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About The Albany register. (Albany, Or.) 1868-18?? | View Entire Issue (July 16, 1880)
VOLUME XII. ALBANY, OREGON, JULY 1G, 1880. NO. 42. t i 'I From the Califomlan. nv j. v. galley. CHAPTER II. The home of Colonel Holten was his own. He was it nutlior. There had been a time in the manhood of his life when tlie price of any article !n his home would have been a vital financial matter to him ; but now, thanks to his own efforts, care, cour age, and capabilities, ho was able easily to have about him whatever money couki buy. Yet his home was hi no way a heterogene ous array of Imitative purchases or gilded tnudiiness. ft w costlv, and it conform ed in all its details to hi ideas of a home, as near as well it-warded skid and personal supervision could make it. Yet. withal, lie was no slare to his tnerchatniue iwiind Ings, nor would he advise or permit those who shared his affection and fortunes so to be. The downs' ot life had taught, him that its ui are only valuable as they pro mote contentment with the reasonable at tainment of one's object. The acquisition of the power of wealtti was his game. He loved t play that game. But he loved even better the seasons of relaxation, under the roof-tree he had reared from a founda tion of empty hands. His wite was a soothing, sensible, do mestic person, supposed by himself and others, hut. not by her, to be alnive him in Vlood and Mileage whatever - that ni.y mean iu'the United States t Xortli Amer ica. Some rewut ancestors of hers had lieen members ot the Leg'slatureof her na. ... ancestor in particular had been a judge in his time, and, also a member of Congress, ,.... . tit .. Iut iioiien s aucesvors nan t-en imi'i, fuirowers of the soil, or traders, for iium- lierless generations. And though now, in j the matter of weight in the State and on i the market, he was able to buy and sell, j had such been for sale, the influence of all i his wife's relations from the remotest point i in the family history, slid he ever, and at j ail nines hel.l an.l gave torin ,ne inea mac j Ins wile at:., her laiimy were, as compare,! 'with himself ami his family or with any body else's family, in fact superior per sons. He not only held thi idea, but h-religiou-ly believed it, from the tact that when he first felt his heart warm toward the good girl of his choice, she seemed so far and away above his social position and cul ture, that the impression then made re mained, in true love evergreen, with h'wi through life. He, by ids actions, more than by his words, perhaps, sought to con- , vey this idea to his children ; and he gen erally succeeded in doing so, but not in every case. He had no son. This was one of his regret. But he had three fair daughters, the eldest of whom was his son i in all ways, except that she was in no way masculine. She was himself again as near as she could be. aside from what she re garded as her misfortune ot sex. She was a strong woman not strong as a man is strong but strong as a brave man would have her to be. She knew when he was hurt. The least abrasion on the firm-fronted armor which he presented to the striv ing world was not hidden to her eye.-. Sle gloried in his strength, rejoiced in his suc cesses, anil was vexed at any impediments in his way. She realized as, by intuition that the fortunes of a man are him.-elf. th.it omjortuuitv in itself is dead matter, until wit.il'v.iil hit iTi.rn.nii3 m n iltnki 1 illlll Vt ! V JJ , qV'I ..i- -.". . ...... j - she wasnot a forward nor an obtrusive woman. Towaid this child the lather lean ed in his wearied-out or disgusted hours : and she promptly met him with as much j motherly kindness as rnav be in a young woman of years not yet counting one score. In form and feature she resembled her la ther and her father's people. Tali she was but not over tall, full and firm ot chest, strong of limit and lithe of action, with an imposing, grand, anil graeehil way of her own. She was not pretty ol face, yet it was easier to look in her face a second time than to avoid doing so. It was a nweef, powerful face, and the head which gave to that face an appearance ot promi nence ot mouth and chin was a grand head. It was of the domestic-heroic tyjie, poised a little backward by the weight of a vital brain, and yet tar enough forward tor all practical- purposes. nr hair was light brown, her eyes grey, lier skin fair, her teeth good, her cheeks and chin dimpled, anil her neck and throfit white, smooth, and with but the faintest suggestion of an angle. Still she was not pretty did npt think idie was, But she was, and she ear . ly knew it. pleasing to her own sex. and interesting to the oilier. Her sisters, be- nig younger and prettier, were as yet or dinary pe.