it
i
Y
M
THE MARIPOSA WAR
By ROY
Copyright by
HEY wero both miners and
, owned claims on the samo
gulch, but wero neither
friends nor well acquaint
ed; otherwise there prob
ably would havo been no
Mariposa War, to pass
down In district legend,
even though It escaped
tho light of school his
tories. Dut thcro was a war, as any
man in Mariposa will testify.
1)111 Thompson Btood six feet three
In his stocking feet, and wasn't glvon
to much conversation. Ho owned
Number Four on Mariposa, had good
ground, and workod it well. Jim Tip
ton owned Number Two on tho samo
crcelc, but didn't work it, save for as
sessment, because he had another
good pleco of ground across tho low
divide, on Goldpan, where he hold
forth. They were about the same age,
and neither of them had any bad
habits that is, so far as any one In
the camp evor knew. Maybe this was
one reason why they weren't well
known. A man has to have some bad
habits in order to bo what Is goner
ally called "popular."
The war wa3 caused by two women,
& bulldog, nnd a claim. The claim
was Number Three, on Mariposa,
which stood between their stake
lines, and had once been owned and
worked by Old Bill Danks. Old Dill
had a good piece of ground, a water
right, and a hydraulic plant. Doing a
man who preferred telling about what
he was going to do in preference to
showing what he had done, he got
Just about that far and quit. He died.
His heirs put Number Three in the
hands of an eastern agent, who has
since changed his home address, and
perhaps his name. Anyhow, it's a cer
tainty he never came West, where
eeveral of the boys wanted to meet
him and give him a reception. Ho
knew the kind of reception it would
be, and wasn't anxious.
One noon when the sun was shin
ing, In tho summer-time, and dust was
on the trails, tho stago from Durdlck
came rattling along and dumped out
a woman together with several boxes
and bundles, and she wasn't tho kind
the camp know. She didn't look as if
she cared for dancing. She talked
for a minute with the proprietor of
thq Palace Hotel, which really wasn't
a palace, and ho called Bill Thomp
son over from where he had been
throwing supplies on tho back of a
mountain buckboard he always had
when getting an outfit.
"Bill," he said, "this Is Miss Es
merelda Drown. She's bought Num
ber Three, on Mariposa, and Is goin'
to be a neighbor of yours. Can't you
give her a lift up tho gulch?"
Bill wasn't much of a ladies' man,
and at first didn't like tho Job; but
Eho put put her hand, and gave him
one of thoso smiles that a woman
nover learns until she Is at least
thirty yearB old, and from that min
ute she owned both Bill and the buck
board They drove away out through tho
shacks and tents and over the river
flat into the canon, and sho talked
and Bill said "Sho," or "Do tell," or
anything elso In1 tho way of conversa
tion that seemed polite and interest
ing; and before they had driven two
miles he learned that she had sunk all
her money in buying Number Three,
had read in the Weekly Woman's Ad
visor, published at Page Center, Iowa,
of how women made the best miners
In the world, and so had come West
to make her fortune. She was willing
to stay till she made it, even if it
did take a couple of months. BUI
thought probably It would take that
long, anyway. He didn't tell her he
had been mining for twenty years,
and hadn't made it yet. I
They drove away past thfc flats, and
up where tho timber grows big, and
fine, stately, and tho farther they
drove tho more confidential sho got
nnd the moro certain Bill was that
she had qulto a little to learn about
tho West. He tried to picture her In
rubber boots holding the nozzle of a
giant, but somehow it didn't seem to
work. Bill didn't have much faith In
the Weekly Woman's Advisor, at
least, not as much as she had
Finally, when tho sun was setting
nnd they swung round a bond to tho
cabin on Number Three, standing
there with Its door closed and almost
surrounded by big tamaracks, sho
seemed a llttlo awed by the lonesome
ness of It, and the only comforting
thing ho could offer was that his
cabin was Just "up tho gulch a little
farther." Then she reciprocated by
Inviting him to come back down for
dinner, mid he, being polite, accepted,
Besides, he was hungry.
