The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 18, 1904, Page 13

rejoicing 1n for the mo- of Christmas RE was great tion Canyon estion dinner been settled to . ybody's satisfaction. For keys were scarce in the canyon d so were chickens. In of the miners would have had to compromise on bacon or plug canned corned beef was af- y called—if Doc had not needful and given a dinner ation to the whole camp. th For Do the best diggings in amp, also the first water right, e generally had grub in his cabin en two thirds of the other miners g on hope and rarefied at- d as Wilson’s heart was < his pocketbook—bigger, in n debt half the time reathed a sigh of re- realized . that their yer was in good hands. to be a high toned af- when Doc made the » camp with his invita- injunction to each is diamonds. affair,” a swell : ase the cook for- gets to put water on the Leans, so put and make the people think we have a first Ah Lee, who did the washing community. And busi- ecidedly qull with Ben of the miners had shirt stage of the vard accu- death, while he keeps his under cover as long 4s pos- Never mp had white & flapped on the of the Chinaman's cabin. the evening of the 23d Ben ne back @nd on tooff in his doorway, his eyes d ¢ e moonlit clothesline and his soul a-flutter with the ravishing mus f fiapping shirt tails. He would iron on the 24th, and in the evening the miners would come with the money for wa the goods for there to be no credit Christmas week. ou no catchum money you no catchum washee.” That was Ben Hoy's motto for Christmas week and the Chinaman grinned complacently as he lighted a candle and started a couple of joss sticks stinking. He was happy: s0 happy he thought he could stand a little of his own native music, so he got out his Chinese fiddle and played. And as the notes meandered down the canyon Sandy Furgeson sat in his cabin and drank them in. . “It's the bag-pipes,” he said to his partner—“my conscience, but it's grand music. So soothin’ to a home-sick body like me. T'll away up the canyon and seek the piper. “Nonsense,” replied his partner, de- risively; “it’s nothing but Thompson's cat and a stray Tom scrapping out on the tailings.” But Sandy only shook his head and listened. Ben Hoy put a little more stomach complaint into the high notes and the sounds that came floating down the canyon would have jarred the By J ame:?eymonr' AISY slammed down the lid of the typewriter desk viciously. It bad been an especially trying day. Mr. Cartaret had been as disagreeable as only the head of the firm can make himself, and she was so out of sorts that she did not even smile upon Jimmie, the elevator boy. ‘When she found Billy Teller waiting at the door she tried to pass without speaking. “What's the matter, girlie?” he asked, as he caught up with her and fell into step. “Do go away,” she said crossly. “I don’t want ever to speak to a man again.” “I don’t seem to be in line for head of a firm,” said Billy ruefully. “T asked the boss this morning if he could raise my pay, and he said I'd be lucky THE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL. AR 3 musical taste of a burro. “‘Oh, I know who it is,” said Sandy's partner. “It's that Chinese laundry- man; he ought to be run out of the camp. = “Is it now?” replied Sandy. “Weel, weel; T dinna ken the Chinese were sic musical bodies.” At 9 o'clock Ben Hoy put up his fiddle, took a last affectlonate look at the clothesline, then went to bed. But unfortunately for Ben Hoy and his sil- ver-lined dreams half a dozen mules frem Thompson’s pack train got loose during the night and incidentally bumped into the washing. They stripped it as clean as a whistle and when they were discovered the next morning one of the mules had nego- tiated about three yards of the clothes- line. ““They didn’t even spit out the clothes ping,” remarked Doc Wilson, telling of the affair afterward. Ben Hoy took the brush and it was probably just as well, for there was enough of that clothesline left to answer the purpose. if he didn't find he'd have to cut my wages until after election.” | ““What did you say?” she asked anx- iously. “Told him I supposed the election would be as good an excuse for a cut as anything he could think of, and he fired me for being impertinent." “I was dismissed, too,” she said. “I simply couldn’t stand some of Mr. Car- taret’s language, and when I protest- ed, he told me he was going to get a man so he could say what he wanted to.” " sald Billy. “Let's cele- “For our liberty,” he retorted. “Come on. we'll have supper downtown sume- where, and we’ll go to the theater aft- erward.” “And you'll go broke after that,” she supplemented. “Oh, I'm used to that!" sald Billy. “Come