-sons, not requiring special no tice at this time. But she had a visiting friend, a few years older than herself, from fhe country of ancient culture which lies to die eastward. This friend was another sort of girl slender, high of forehead, ami light behind the ears. Her head poised the reverse way to that ot our heroine, for whereas the head of our girl tilted back Ward, giving to her face a slightly upward poise, the face of the other poised forward, drawing, the chin back, and throwing the , brow to the front ; hence, our girl looked at you with lull, open expression, while tlie other glanced from under her higher forehead. Criris who liave heads and faces gotten up W these style have usually bod ies and mind ti correspond. Thinking observers know tlwt so there in no need ust lie re to further describe Judith IJolteu and her young pastern friend, A' ice V naru. , -y Into thu 'fiirnily Norman MayJole. Jr., ushered, by iU head. Mrs. Ilolten, tWl'iR his reserve of manner for bashful !.TiMity, strove, with cheery mother'ioeas, to make his introduction easy. The young er girls stod with their arms about each other, and looked innocently at the new young man. Miss Alice WInaus inspected him according to Rollers Burns's formula : "Keek tliro ev'ry ither man Wi' sharpen "d slee Inspiftion." Judith shook hands with him earnestly and lairly. looking nt him with levbl eyes troin an open, honest expression, bade him a brief, hearty welcome (after her father's style) thi n paid no further particular at. tention to him. But Miss Alice kept a mental registry of his looks, and ere the evening was half ended hud noted that Norman's eyes were, though very quiet and self possessed, prone to wander after the lorm and movements ot Judith Molten. Norman made no boyish effort to add weight to his own impresivenerf .had no thought of so doing. His mind was upon other matters, relating to the changing condition of his affairs ; and. perhaps, in any ease he would have acted as he did then simply as a qiriet young gentleman. As the evening visit progressed into the late hours. Mrs. Holten remarked easily to Norman, as she took a seat near, in her changes from place to place about the room: "Mr. Maydole, you are to remain with us en faiuilte for the present, and you must try to feel at home."' Th ink yon. madam ; hut is it not more fit that I should remain at mv hotel ?" "Xo. indeed ! Mr. Holten would not j think of it ; and we have all voted that : you remain with us." j "It i- with entire pleasure that I accept your kindness. Indeed as to Its ertece up- I on mvselt, I have not had. any hesitation , - j ll" tt '"' t to be served, but I am here to serve. i Mrs Holten laughed a little laugh, re ! marking : 'The service is to be mutual. Mr. May dole." Then excused herself t hasten awav to some other matter. Mr. Mavdnle." said Colonel Holten, t enminir iitfr 111, innui frotii U'hlch he had I fweii iilts.'i.l abide with us ; and having had a long and weary ride, you mu-t be tired. If it is your wish to retire to rest. I will show you your apartments.' Norman thanked him. bade the family goo 1 night, and followed his ho-t from the room ; whereupon the family circle dis persed to its several dormitories. In the moms of Miss Judith there was an immediate discussion of the new young man. Well, what do you think of father's r,.trr.'" asked Mi-s Judith of Miss Alice. 'What think you of him ?' 'I have not thought much about him. lie has nice feet, a soft voice, and his clothes tit him. Father has so many 'old pards" as tliey t.:l! themselves, coming and going. that my curiosity is not very keen."' 'This one is no vM pard," said Miss Al ice, laughing. '' Well it's all the same his father is." I think th'.s is a gentleman." "Well, that's a blessing; because some of father's old friends are good men. but they are very Joud. not to say sometimes comise." "This one is not course. . You need have no idea that he is. He is a little new jiot raw ; but he will assert himself with out noise or over-exertion." "You are a student ot character. Aiice. Oil. I wi-h you could see some ol the charac ters father brings home. 