When she first came up on the big
bank abo,vo tho cut and watched Bill
swinging tho noso of the hydraulic to
ward the face, or shifting the muck
off bed-rock at tho bottom, it seemed
very fine Tho swirling of tho water
and tho easo with which he handled
it appealed to her, as bIio sat down in
n clump of wild daisies, but it grad
ually became borne in upon her that
it wasn't exactly woman's work, al
though tho editor of tho Advisor, In
a boul-inspirlng editorial, had coun
seled her readers to "Tako their truo
places In tho world." Sho recalled,
with some falntnesB, a poem In thoso
same pages:
MARTHA WASHINGTON NOTE
Written to Mrs. Francis Washington
and Is Sympathetic
Throughout.
A fine specimen of rare autograph,
a two-pago quarto letter of Martha
Washington, dated Philadelphia, Feb
ruary 10, 1793, written whllo George
Washington was president, will bo
sold at auction by Stan. V. Henkels In
that city. It Is addressed to Mrs.
Francis Washington and 1b a letter
T
ia
NORTON
oJI BB
F. L. Nelson
Sisters, let us all be up and doing;
Let ua take our places In the mines.
Iet us show the hulking men-folk
We are not behind the times.
It hnd sounded rather Inspiriting
then when read at "The Woman's
Saturday Advancement Club," but
when put to the test its ringing turn
ed to pitiable tinkllngs. Sho decided
sho would have to have help.
So it was that one night sho took
Bill's advice. Ho agreed to hire a
man for her, let tho man live at his
cabin, and "kinder boas tho Job." The
hiring wasn't easy, as men wore
scarce in thoso dayB in Mariposa
that is, mon who would work for day
wages; but Bill hired an anclont
miner whose chlof claim to notice was
that he complained about moat every
thing in sight, from tho way the wil
lows grew on tho creek to his daily
rheumatism. They called him, "Doc,"
because ho had nover been a doctor,
but had taken more patent medicines
than any other man on tho Big Di
vide, and titles don't count much,
after all in hydraullcking. That lat
ter part he understood, and in a few
days more there might bo heard each
morning tho mighty niBh of well
directed waters on Number Three.
Miss Ksmerelda did learn one thing
about mining, though. Sho know how
to clean up the sluices and treasure
tho gold that came In Inviting yollow
grains between the riffles. So, before
long, affairs on Mariposa wero pros
perous and pleasant.
There camo a day, as before, when
tho stago camo up with a Jerk before
tho Palace Hotel, and as if in repeti
tion, dumped out another woman who
didn't have much luggage and was not
alone. Sho was accompanied by about
tho ugliest brlndle bulldog that ever
came west of the Rockies. She step
ped out with a self-confident air,
glowered unabashed at the men who
gaped at her, and said to the pro
prietor of tho Palace:
"Here, yr ! Hook onto them things
and look lively! I'm Mrs. Mlrandy
Tlbbets, and I've bought Number
Three gold mine on a river called the
Mariposa. Tako thom things Jnsldo
till I find somo ono who ain't too lazy
to take me up to my property."
She was business, all right, and she
knew woman's rights and Mrs. Pink
ham from A to Z. She made folks
step around lively, and, partly be
cause he was aft aid of her, and part
ly because he didn't, want to work, the
landlord "sluffed her off" on Jim Tip
ton. She started in to boss Jim from
tho minute she met him, but, ho
wasn't the kind to oe bossed. He
sized her up critically, and decided, as
ho afterward said, that If sho were
"well halter-broke and taught not to
tangle her picket-rope, she wouldn't
be a bad one to own." So ho called
her down.
"Look hero, Mrs. Mlrandy," he said,
with his soft drav.i, "I don't know
nothln' about wlmmen's rights, nor
none of them things, so don't give me
none of your guff on that line. You
ain't got no soft snap buttin' upagtn'
you. There's a woman a-workln'
Nuniber Three now, an' she says sho
owns It. Ef you've got the goods, It's
your'n. Ef you ain't you've been
bunked, an' homebody's peddled you a
brick. Now, let's git down to busi
ness." That took her down some. She
looked at Jim for a minute, as if sho
thought of sicking tho dog on him,
but ho didn't look the kind to be
afraid. They stared fnto each other's
eyes for about a moment, and from
then on Bho belonged to James Tip
ton. Sho was a widow, and under
stood men. After that they got on
amicable terms, and It wasn't very
long until Jim was involved in all tho
troublo about Number Three. Ho
pacified her as best he could, and
told her that on the following day he
would take' her up to the claim and
try to get the tangle straightened out.