on in here.” “In here,” was a table d’hote, where a seven-course dinner with wine counld be had for 40 cents, and not being over- ¥ BILLY AND HIS A But the failure of Ben Hoy to deliver the gocds did not interfere with the preparations for the coming festivities. Doc Wilson was the busiest man in the ccunty and the way he' contracted for all kinds of feathered goods brought the water of admiration tp more than one hungry jawbone. He quartered his men in an old dance hall, and when the bunks has been screened with ever- greens and the walls festooned with bunches of live oak it made a commo- dious and appetizing dining-room. On the afterncon of the 24th the Widow Burns and her pretty daughter, Bess, came over from the Flat and had a peep at the preparations. The widow had to make a few suggestions, but after Doc turned some of the bunches of live oak upside down she was per- fectly satisfied and pronounced it a dream. Of course, Doc had to stand in with the widow, for he was going to marry her daughter, Bess, and the old woman was a good card to draw to. And there was no stacking the cards on the widow. When Doc first began sneaking particular as to the minor details of the service they enjoyed the meal thoroughly. Billy insisted upon paying 10 cents extra for a better grade of claret, and the festivities were in full swing when the obsequious waiter pulled out a chair and John Cartaret sat down at their table—right between the two. Matters calling for his attention had held him downtown, and he decided to make the best of the handiest restau- rant. “You see,” said Billy, breaking an awkward silence by the continuation of an imaginary conversation. “Ycu see this ‘Society for the Encouragement of Expletives Among Employers’ is bound to be a good thing. It will give the employer an excuse for swearing at his typewriter by letting him tell her that it's one of the rules of the organ- ization.” “May I offer a suggestion,” broke in Cartaret. To their surprise he was 8. t's a little irregular,” declared Billy, before Daisy could speak, “but ¥ il Ao " s around the Burns homestead the lady brought him up with a jerk. “See here, Loc,” she said the second or third time he called, “are you after me or after Besg? If you are after Bess it's all right, and if you are after me it's all right, but I want things understood from the start, for I am not going to have any more Donavan busi- ness going on in this establishment if T cax kalp it, and I guess I can.” For Larry Dgnavan, with his soft blarney and dsvil's own twist for love- making, had been Wilson's predecessor at the widow's. But Larry got to mix- ing his affectigns as he did his whisky and one morning he arose with a bad taste in his mouth. He kissed the daughter in the front room and hugged the widow in the kitchen once tco often, and when Mrs. Burns discovered that Larry had a right-arm hug for her daughter and a left-arm- squeeze for herself she did some vigorous Kkicking for a woman of her avoirdupois. Of course, Bess was too Indignant over the affair tc ever mention it, but if you wanted a sample of the widow's oratory in rag time all you had to do was mention the down-trodden *Irish and you would get it—gratis. S0 when Doc came a-wooing the widow naturally wanted to know in which d ction the needle of his affec- tion was veering, and Doc told her. “I'm after Bess,” he said, laconical- ly, “and I guess I can smooth out the zinks that Irishman left in her heart without any trouble.” So it was understood by all interest- ed that it was only a matter of time with Doc and Bess, for Larry did not dare come within telephoning distanca of the widow’s tongue, and Doc made love as vigorously as a man Kkilling rattlers. “1 may not have any ¢f your tailor- made moves in lovemaking,” he re- markKed, placidly, “but when it comes right down to passion, I can thrill the female heart with the best of them.” old 5 But Christmas morning came at last, and with the first beams Larry Dona- van swung up the canyon and slipped quietly into Wilson’s cabin. The Chin- aman was up to his neck in turkeys and geese and chickens all ready for the oven when Doc and Larry stepped into the kitchen. Larry was to cook the pudding, for he had established a reputation as a pudding cook on several occasions and Doc wanted this one to be a classic. “Stuft it with twenty-dollar. gold pieces,” said Doc, “if you think it will as founder of the society I am al- ways ready to listen to suggestions.” “1 would suggest,” said Cartaret, pushing away his soup plate, “that instead you both make application for reinstatement.” . “Motion carried,” said Billy. “What time d've want me to come around?” “If your duty to the ‘sociefy’ per- mits, may I suggest at 10 o'clock Monday ?” said Cartaret. “I'll be there,” Billy assured him. y, want to go to a show?"” “I beg pardon,” said Cartaret, with an_inquiring inflection. ““To the theater,” explained Billy. “Y'see we were going to celebrate los- ing our jobs. Now we can celebrate getting back at the same time. We're going to see ‘Halted at the Altar.’ It's & bully show.” “I am afraid,” said Cartaret, “that a business engagement will occupy most of the evening, but if you will permit, 1 should be glad to have you as guests at supper after the play.” “Say, we don't want to rub it in,” expostulated Billy. iprove the flavor any mething that will ling sries like love's first kis: Larry grinned and noddea. “1'1l give you the cream of me experience,” said but give us in our mem- "he, “but now don’'t be for telling any- body that I made the pudding, for th oid ba e of it nose.” “Oh, I'll take all ing the pudding,” s “If the f¢wl are not fl T'll skin the Chinama heavy, weil done, solng to stand pat 8o Doe went abe look! to the legving Larry to s c¢ompounding the camp ever put 4 Ten minutes aft saw the Chinaman the kitchen door big feet in clo attendance, “What's up? inquired Do tiously poking his head thro doorway. othing is up but the Chinaman.” 1 Larry. "I just knocked him down for sticking his heathen mug into the he credit for cook 1 Doc, f biggest pudd into. interview Doe ome flying thre with one of Larry's can- h the affairs of a Chrieti dding. But I'll have it underwa oW in a min- ute, then he can have the kitchen to himself and spoil things to his heart's content. But the nerve of him—sus- gesting an improve nt— Wurr Wurra! but he must have been lected in the bringing up.” At last Larry finished his business in down the The and 1 of su- the kitchen and sneaked off canyon as quietly as he had come Chinaman returned to his duties peace and happiness and the sm stomach-thriliing odors re preme. By 1 o'clock the boys from th yon congregated and by way of s liminary emptiel a steam of hot punch. “They need a mouthful of the cheerful said Doc, conte: ative- ly, “for the citizens of T Canyon are up aguninst a hard f tion.” And you could tell the Tribulation Canyon boys at sight. Only thre white shirts in the bunch, and two of these were nothing but flour sacks with holes punched through sides and bot- tom for arms and head Fate tried to worry them, but the bucket of punch completely routed sad times from their memories and started Sandy Furg son singing, “O Willte brew'd a peck «' maut” with a lift and swing to it that set mirth effervescing from the heart to twinkle in the eyes and mouth and happy laughter. Then the fiddler came. and with him the people from the Flat, and Doc dra healths enough in an hour to keep him sick for the remainder of the year. At last, like people of quality, the widow and her daughter arrived—ten minutes late. When the widow and her daughter rattled up to the cabin in their onme- horse turnout all hilarity ceased and the people flocked out to see Doc re- ceive them. For Doc was big and cumbersome and naturally clumsy— he had been known to trip over a match when sober—and as he was pretty well saturated with Christmas joy and punch, the boys thought they |might expect something startling in SR ASS AN the acrobatic line. But Doc assisted the Slushing Bess from the cart as gracefully as you please. The widow being plumper and heavier than her daughter was a‘trifle more generous with her weight, and Doc staggered under his armful of matured charms. But he landed her safe and sound, and the boys cheered lustily and yelled for a speech. Doc braced himself against the widow's moon-eyed sorrel and waved his hand for silence. “Ladies and gents,”” e began soberly, S CELEBRATION ¥ “I don’t think you understand,” said Cartaret, a little wistfully, “that the favor is yours. It's been fifteen years since I've bad young people about me, and I should really enjoy your com- pany.” “We'll buy a seat for you and leave it at the box office,” declared Billy. “Try to get in for the last act where the villain’s crazy wife kills him and three choir boys—it's great.” “I'll be there,” said Cartaret laugh- ingly. *“Such intellectual joys are not to be despised. And—if you will per- mit-" he ended with a glance at Daisy. and leaned over to whisper something to Billy. “Sure!” was the hearty answer. and Cartaret arose to return to his office. “What did he whisner? demanded Daisy, as they again turned their at- tention to dessert. “He savs,” answered Billy gravely, “that the job he wants me for needs a steady married man, and I told him 1 thought 1 could fix that.” (Copyright, 1904, by K. M. Whitehead.) Indian in_the p for