'The old time boys.' as the3' call themselves. They strag gle in upon him from everywhere. From ! Nevada. Montana. Colorado. Arizona. Asia Africa. America, and the islands of the sea. Father enjoys them when he is not over-worked. Some of them are very poor alas, poor old boys ! -but many of them are 'well fixed,' as they call it. and libera! to profu-'on ; and they almost invariably make me the recipient ot their bounty, be cause, they ay. I'm 'so much like the old man.' I have a perfect museum of the most astonishing bricaJn-nc presented to me by elderly men. who wanted to drive me in the highest style to the theater, or anywhere, or everywhere. They all want" ed to do something handsome and the right thing by their 'old pard's little gal.' They are not so numerous now as they were when I was a child. I'oor fellows ! dead, perhaps." said Judith, with a sigh. "This man will not come to you with presents." "Why i.ot, p'ay ?" "Because you will go after him." "Wh-a-w-t ?" "That man is just as sure to interest Ju dith Holten as I am alive to say so." "Good ness ! He? A little, long-armed, amiable soul like him ?" "Amiable ? Why, Judith, the man is a young mountain Hon. Look at his quiet, leopard-like eyes, his long, cruel hands. Oh, those hands ! Jl'bey give me a tit ol semi-suffocatiou to look nt them." "Dear me. I did not see anything re markable about his hands except that they seemed large and very well formed." "Cruel, cruel ! Hands that may lalj gently as a roseleaf at one moment, but H'ith I lie crushing grip of a giant in the neKt." i.' "Why, why, Alice ! I shall keep my eyes open it I am to see the wonders which are revealed to you." 4 It s no effort for him to breathe. He does not know that lie is breqtring. The tigers, the ?ats, and all the feline race, breathe as he does, in utter stillness, and tlien Ihey pounce and tear." "If lie is so terrible as all that, I must warn my father to send him away at once," said Judith, Imglnng. file's only a half-grown kitten ; but he Is the making ol a terrible tom-cat. I hate eat ; still. I think he ii a gentleman," "He may be one of those men father talks of, who have reserved force what ever that means." "That's just what he is." "If that proves to be the ease, I must look after him. tor that sort of man is fa ther's special admiration." "No do ilit you will look after him. A7. mtt I have said it." Tio you call him handsome ? " 'I do." "That's something in his credit." "His face is boyish yet, because he is well preserved, morally and physically, but when age and trial shall have developed the latent lion in his face, he will have an admirably impressive presence." "Alice Winans. what' has come over you ? What kind of a merry humor have you fallen into ? Have you set your wits to woo my heart tor the new man? 'Hand some." well preserved, morally and physi cally.' 'an undeveloped lion among men,' quoth she. Why, that is the blessed fellow ot my dreams." "Well do I know it, Judithdear. And thou hast hint, and he'll have you. Good night,"' and Miss Alice departed for her own couch. Judith retired, and fell asleep more in terested in the humor of her friend than in the character or conduct ot the new man but still not without considering him, as far as her observation, Tvarranted. When Colonel Holten had shown Nor man to lits room, in the good, old-fashioned way. and vas about to bid him good night, he said : 'If you are an early riser, Mr. Maydole, and find no one but the servants stirring when you get up, come to my den. It is in the southeast corner of the building, right-hand side along this hall. I am usu ally up betimes in the morning. I shall be busily occupied, but I nil! find you something to do."' When Colonel Holten left him for tlie night. Norman undressed, paid no atten tion to his wounded shoulder, and then lav down to sleep. Hut there were too many new arrangements among his ideas to al low ot" his sleeping for several hours. He went over in his mind bis leaving home, and all that had happened to him and by him, on his way down to "the city, and then he tried to forecast his position in Colonel Holten's family ; but that being too com plex he gave it up, turning at length drow-iiy upon bis pillow, to fall into a half dream, hi which he saw Judhh Hol ten's grand, mtiscu! r grace moving about the honse, and heard her strong, contagi ous laugh ringing hini at last into a sound, dreamless sleep. This laugh of Judith's, by the way. was an interesting performance, which broke at first on her face in a smile of deepened dimples and gleaming teeth, and then !