, and may the curse of a just God, from whose judgment there is no appeal, rest on and abide with them ever more. When love is transformed into hate, its bitterness is venomous, " ' But why should you grieve over spilt milk I would some of my neighbors say, after the news reached far and spread with a lightning rapidity; and some who could not even write their own name, nor knew how many beans it would take to make five, called me a fool for not "smelling a mice " long ago. Others, again, who would not under ordinary cercumslances kill a grasshopper, Would now talk loud and furious, advising that I should follow the hound and perforate him with bullets till daylight shone through him. But my best friends counselled differently advised me too keep cool, and deemed what I thought an affliction a blessing, ' for, Andy,' said they, 'a dog that follows everybody is not worth having and too dear at any price. If she would rather be the concubine of a libertine than the respected wife of an humble though honest man, then thank God, from whom all blessings flow, that you are rid of her. Here Andy paused, as though unwilling to proceed; but presently he continued in a changed, sad voice " The wound gnaws at my very heart strings, while my bosom burns with eternal vengeance, and here I am, but a wreck of my former self and a hopeless mono maniac." Here another pause ensued, and I ven tured to remark soothingly: 'Andy, you certainly showed a premo nition of something wrong. What caused hf""1 rd. Jack, and be wal correct. A miner became din geroualy ick during the night. A pbyeician wsi eummoned, who, according to all accounts, wat thrown from hit hone and got loat in the moan. taint, for he waa a perfect ttranger in tat locality. It was no other than Dr. Momhy, Andy'a " botom friend," at wo jestingly etyled him. A rigorous aearch wat at once tnetituted, is wbicb, atrange to aay, And; took a lively interest, He at once atarted out with hit favorite ehepnerd dog and truety rifle,, and returned by the light of the moon. " Wat it for good or evil P" I muted, to mytelf, for Andy waa a fearfully impulaiveman, never forgave an injury, and never forgot an act of kindneaa ; but the doctor waa ttill miaaing. On the third night Andy returned very late, bat I wat ttiU awuke, and hit atrange behavior routed me to full conacioumeit. He proceeded quietly, atirred up the fire, filled a canteen with hot coffee, helped hltntelf to all the biacuita and cold ham and atored it under hit ponderoot over coat. I watched him with my eyea hall open, wondering whether he had aotually gone crety. What atrucK me moat lorcioiy ac bit entrance wat the absence of hie pet, at well at hit wild glances around the cabin. Apparently aatiafled that ha waa unobserved, he cautioualy approached my bed and whiapered: , Come along, Ben ; make no noise and aik no queationa." Knowing hit sacred aolicitude tor human lite, I feared no danger, and forthwith complied with hit atrange requeat. w Caught in a trap," he muttered when we were a respectful diatance from the cabin; "have him jnat where 1 want him.1 " Have whom r " I aaked. " The doctor F " "The tame wretch, This evening returning home from my utual hunt, and at I waa about tiz milea from here, my pup made ft queer noiae tome diatance ahead. At flrtt I thought he burrowed a rabbit ; but when he refuted to obey my call, I neared the apot and noticed by the dirt thrown np that it wat a deserted shaft I peered into itt gloomy depth, and a pair of black, wistful eyea met my wondering gaze. Tou ahould have heard bit tupplicationa for meroy at he recognized me. It would fill a book. Adam like, he put all the blame on the woman, the dattardly coward." u But you are not going to hang the unfortunate man, and have meaeawitneaotothe execution I I exclaimed, at I noticed him carrying n ttrong rope under hit arm. " Far from it," calmly answered Andy ; I came to rescue, not to kill." The moon gradually disappeared and left ut in darkneae.' To proceed waa dengeroua, considering the teaton and wild locality, ao we built ft fire and waited for the break of day. Aa toon at poatible we atarted en our way, and at but hove in tight ok the vacant abaft, but what a apeotaele greeted ear Tltion I It aeeme that Andy, in order to find place in the night with nouriahment andauecorl the helpleaa nriaoner. tied the doe- tn a tnui by. A ferocioue oougar and hungry mountain wolf wen now engaged in terrible oonllct over the little fellow'i body, which laid lifeleea on the ground. We nuhed forward, unmindful of danger, for we were both unarmed ; but the rapactout ani malt kept up the fearful ttruggle till suddenly, at it by magic, they disappeared. We ttill ruined on, Andy, the noble eoul, taking the lead. At he arrived at the shaft I heard him ting out in a ahrlU voice, "Oh, my God!" I hurried on ; but, lo I ft light greeted my eyea which will never fade from my memory. There, in the bottom of that aheft, the deaperate brutea which fell in the atrite made ft common foe of the half famlahed doctor, and tore the fimh from hia lacerated body. But let me throw a pall over the shocking Kent, for u abor tive ueaenpnon even woutd cauae a savage to thudder and turn pale. Verily, the end of the your nasty departure from church to-nir-ht ' " Listen!" he said, with the fire of intense excitement beaming from his eyes. "After we had entered and were fairly seated, who should I sec before me but that carnivor-ous-looking, low-set villain the author of my ruined home; but I will have ven geance, foul or fair. ! " "Hush, Andyl" I retorted; '"ven geance is mine, saith the Lord ! ' Remem her the inscription upon the British coin: ' Honi soil qui mal y pense! ' But if your chequered journey through life was in print" " Sec here, Ben, write nothing concern ing this I know your propensity; but, if I should die and you survive, then sketch my case and do me justice." Andy seemed to feel lighter-hearted now, since he knew we were no longer strangers to his domestic affairs. We sailed into that hot punch and oysters like hired hands, and a happier crew of jolly miners was not within the mining district of Aubum that night. Morpheus, however, claimed his own one by one till all was ace and rest The following morning, at the tun net majeati oallyover ti e Bine MounUir, hderteta hone wee teen daehing through the gulch and over the rolling kllU toward Powder river. Seaaethiftf w under the era," remarked Ten yean nearly have paaaed over the tad oatat- trophe, and now, alaa I poor Andy, too hat bowed to hit Matter1! call. He returned from the Catlar mlnce, and on the fatal trip of the steamer Pacific met hia fate, and tleept beneath the tilent waves till Jeeua calla. " What became of the erring woman f " did you eayP Atk me not. Bot the oold and watery grave of the noble-hearted hatband it a pillow of goldan down compared to the living tomb of " Tra FAiTni.ua Wire." SKCVRE THR INVALUABLE PIRRCNO SCRUBBING MACHINE. 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