Tho sun was shining, the birds
singing, and overythlna bright and
gay, when they camo up to Number
Threo on tho following morning,
heard tho boom of the hydiaullc, and
tho singing notes of a woman's oIco.
Doc was hard at work, grumbling to
himself as usual, and Bill was Just
coming down the trail when the visi
tors arrived. It all looked peaceful
and very llttlo like war.
"Morning'," said Jim, after stopping
his horses.
"Mornln'," answered BUI, coming to
a halt and looking at them. Ho con
fessed after that ho thought by the
way Jim assumed proprietorship over
tho woman and tho bulldog that ho
owned them both.
Jim calmly cllmbod down from his
buckboard, uftur throwing tho mlutt to
Mrs. Mlrandy, and sauntered foiward.
Tho singing inside tho cabin had
stopped, and Esmerelda stood in the'
doorway, looking with wonderment on
tho meeting.
"Bill," began Jim, "there's somethln'
crooked about this deal out hero on
Three This here woman with mo Is
Mrs Mlrandy Tlbbets, and she's got a
deed of sale for this mino. SIio'b come
after Jt."
Bill stopped nn Instant, aghast. He
recalled now that he had never Been
any papers conveying tho claim to
Esmerelda, and suddonly It camo over
him strongly that ho would hate to
seo her worsted in something on
which she had set her heart and
full of sympathy It Is accompanied
by a letter of John Burkhardt, giving
a hlBtory (Henkels calls It "a very
scaley ono") of how he camo Into
possession of It. Ho says that It was
found near the Washington mansion
at Mount Vernon by a member of IiIb
company, (Company F, Ono Hundred
and Forty-Sixth Indiana regtmont),
who presented It to him. Mrs. Wash
ington's letter is as follows:
"Since my last, your letter of th&
25th Januuary Is come to hand. I sin
sincerely sorry to hear thnt the poor
major's complaints continue. The AH-
wherein she was hnppy. Ho knew
that It was none of his business, but,
somehow, after all, it seemed his
fight. Ho would run a bluff for Es
merelda. "Oh, tho girl thnt's hero's got tho
papers, all right, Jim," ho said. "She's
got tho papers. Besides, bIio'j told
mo all about It, an 1 know it's on th
square. There ain't nobody got no
rights to this claim but Esmerelda
Brown."
Now, Jim Tipton was a man of
strong opinions himself, and was of
an Inquiring turn of mind, needing to
havo proof for any assortion made
with such confldonco. Tho bluff didn't
work, and before Bill could lnterfero
he had turned to Esmerelda and ask
ed to seo tho papers. Esmerelda, be
ing truthful, nt onco Bald the papers
wero In a safe-dcpoBlt vault back in
Iowa.
"Bill," Jim said, "this ain't my fu
neral, but I reckon yils girl ain't got
no papers, and Mrs. Tlbbets has. So
thlH hero girl's got to go."
Bill felt his hair ralso. This was
too much. First because ho felt him
self to bo Esmcrelda's only champion,
and, second, becauso Esmerolda's
word had been doubted, which was
beyond endurance. Big as ho was,
and, therefore, according to tho rules
of size, good naturcd, be flashed out,
like a pleco of fuse that has been
overdrlcd.
"Got to go, hi she? Well, not
while I'm here, my bucko. She don't
go till I say so, an' I ain't done nono
so much talkln about It yet. 1 ain't
a-huntln' trouble, but it's a-goln to
take an officer to show me why she's
got to git off Number Three."
Ho advanced aa he talked, until ho
faced Jim, who Btood his ground
squarely and unafraid. It's probablo
tho war would havo broken out then
had not Mrs. Mlrandy, with good Judg-
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"ESMERELDY
HE SAID, AND HIS
ment, swooped down on Jim, pinioned
his arms, and culled a halt.
"Don't pay no attention to him,"
sho said. "You Just tako me back to
town where I can get at court, an'
I'll show him something. I'll havo
the law on him that's what I will."