-li ok her into a contagious grace of contortion, which she could not resist, nor anybody else- As one of Colonel Holten's "old time pards" when he returned to his bachelor home in the mines, describing Judith Holten. said : "A feller could af ford to make a d d fool of himself, any time, it she'd la-igh at him." In the morning Norman was up and about at an early hour, but he had heard heavy, slip;er-footed steps along the hall before be was out of bed ; and as the sound of these steps went in the direction of "the den," he followed the sound, and, knock ing at the door in the side of tlie hall, was bidden to "come in," and then passing into a room which had the appearance of the if lice of a hard-worked counselor at law, with its desks, its library, its pigeon holes, and its pape-s, he was heartily ac costed with : , "All. Mr. Maydole ! Good morning, sir. Pleased to sea you. Hope you rested well. I'm very busy." Then without waiting for an answer he added, pointing to a desk in the middle of tlie room, "Amuse yourself looking through those accounts said to be tangled see what yon can find out." Then taking out. his watch, lie smoothed bis thumb across its crystal, and further added. "AV will work till half past eight o'clock, then breakfast, then I go down town, then you work at those account books as long as you feel like it, and afterward follow your own fan cy. If you think you find a point that is crooked, report it to me." Without an other word he sat down to his desk, and immediately relapsed into tlie spiritual trance of business absorption. Norman look his seat without remark, and straightway went to work. The books proved to be those of a' mining company, containing what puriorted to be the busi ness rtcords ot the working of the mine through several years. For all he could make out at a brief examination, the books seemed mechanically well arranged, anil kept with artistic neatness as to penman ship, etc.; but Norman, as occasional as sistant to his father in the county clerk's office, had seen fancy papers make a very poor showing of f icts, and was, therefore, in no wise dazzled by the matter of style. He had also in his time, even from child hood, sat by his father's side in court, watching the proceedings in lengthy liti gation of commercial cases, and had mark ed the shrewd attorney examining books of account and book-keepers ; and these early impressions, coupled with his late course ot commercial education had brought him forward not so ill prepared for the task in hand. As no particular point had been given him to find out, he wisely con cluded to prepare himself with "a case in court," and be ready for examination at all points, let the same come in what shape soever. He saw large, numerous, and oft charges, for wages, for timbers, lumber, powder, steel, tools, etc., and he concluded to extract and make schedules of these ex penditures, in an effort to compare the proportion which each bore to the other, so as. If possible, to trace an excess of ex penditure, or waste, in any one direction, as proportioned with any other. For his first item he selected the matter of mining timbers; and, by breakfast time, he thought he found that in one year the s mount of timbers charged as used by and placed in the main shaft of the mine, would have so filled the shaft with timlier that the twelve by six toot opening would be reduced to a six by three. He was work ing to verify this matter, when Colonel Ilolten suddenly awoke from his trance, and said, looking again at his watch : "Ah, breakfast ! Well Mr. Maydole, how are the books ? too soon to ask that question, eh P" "Rather, sir. But still," said Norman, laying down his pencil, "there seems to lie a little queerness in the charges for timber." "How's that?" 'It seems to me at a cursory glance, that if the amount of timber charged as used was ued in the place to which it is allotted, there would be little room for anything else in that place but timber." "Very good, very good, Mr. Maydole I Let us go to breakfast."' Then he sudden ly paused at the door, out ot which he was about to lend, going back to his desk, opened a drawer, saying. "Here. It may happen that you shall wish to go out into fhe town without passing along the halls ot the house. This key will let you out of that door," pointing to it. "into the side street. Be careful to lock it after j-ou. Now we will go to breakfast." At the breakfast table Norman was pleas antly greeted by the assembled family. Mrs. Holten, still under the idea that his quiet ways meant bashfulness, sought to draw him into conversation, and asked : "Docs it sno"v where you have lived I mean, does it fall heavily ?" Now. snow-storms were among Nor man's admirations of the tine things in untitle. 'No, madam, not where my father re sides that is, not heavily." 