joy. This f my life; yes. : they didn e proudest mc even prouder an the lynch me 1 g, for my soul warm ) the blushes of a certain one; my heart thrills to the musi laughter, and when the time for her to poke her little hand in > and whisper ‘y I'll have to wear ts to wade through th ce joy if 1 wan to keen ‘m nd when that appy time here will be ¢ ou can smell fr the foothil friends, this camp “anyon heers from legates.) I again =h you a nd if your appetites as the table tes, we'll ribul antic nyon mains r app have one Doec ywed to his heering admirers and then led the way to the dining- hall And such a dinner! A haif-dosen of Wilson's men acted as waiters, and although they had an occasional fowl roiling over the floor like a football, they vell, and landed most of th table. No cere- mon of the day, but everything we very nicely, with 1 able. The hum versation would ph stutter Dutch, h, with now and then & T from the kitchen rnt himself. And ury »f soun ady grind of d by the me- f knives and had sneaked in board, and as rsisted in feeding on got to fighting reeis. This tickled people immensely, and mo baronial touch to the n the ladies found their langer from the snap- appealed to Deoe, who »ded to kick the very them into the street. gh of repletion went round and Dac ordered in th took two of them to muster it into position when it w bowls of on the table and flanked by two sauce it made the contingent sigh for 15! gasped the widow, most stupendous affair I ever st have boiled it in the Doc grinned complacently. “It's my first effusion,” he said modestly, “and before I carve it I'll say right here that there is one quality it sure don’t lack and that is—quantity.” “My cc nee!” ¢ claimed Sandy Furgeson, “but it's a grand sight for a hungry een, Doc. That must surely be the chieftain o' the puddin’ race that Bobbie Burns teels aboot in ane o' his poems, to inquire if it raised we “Raised?” said Doc:; Chinaman setting on thirds the time to keen it from rais- ing the roof ! why I had the L A SR AR S e SRS fa ot I suppose it's superfluous | the boiler two- | =n. But it's a | sin against nature to keep so many | Christmas appetites In suspense, so here goes.” Doc made a lunge at the pudding with a huge carving kaife one held his breath. The knife peme- trated for about two inches and stopped. Dcc looked puzzied and shook his head. *T must have struck a change in the formation,” he remarked, pulling out the knife and looking at it critically. Then he lunged again. This time the knife penetrated clean to the hilt, Doe smiled and started to cut off a slice, but the pudding refused to disinte- grate. He bore down hard and sawed at it, but the pudding seemed to have the tenacity of a buildog and hung én to itself with a determination that stirred the bosoms of the spectatars to strange throbs. “Better give her a sack of glant fe and every powder and loosen her up a bit,” some . one suggested; but Doc was beyond the reach of suggestions. “Probably you struck a bome,” the widow remarked sarcastically, her nose reaching for higher atmosphere. Doc looked at her helplessly, then started digging at the pudding until he uncovered the obstruction and held it up In full view of everybody. “A sock! a sock!" resounded from one end of the table to the other and the din of the commotion ratiied the very shakes on the roof. 4 “That's what it is,” sald Doc grin- ning sheepishly, “and ,a damned old gum-boot sock at that, jydging by the heel of it. Now, if it only had been & nice lady’s sock it wouldn't have been so bad, but—" “Ladies don’t wear socks,” snapped the widow, viciously. “Don’t they?” said Doc, inmocently: “I thought they did. At least, all the ladies I ever saw wore socks or—" “You mean stockings—you great ig- noramus—long stockings!” The widow was using the loud pedal! with both feet. “Well, then,” replied Doc, “let us give thanks that it's sock instead of stoek- ing, for, being a sock, there isn’t so much of it and the less the pudding is flavored with—" “I didn't come here to be insulted!™ screeched the widow, jumping to her feet and kicking her chalr over Back- ward. You will be saying next that it's a clean sock and will aid digestion when hody knows there isn’t such a thing the camp after Thompson's stripped Ben Hoy's clothesline.” last shot settled the argument. Doe didn't say boo, so the company broke ranks to follow the widow. The Tribulation Canyon boys did remain to sympathize man and with their fellow towns- p finish the punch and uece, but somehow the flowin; lost its sparkle. L Doc went gunning for Larry Donavan the next day, but Larry had left the county the night before, taking the blushing Bess with him. Nevada City, Cal. ————