Ai,d JSni, being under her armp, and
a llttlo 'surprised, and a llttlo slow, al
lowed himself to bo tolled oft to the
buckboard and back to camp
As the buckboard went wobbling off
down i ho trail in a cloud of dust,
Bill's D:g flats relaxed, nnd ho turned
toward the weeping girl In tho door
way. "Ksmeieldy," he said, and his voice
was husky, "It ain't truo, la It, that
thlu woman beat you to It? You havo
got real papers, ain't you? You didn't
let nobxly skin you, did you? I ain't
wantin' U do nothln' that ain't on the
square. If you'v got doekymntn it's
all well and good; but If you ain't,
I'm ready to fight for you, anyhow, an'
If they clean you out they'll havo to
tako me In, too."
And thon he tried to comfort her
while she sobbed against his shoulder
and assured him that she had tho pa
pers, and that If there was any mis
take aho didn't know what It could be.
That night Doc, swearing alternate
ly at his rheumatism, womanfollc In
general, and his horso, rodo to Dur
dlck, whero he Eent a telegiam East
for tho missing deeds. Then ho whip
ped a somewhat coarse Jester, who
wanted to know how the "petticoat"
was that "bossed the work on Mari
posa." wiso disposer of events only can re
lieve htm and I trust he will In his
good tlmo deliver him from his great
distresses and difficulties. I am sorry
dear little Charles 1b not woll, the
season of the year is bad for all com
plaints, the weather being so warm;
It 1b happy for you thnt Mario and Fay
etto keep well, Indeed my dear Fanny
I am very glid to hear from you and
am pleased that kind provldenco has
nabled you to support yourself under
your greut affliction. I can with the
greatest truth assure you that the
president and myself feel very sincere
BI1I went to his cabin so full of
troublo that ho couldn't sleep, nnd
down In tho camp Jim was entertain
ed by Mrs. Tlbbets until ho wns ready
to dio for hor, if it camo to a question
of right and tltlo.
Two days' armistice wont by, Bill
and Doc awaiting evnts and Jim puz
zling his head over the ndvlce of law
yers, who always wanted a little
further time to look into tho caso,
and used Latin terms which he
couldn't understand. The next day ho
took a trip to bis own claim, but In
stead of working, crawled up on tho
rldgo to soc what was doing on Mari
posa. Everything was as usual, tho
trees standing silent, tho shadows
crawling with regularity along tho
canon wall, and tho big giant down
b-low rapine ftnd tearing away at
the earth. This laBt was too much,
Jim hurried back across tho divide
and then down to tho camp, where,
on the following day, he expostulated
with tho lawyers.
"I tell you," ho said, banging his fist
on tho nearest table, "this law gamo's
all right, but it ain't the way to han
dle a feller or a woman, either, that's
Jumped a claim."
"Easy, easy," urged tho lawyer.
"Easy bo dnmncd! Can't you see
they're a-workln' the mlno all tho
time, and a-gcttln' out pay while
you're cadgln' around hero and doln'
nothln'?"
Then ho tore madly out of the
shanty, walked gloomily around tho
camp for a while, and decided to talk
to his protegee. Sho had taken to
tears by this time, and that strength
ened his resolution. Ho went to bed
resolved that on tho morrow he would
end tho law's dolny, conduct the af
fair according to his own code, nnd
foros a settlement.
It was barely daylight when ho
rode up tho Mariposa trail, followed
it'
SMK
VQ1CE WAS HUSKY.
by the brliidle bulldog, which had
adopted him as & master and seemed
p.eased with tho now partnership.
Thuy cuine to the cut first and found
Doo with tho stream working.
It's possible that there would hnve
Iieen an arbltratlin had not Doc boon
so peculiar. Ho pretendediot tu seo
Jim, but spotted tho bulldog and
switched tho lever. Thcro was ono
frightened jowl, nnd for one quick in
stant tho air waa filled with water
and dog. Tho bull landed about pO
feet up the bank, caught his breath,
tucked his tall between hlj legs,
and mnde a speed record for tho
camp.
But, In tho meantime, things wero
doing with Jim and Doc.