'Isn't that a pity ! I think the first heavy snow-fall of the season is one of the most delightful thing in tlie world." "O-o-o-o," shivered Miss Alice Winans, as she drew up her shoulders into the imaginary wrappings of a heavy shawl. j "I.a ! When I was a girl," continued tlie madam, "we girls then used to wear our hair parted in the middle, and combed down smoothly over our ears, and done up with a comb in the back "' "A very sensible, becoming, and woman ly way to wear it,"' dryly exclaimed Col onfl Holten. "Old-fashioned, though," interrupted Judith. " There is a great deal of good sense in that which is old-fashioned, my daughter.'" "And much that is old-fashioned which is as full of folly as a powdered wig,'' re joined Judith. Ilolten smiled in hW beard, and his wife continued : 'fiViid we used to put on our shawls and go out bare-headed to romp through the falling snow. It was just delightful to see the steady falling, falling, falling ot the soft, feathery flakes, and to hear our voices echo such a little way off in tlie niuftjed stillness. I like the snow." "Oh. me ! I hate it,' said Miss Alice, with a shrug. "The fall is heavy higher up in the mountain than where you live ?" Col. Holten half asserted, half asked, nodding at Norman. "Yes, sir. I spent one winter hunting on Norwegian snow-shoes on the high Sierra." "And what did you hunt ?" asked Mrs. Holten. i "Bears, wild-cats, mountain lions, deer, and small game." "Why ! I thought the bears crawled into their caves or holes in the winter sea son. That's wh'at the Xdtural History says," remarked one of the younger Misses Holten. "Then we crawl in after them," said Norman. "Dear me, Mr. Maydole," continued the young miss, "would you crawl into a dark cave after a wild bear ?" "Yes; if were hunting him." Tlie young miss, looking at him with rounded eyes, simply said, "Mr. May dole !" "Did you ever try it ?" asked Col. Hol ten, with a somewhat incredulous lifting ot his brows. "Yes. sir." Miss Alice looked from under her fore head at Miss Judith, as much to say : "What d'nl I tell you ?" "Did you get him ?" asked the Colonel. "We did." "To whom do you refer as we ?" "Judge Clayton. Canutesen the Nor wegian, and myself." ''Ah, that is like Clayton. He was the prehistoric man ot the cave epoch, heavily veneered with modern learning and the true chivalry of civilization. I knew him well. He was the only man I ever saw who loved danger--truly loved it." 'He was my best friend." said Nor man ; "and from him I learned the use of arms, offensive and defensive." "Did he convey to you his unerring aim with a pistol ?" "He has often said that he did." "And his love ot fisticuffs, with his ad. dress in the manly art ?" "To some degree." Colonel Holten looked at Norman's hands, and eeumed to catch an idea for reflection, for he said no more during the breakfast. "How deep Is the snow upon tlie moun tains, 1181111113', in winter ?" asked Miss Judith. "From nothing to six, eight, ten, or twenty feet, until it Is drifted by the winds, and then it is any depth, nlmost. you would ask." Here Norman was led into a brief de scription of snow-shoeing, up and down over the deep snow on the silent, white clad mountains, until Miss Winans, in the month of June, said she was freezing, and wanted to know it the company did not hear tlie sleigh-bells jingling through the streets ol San Francisco. "I think I do." said Colonel Holten, as, waking from his mood of reflection and rising from tlie table, he buttoned up his coat, pulled the collar up about his neck, looked for his hat, and said to his wife : "My dear, put on your wraps, and we will go for a merry ride under the robes of 'anld lang syne.'. " Mrs. Holten looked at him with a smile lit by the light of other days, in which there was to him a quiet significance thit sent him out of the house smiling as if he remembered something pleasant. The family dispersed, and Norman went back again to the contemplation of hi new work. He had not sat long when it occurred to him that the present was as p-ood a time as any to follow the directions on a card, given him by Dr. Minnis, to the address thereon ; not that his shoulder was paining him to any extent, but becaus? he thought it his prudent duty to have his wound' looked alter ; consequently, he let himself out of the side door, and proceed ed to find the medical man. When he sent in the card given him by Dr. MinnU, he had but a few moments to wait ere the distinguished disciple ot Galen came, liimsell, to meet him and greet him, saying : "I am pleaded to meet you. Any patient of Dr. Minnis's is a personal friend to me when bringing the proper credentials. In what way can I serve you ?" "My shoulder " Norman was begin ning to say. "Just so. Step into my pr ivate office." Norman entered, laid bare his shoulders, and the doctor, as he proceeded in remov ing the slight dressing of his wounds, uttered, half under his breath, yet still audible to his patient, a. rapid series of exclamations. "Well, well, well I" "Do you find it in a bad condition ? I suppose I should have had it attended to mote promptly." "No, no. The vtound is doing nicely, and amounts to nothing to speak of." "I thought hy your exclamation it had passed into some new condition."' "No, no !" said tlie doctor, laughing. "I was surprised at your heavy develop ment of c'est and muse'e, so greatly in contrast with 3'our facial indications. You are a very big little man, sir not so little, either I should more properly say you are a bigger man than you look. 1,'ifie the Dutchman's horse, you are big when you are lying down." Norman smiled. "How did you get this wound ? It is almost a wound in the back." continued the doctor, as he worked busily at his art and mystery. "I was on the top of a stage, and we were fired upon by footmen In the road." "The direction ot the ball-hole indicates as much. The wound also shows it to have been a nearly spent ball. "Perhaps it was. I can not tell much about how I got it ; we were busy at the time the driver and I and the balls were numerous and lively.' "Stage robbers ?" "Yes. sir. '' "When ?" "On Monday." "Where ?" ''Summit of Buckeye Canon grade." "I know the place have hunted quail with Minnis. Anybody killed?" "I do not know not any of the passen gers." 'Why, you don't say you fought them ?" "We did." By this time the doctor was through with all that was to be done, and assisted Norman to dress. "Doctor, what is your charge ?" "Nothing, sir. A young man who fights stage-robfiers, anil is a friend of Dr. Minnis, is welcome to any service I can do him." . "Thank you, doctor," said Norman, moving quietly toward the door. "Good day, sir." . "I will be happy to see you at any time. Let me see," referring to the card, "why, bless me ! Maydole ! I know your father. Come and see me. Good day." Norman returned to his work on the books. He worked deliberately, diligent ly, like Champollion, deciphering, by scientific classification, the hidden mean ing of a "dead" thing. Day after day, his Hie wore on in ngree able monotony. Day after day. Colonel Holten, with his quick, all-seeing glances, watched- him, and silently warmed to ward him. Day after day. he met the family of his employer and friend, and sought ways to serve him. Mrs. Ilolten called him a good boy not to lis face, however. Miss Judith Holten nud Miss Alice Winans drew him into talks about the mountains, and listen ed attentively when he threw the blood of life-into hunting stories and mountain adventures ; 'while the two younger girls said that his talk was "juet splendid, " Miss Alice Winans was rather puzzled with him. In her philosophical intellect lie was alwas-s something between a latent monster and a good young gentleman, while in her heart he began to be a photo graphic "negative," which only greJV distinct against the dark shadow ot him which lurked in her intellect. Over the shadow she talked, analyzed, and philoso phized ; over the "negative" she sighed and kept silent. Queer it is, at times, that our heads go one way and our hearts the other. There is no science in love ami mighty little judgment. Blessed be the man who first invented true love he didn't put much brains Into it. If he had. he would have spoiled it, and poor, ordi nary male devils could never marry the grandly sensible women that they some times do marry. If thetse were to wed only the wise, there would be a monopoly of wisdom. Nature abhors a monopoly no less than she does a vacuum. The inven tor of true love seems to have been famil iar with these great facts ; hence, we have the dirty water poured from the window upon the wise pate of Socrates by his wedded wife, who had no taste for a fill) head with a lean larder. Norman w3 discussed by the two young ladies from time to time. "Father is taking a strong fancy tor Mr. Maydole," said Judith, in one of the dis cussions of the voting man. "I do not see why lie should not." , "Nor I. either. But I am suspicious of father's weakness that way." "I do not call it weakness." "Perhaps it is not, in this case at least, I hope not. But father has always had a romantic notion of finding some kind of an ideal young man. He is always, as the miners call it. 