Jim unllmbered a Colt's of antique
but trustw "hy pattern, and his first
shot hi ought Doc Into tho air bpruwl
(! out and quiet ThoVieport had
barely died away when there camo an
other "Bang" from up the gulch,
whore Bill had appeared on tho scene,
Jim felt his loft arm go numb, and
dropped to cover until he could seo
whore tho shot came froni, Then the
two combatants arose and blned
away at each other, but with bad aim
becauso between them waB a sheet of
spraying water where the hydraulic
waB playing silvery sheets aimlessly
Into tho air, heedless of the part It
was taking In the llttlo war.
Jim soon realized that he had made
ono mlstako, that of not coming pro
pared for a long range duel with no
other ammunition than the cartridges
In his gun As his last shot blazod
ly for you In your heavy aflllctlon and
will take pleasure In doing everything
'we can to make jour troubles as light
to you aa wo can. Thank God we are
nil woll If Patty Dandrldgo can be
useful to you I hope sho will stay
with you.
"I will, my dear Fanny, have you a
bonnet nnd cloak made and sent by
tho first opportunity. At this tlmo
thoro Is no vessel hero for Richmond,
but I expect there will boon be, as the
river is frco from Ice, which Is a vory
uncommon thing at this scrboii of the
year. My lovo (to) the major and a
oez' "
out and ho saw his antagonist still
unhurt, ho cursed his luck and turned
back down tho trail, knowing that In
n mere physical contest ho would ho
no match for that giant above, who
was also hurrying to his cabin for
moro cartridges. So tho war ended
thnt day, and Jim went under tho
camp surgeon's caro to wait until his
wounded arm healed.
Four days of waiting passed on
Number Threo, In which tlmo BUI
carefully cleaned up his rlflo each
morning, and passed tho day with
Doc, who was a trlflo inconvenienced
from tho offects of tho bullet which
had glanced along his skull but had
brought no moro serious injury. Then
tho mail cninv, bringing with It tho
missing deed for tho property duly
Blgnod, attested and recorded back In
Iowa, and BUI felt greater confidence.
This was broken in upon by tho sher
iff. It waB woll along In tho afternoon
when tho officer arrived with a posse
sufficient to make It interesting for
the most dospcrato man In tho range,
and by his stdo triumphantly rodo Jim
Tipton, with his arm in a sling. Bill
grinned maliciously at this ovldonce
of his marksmanship, nnd with a non
chalant air chowod a plno-splll as tho
posso camo to a halt In front ef tho
cabin.
"BUI," tho sheriff opened, "I think
you're on the wrong trail. I've como
up hero with tho papers from tho
court, nnd If you want to see it I've
got the deed glvln' this Number Three
to the Wldder TlbbetB. Guess you'll
havo to hike."
Bill's expression of confidence wan
ed, and he thought of his gun,
"Deeds, deeds," ho growled, In a
surprised tone. "If you've got a deed.
Hank, I'd llko to seo it. Wo'vo got
one, too."
It was tho officers' turn to bo sur-
V
MV?' nfcv .
'"'a;, s . v '"
'ss'isyi
"IT AINT TRUE, IS IT?"
prised. They hesitated, dismounted,
and hold a confab wheMn tho two
documonts were compared, and found
to havo been Issued on tho imrno dato
and recorded in two different places
nt the same hour
Mattora wero growing complicated.
Jim and BUI had nothing to sav, and
the sheriff wus puzled. Ho looked nt
tho two papoia again, and softly
swoio at the agent who had sold tho
proiwrty twice for tho samo amountB
of money, r.nd with dlfTeient HQta of
witnesses. It was too much for him.
"I reckon thero ain't nothln' to do
but to take both theso documents
back to the court," ho finally said,
"but I don't think It's a squaio deal
for you to kcop your giants a-workln'
on tho bank, Hill, until It's nettled "
BUI was nbout to explain that thero
wasn't any powor on earth that ho
knew of that would l:..,p him from
turning on the stream each day as
long ns ho bonaed tho mlno for 1,'.
merelda, but sho herself, white, trem
bling, und wanting to avoid troublo,
silenced him, nnd nssured tho sheriff
tho pIiwD should rest,
It was up to tho I&,w now, the thing
that took away property by means
not undoistandablo, und always loft
people pooroi than when they staitod
along Its dovloua trails; but thero
was nothing elso for It. Tho noxt
day found tho big miner In tho camp
seeking legal advice for Esmerelda'
und burdened with foreboding" nnd
gloom. Like Jim. ho felt himself
hopelessly enmeshed as ho turned
homeward after his orrnnd.
kiss to tho children, In which tho pres
ldent Joins mo. My lovo to your broth
ers and Bisters, nnd to Patty Dand
rldgo; tell her thnt her brother Is very
well. Nelly und Washington sent their
lovo to you and children, and that you
may bo enabled to keep your health 1b
the prayer of your most Affectionate."