'prospecting' for such a person. An honest, heroic young fellow, who is not spoiled by billiards and fooli: li nes." "Does your father object to billiards, and permit billiard tables in his own house ?" "No, not to billiards in moderation. But he dislikes I may say abhors all futile absorption. You will hear film, some time, talk about it about the young men of this age tin-owing their immortal souls into billiard balls, and lounging their energies away in the smoke of fancy brands of cigars, and so forth." "Had lie no youthful follies ?" 'I do not know, of course ; but as near as I can find out, father has always been a worker and a di iver. Something ot a hero, perhaps." "On Change?" "More than that, I think. The men who were young along with him, years ago. have told me that in the early day? of the gold diggings, father used to lead the fights against the Indians and wrong doers. I have also heard him speak of such things." "Judith you have a great aJmiration for your father." "I should say I had," said Judith, with a round, full, and assuring emphasis. 'My father is the jewel ot all our tribe. Yet he is so modest that he does not know it. He always puts mother's people above himself. They are good people, it is true, but father is worth all of them put together ; and I say it, not to disparage them, but to do him justice." 'Do yon think Mr. Maydole lias charac teristics resembling those of vour father ? 'I do not know. Sometimes I think he has. But we can not tell about that till he is more tried. See what my father has come through in his younger life ; leaving home almost a boy ; looking cut for hi ni sei t ; then plunging into the wildest days of the gold excitement, with no hand to softly it could not have been done any other way hold him back from the riot and fascinations of those times. Yet here he is to-day, so far as I can learn, a strong, clean, domestic gentleman. Out of the midst of much badness he lias grown to be better than good." Mss Alice made no immediate reply ; perhaps she paused to hold the "negative" against tlie shadow. Then she said : "Judith, you are like your father." "Doubtless I look like him, but I'm not like him." "Why not?" "Because he is sell-poised and perpen dicular, while I cling, like a great squash vine, to whatever is higher than I." VThat is because you are a woman. " "There are plenty of women who cling to nothing." "Trial may deprive you ot your tendrils then jou, too, will be self -poised and perpendicular." . "Never. I have a mother, also, as well as a father. When my father strikes his tent, my mother mounts the camel of obedience, and rides in the family caravan, without asking 'whither.' I fear I have inherited the amiable weakness." "That is because she has learned to follow a strong man." "Well, I shall not follow a weak one," replied Judith, in what seemed flat con tradiction of herself ; then she added ; "I, at least, must think he Is strong, or I never will put myself iu a way to follow him." This conversation, so far, does not seem to be much of a discussion of Mr. Maydole, and yet, to the astute brain of Miss AlWe Winans, it said much that she wished to And out about Mr. Maydole's prospective position in the Holten family, and caused her to wish that tlie 'negative would fade frim off her heart. In tr?V days through which this little story runs the news did not 'travel as it does to-day. It had to be carried partly by stage, then some distance by rail ; but even in that case, it would have come direct enough if the news-gatherer had the alert energy which is manifest to-day. The news of the attempted stage-'robbery went backward to the principal mining town nearest to which It occurred, and thence, being published in the dally towu paper in full, found its way, ns a brief "State Item," into the city journals. No whisper ot Norman's war Ttith thw robbers had yet found its way into tlie Holten house ; but, during the late even ing conversation last above related a occurring between Miss Judith and Mis Alice, Colonel Holten came in with M country mail, as it was his custom to keep himself posted on matters throughout tint State, and sat down to take his comfort in a quiet gjance at tbe. general outlook. He read away quietly . enough, opening' paper after paper, ripping off the wrappers with his thumb, till at length he began ft series of exclamations, such as, ''Well. I declare !" "Well done !" "Good boy !' "Served 'era right !" and so on, I until his wife, catching the excitement, asked : "What is the matter, my dear? I' there n break in stocks ?" "No, my dear. Listen." Then lie read it carefully, in good style, tor he was thoroughly waked up to its met its, while his wife, in her turn, applauded with astonished exclamations. "I must take it right straight to the girls,' said Mrs. Holten, gasping the paper, and passing to tlie door. 