Nell Qwynne'o 8ecret Door.
During alterations on tho first floor
of tho Nell Owynne tea rooms, High
street, Epsom, thoro tins been discov
It was dusk when BUI rode up to
tho cabin door ou Number Threo with
the dotormlnation to break tho news
as gently aa possible; Hnd nt nbout
tho samo tlmo Jim Tipton was ex
plaining hie forebodings to tho widow
In tho camp below.
Thon camo several days of waiting,
with nearly every ono in tho camp
making bets as to which ono of tho
contestants would win out at tho next
encounter, nnd nil expectant and ar
gumentative '
Tho result of this was that pretty
nearly every man in Mariposa had
takon sides, and was ready if It camo
to n flnnl settlement to enlist actively
In tho wnr. Sympathies wero about
evenly divided, nnd things were quiet
nt night becauso nearly all tho par
tisans wero busily engaged In tho
back ends of their cabins cleaning up
their weapons. It promised to bo
warm.
Both Jim nnd tho widow had disap
peared from tho rudo public gaze, and
were said to havo gono to Durdlck to
consult other lawyers. BUI was re
ported to bo too busy nursing Doo
and guarding Number Three to ap
pear In tho camp; and only tho bull
clog wns left to howl dismally In nn
Improvised kennel until his mistress
should call for him.
And In tho meantime tho lawyers
were busy, and fussy, nnd Important,
most of them being very joung mon
or very old men who had como to tho
West becauso their talents didn't
seem to bo In demand clsowhoro.
The break came unexpectedly. A
man on horseback, partisan of tho
Blll-Esmereldn fnctlou, pulled up ouo
afternoon In front of Bill's cnbln and
hnllod. BUI enmo to tho door nnd
peered out, his lingers c'utched on a
rifle-barrel behind tho door until ho
could recognize tho character of re
ception awaiting him.
"BUI," the rider said, throwing one
leg ovor tho pommel or his saddle
nnd dexterously rolling a cigarette,
"Jim's back from up at Burdlck, but
he ain't got nothln' to say. Ho Jest
naterally camo In on tho stage with
that wldder of hls'n, acted grouchy as
usual, and pullod out with hor for hla
claim over on Goldpan."
"Yes?" said BUI, emerging from the
door nnd looking disconsolately nt hla
frlond.
"Thought I'd better rnnm by nn'
tell you, so'b you enn keop on the
lookout. No tellln' what'U happort
noxt, now them lawyers Is llghtln'."
"LawyerB llghtln' now
"Yes, thoy vo got Into n row nmong
'cmsolves, each ono In tho camp
cliilmin' he saw you an" Jim Hrst.
Three of 'em's dissolved partnership
and nro llghtln' ovor which ono the
caso belongs to."
"Humph I Yes?"
"You seo, Number Thrco's n good
pleco of ground, nn' they knlkcrlato
there's fat plckln' comln' in bome-
whero when It glta to trial."
"Thanks, pal." And tho door shut
with a bang. ThiB wns the limit. Dill
walked up and down nnd thought out
a polutlon which resulted In a trip
to camp by tho now-recovered Dop
on tho following morning.
It was late on the following even
ing whon BUI. contentpd nnd whist
ling, his mind made up. crashod
through tho brush on tho hillsldo of
Goldpan, nnd camo cautiously down
Into tho flat In front of Jim's cnbln.
He was wise- un lo (he frontior, nnd
being on nn errand of peace, camo
unarmed and ostentatiously whistling
nnd swinging his ldlcflhands.
Jim saw him, mado a quick roach
for his gun, nnd then slowly dropped
his lingers nwnv nt tho evident Blgus
of amity. Ho advanced to meet his
enemy, and waited quietly for him
to tipproach within Bpenklng dlBtanco.
"Hello, there. Jim," said Bill, and,
without waiting for a return of his
salutntlon, continued: "I've got no
bhootln'-ironn on my bolt and no ill
will In my head. I'vo como to bo
friends with you, Jim, If you'll let
mc."
Jim paused n moment and peered
at him from under hla heavy gray
eyobrows, and then, as If satisfied, ex
tended hlB hand, which was tightly
gripped. Thoy stood awkwardly for
u momont, each wnltlng for words,
and then Bill continued.
"I como to toll you I don't wunt
tho Number Threo if I've got to light
for It. You cun tell tho wldder sho
can have It. Esmoreldy nor mo nln't
goln' lo fight for If no moro, and wa
don't want to bo bad friends with
either you or Mrs. Tlbbets."'
A hIow grlu overspread Jim's faco.
"Tho wldder don't want It, either,
Hill, anil I'm mighty glad you come
over. Somebody was bunked bv that
pesky agent, but It don't make no dif
fercuro. nohow. Mrs. Tinhorn got
other things to think about now. Wo
went up to Durdlck nnd got mnrrled,
and she don't hnvo to hnvo Number
Threo so long's I'vo got a pretty nice
patch of giound myself"
"Hell!' said BUI. "That's kind of
the snmo as with mo nnd Eameroldy.
Wo had the parson ovor fiom the
rump a couple of dnys nno. and wo
ain't In a llghtln' mood nono so's you
can notlco."
Then they laughed togethor, slap
ped eacn other on the back, and
forthwith proceeded to tall; It over
with Mlrandy.
That's how tho war on Mariposa
ended. Thoio aro two cabins on
Number Threo now, and any night
you ride by thoro you can seo two
follows smoking peacefully on the
samo bench, partnoru In this claim
und several others, whllo a big brln
dle bulldog sleeps nround their feet
or Is wooled about by a very old man,
who Is taking a now cure for rheuma
tism and staudlng loyally by Esmor
eldy. And tho lawyers? Woll, iy
didn't got tho fees they expected and
aro tho only enemies loft.
ered n secret door In tho bedroom
that waa uaed by Nell Gwynno,
who wna ono of Epsom'a fnshloiiabl
visitors whon tho town waa noted for
tho health giving properties of Its
waters.
Tho houso Is tho one to which
Pepya refers In his diary: "To Ep
nun by 8 o'clock to the well, whoro
much company. And to tho towne
to tho King's Head; and hear that
any Lord Uiiclshurst nnd Nolly are
lodged at tho noxt houso nnd Sir
Charles Sedley with thom: and koep
a merry house." London Dally Mall.
DRUMMER OF ARCOLA
LITTLE FRENCH LAD PUT AUS
TRIAN ARMY TO FLIQHT.
Napoleon'a Qreat Career Built Jpin
Hereto Episode Whloh Illustrates
Extraordinary Military Value
of 8plrlt-8tlrrlng Drum.
There stands In the French town of
Cadonet, his native place, a monument
to tho memory of "The Little Dress
mor of Areola," Andre Estlenne, the
hero cf ono of tha moat romantic epi
sodes in Ftonoh history. It waa aa
episode that Illustrated the extraordi
nary military valuo, eo often attest
by tho world'a greatest generala, at
what Othello called the "aptritatlTTiBa?
drum." It may bo aatd, cu.ioualyi
enough, that Napoleon Bonaparte's
great career was built upon a drum.
for tho battle of Areola waa won by1
tho beating of Esticnne's drum, and
tho Corslcnn himself always dated hla
confidence In his own fortune froaa.
this battla. won in 1796, The circum
stances were theao:
Bonaparte, hemmed in with a email
nrmy at Verona, betwocn two greatly
auporlor forces, sallied out at night,
mado a forcod march, and with H.000
men fell upon tho rear of 50,000 Aua
trians. The battlo lasted seventy-two
hours. On tho second day of tho fight
ing the Austrlans obtained such a po
sition that they completely and mur
derously awopt the bridge of Areola,
which tho Fronch had gntned, and
which thoy must hold If thoy expected
to win tho battle.
It waa an unlooked-for movement.
No officer waa noar, but Andre Es
tlonno, tho little drummer, waa there.