'Tell them not to lose that paper,", the Colonel called after her as she passrd out. Mrs. Holten carried the paper te her daughter's apartments, and finding the young ladies not yet gone to bed, handed it in at the door, saying : "Here's news for you, girls," and straightway returned to her husband. "Read it Alice,' requested Miss Judith, giving it to her friend, who sat halt-buried . in a softly-cushioned chair ; and Miss Alice read ns follows i "THE ROBBER FOILED I "THE VILLAINOUS 'COCHO FIZAN' PROB ABLY KILLED BY YOUNG MAYHOLK." Having read the display lines at the head ot the article, she laid the hand which held the paper down in her lap, and look ed at her companion. "Bead on," said Judith, "and let us know if this Coeho Is a pig or a person."- "I Imagine he is a corpse. Didn't yoi hear him, at the breakfast table, adroit that he was a crack shot, as they call it?' "I don't remember read on.' Miss Alice looked at her friend again. and then read : "The stage from this place was waylaiiT on Monday forenoon, at Buckeye Canon by three masked men, heavily armed withr doiible-b.-irreled shot-guns and revolvers. 'Curlv' lieese. the driver, says that the robbers leaped into the road, stopped the team, and commanded Norman Maydole,. Jr. (son of our worthy County Clerk, the- only outside passenger, to throw up his hands. Maydole did not throw up his bauds worth a cent ; but on the contrary, drew his pistol and dropped ll-.e captain of the gang at the first fire, t'len continued to fire upon the other two. while he, "Cur ly,' plied the lash to his horses, and drove out ot range. He further states that the whole thing did not last a minute, and that one of the robbers presumably the notorious "Cocho Pizan' is dead J and he thinks also one ot the other robbers is as g.iod as dead. This statement is confirm ed by other reports from down tlie road. 'Curly' exhibits his hat perforated by ball ; also, the ball-holes in his coach, and states that young Maydole is wounded In one of his shoulders, hut not seriously. "Norman Maydole. Jr.. is a most wor thy young man ; pupil, friend and proteg ot the late lamented and admirable Judge Ciayton. if he has killed the famous and infamous 'Cocho,' he has done the State service, and set our people an example, which, it" followed up, would make of" stage robbing a lost art. The stage and express companies should -make to Un voting man, and also to the driver, some fitting testimonials of esteem and admira tion tor their gallant conduct. 'Later. "Cocho Pizan' is undoubtedly- j dead ; which fact proves the wisdom of j the colored janitor of the Court-house, at this place, who said, when the rumor was first heard : "Yo bet yo' lite, ef Xaw nun piuted a loaded pistel at a man. and fired hit off, dat man's dead er mighty sick. ' " Then Miss Alice laid her hands and the newspaper in her lap, and, leaning back in the luxurious chair, looked at Miss Ju dith whose eyes were brilliant and steady, "I think his conduct Is as modest and heroic as any I ever heard of these sever al days he is in this house talking about ids home and the mountains, and yet nev er to mention one word about an action so gallant and so very recent It almost seems that be has kept It back tor dramatic effect." "Oh, no T I think not, said Miss Alice, in a weary sort of manner, still leaning back in her chair ; "I suppose if we had known enough to lead the conversation In that direction, he would have talked of It. "Would you not liave spoken ot it among your earliest words, tf yo had been in his place ?' "The question is not to be asked me the conditions are impossible. He does not think of it as we oxx To htm It is but the firing off of a gun, to which he is ac customed as to the snapping ot one's fin gers ; a little noise and 'racket tliat's alt it Is to him." "But yon forget" tliat he Is wounded, and has been wounded while we were talking to him all these days. It does not seem real. It doesn't seem possible that such a man could be so near, and yet look so little and so nnlike what he is." "He Is larger than Napoleon Bonaparte, than General Phil. Sheridan, or than many other men who have cast long shadows across the wor'd." "Alios, it don't seem to me we have been as considerate of hiro as he deserves. I begin to feel a growing sense of no worthiness In his presence." "His conduct has been very direct, hon est, simple, and modest.' "Well," said Judith, "my mind is mwte up. I am going to regard him hereafter as a superior person, and treathim as such. (TO KE CO. 11M-.. " t A- '',s:s.