He went to hla sorgeant nnd told him
that he ahould cross tho bridge with:
his drum, and bent it on tho other
aide.
"But," protested the sergeant, "be
fore you placo one foot upon the
brldgo you will bo killed. No man on
earth could llvo on that bridge. Ho
ever, can you swim?"
"I can," said (the drummer.
"Then swim across with your drum."
"Impossible 1" returned Estlenne.
"Should tho drum become wator-aoak-ed,
I could not beat it on the other
side."
Dut the sergeant waa equal to this
difficulty. Bolng himself a fine swim
mer, he plunged Into tho water, bade
Andro mount upon hla shoulders and
hold his drum clear of tho water. In
this way tho two crossed tho river,
Andro beating hla drum lustily nil the
way. Onco on tho other side, he
poundod it In a way to well-nigh wake
tho dead. Tho Austrlans who "were
massed near wore nearly all raw re
cruits Hearing what they took to be
tho drums of nn ndvnnclng force of
French, and rcmomberlng tho terrible
French onslaught of tho dny before,
thoy fled. This left tho bridge clear,
and tho Fronch began to pour across.
Andre waa Joined by other drummers.
Tho Austrian flight bocame n rout
The Fronch swept on, with Andre Es
tienno, fltlll drumming at their head.
Soon tho whole Austrian force was re
treating, utterly beaten.
Years late Estlenno's horolc act waa
celebrated by being roproaented la
r.tono on tho front of tho Pantheon at
Paris. Tho funeral of the llttlo drum
mer of Areola was attended by n (Treat
concourse of French officers and sol
dlers. No Chop Suey In China.
"I havo Just como from a trip to
China," aald tho foreign ngent, "and
I found everything to eat thero except
chop 8Uy, While seeing the sights
In various Chlnose cities I would occa
sionally drop Into a restaurant to have
n blto of nntlvo food. An prder for a
bowl of chop suey Invariably was met
by n myRtlcnl shnko of tho head. The
fact la that thoy don't eat chop suey
In China. An intelligent Chinaman
tells mo that chop auey la eaten only
by pigs, cats and Americana. It is the
Amorlcan corruption of some Chinese
dish that probably waa very good..
Thoro Is n legend to tho effect that
It was Invented by some practical
Joker In San Francisco's Chinatown,
and from thoro Is has spread over the
entlro United States and moBt of Eu
rope. Even London, Paris and Berlin
now have their chop suey Joints where
respectable natives go and consume
tho stuff under tho Impression that
thoy aro being wicked. Chinamen In
Amorlcan toll mo thnt chop auey Is
enton only by the poorer Chlneao. who
ordor it in tho dingier restaurants be
causo It Is cheap."
Lark Now a Pest.
Assomblyman Struckenbmck, the
farmor-blacksmlth of San Joaquin,
Cal., Is devoting n great deal of hla
tlmo to getting voton for his bill to
permit tho shooting of meadow larks.
Ho snys thnt tho birds destroy not
only grain, but have lately dovolopcd a
fondness for melons that Is proving;
disastrous to tho cantaloupe crop.
Ono of tho Btrongest bits of ovldonoe
cltod by Struckenbmck Ib thnt when
tho agricultural demonstration train
of the University of California was
sent through tho state to teach the
farmors how to ralso tholr crops on
scientific principles tho meadow lark,
properly stuffed nnd mounted, occu
pied a dishonored place among the ex
hibits as n "post."
Observation In tho Holds has also
shown that the bird la too busy pick
ing up the farmers' grain to dovote
any tlmo to singing. Ho claims that
the lark, whose rippling melody, which
was onco the harbinger of spring and
the Inspiration of rhymesters, has now
become nn ordinary thief.
Very Frank.
He waa a great bore, and was talk
ing to a crowd nbout the eloction. Ho
said: '
"Bunco Is a good man; he 1b capa
ble, honest, foarloas and conscientious.
Ho will make tho vory kind of M. P.
wo need. He onco saved my life
from drowning."
"Do you really want to aee Bunco
elected?" a solemn faced old man
asked
"I do, Indeed. I'd do anything; to
seo him olectod," the boro said.
"Then never lot anybody know he
savod your life," counseled the sol
emn faced man.
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