The Mascot of the Ten Strike.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 152, 24 December 1903, Page 11

The Mascot of the Ten Strike.

When Jim Potter wrote to the other owners of tho claim " I came out here to ■cc this thing through, and I am going to stick to it ns long us ther» is a ghost of a hope," they, in disgust, had said : " Then stick and be damned," Both of which he did. Potter believed in the "Ten Strike," because he knew it had been badly managed and had hnd no chance to show up to its prospect. Moreover, every cent he had been able to raise had gone into it, *nd it "was a desperate game with him betwr4u Beggary and opulence. To Mrs. Jim, however, he wrote only the sunny side oit the story, dwelling upjm the beat" »of tho world about him, their jclc<-> -prospects, and his hope of returning to her in tho spring. !So it »v i«mlv ■Di*±ujif! tluvt. when Mia. JJm grow nr*rt of waiting for hia homecoming, she announced that she had made up her mind to come to him. < Suddenly Jim Potter's point of view veered around to this Eastern-bred woman's probable impression of the Ten Strike life, and straightway. the situation appeared impossible. But, on tho other hand, he argued, if he wrote to her that, since her experience ot the country had beon only grassy slopes, shady lanes, artificial lakes, and frequent summer showers, a Californian mining-camp was too rough a place for her, she raicut think he did jiot want her, and trouble would ensue. However, the thought of hia wifo'B presence gradually broke down his weightiei objections to her coming, and after counting in the sacrifices her being here tuiuhi entail — throwing into tho Dalaneo Tier loyalty and good sense — the scales stili hung even but adding his own longing for ber tho drawbacks flew up an light «s trifles j ho it was with an almost boyish enthusiasm he wrote- for her to come. The day of Mr«. x Potter's arrival tho camp put qn a festive mood, the " boss " himself being tho only, ono who seemed to rfear tho result, but when, after alighting itt the door of tho little shack that was to ibo her homo, he. saw this girtish little womnn in her, smart travelling-suit shaking hands with tho wife o,f O^Halloran, t*h* niahtwatchman, Spaghetti, the sluice-, 1 M and O'Raurke, the shift-bosa, ho l<ii^tv back to watch them nnd call down DlfMingH upon their homely heads. Tho ,*tbree big' trunks the little woman had 'brought were put in the woodshed, as there was no room for them in either tho " parlour " or " kitchen," a* the two xooms were designated, and when at lost tho reception committee had withdrawn, Jim, sitting on a soap-box, because his wife had the cn«ir, waited; nervous and wretched, for her to break the silence. Mrs. Potter slowly took off her hat and veil, and, after looking vainly for a place to put them, threw them on tho bunk. .Then,' with a clearer vision, her swilt ■glance took in the two bore rooms, the rough wall*, her picture pinned against a ■board, tho bunch o/ glowing Mtiripoaa lilias in a broken pitchor — took in, too, ■the big, half-penitent figure of Jim looking ruddier and handsomer than she had ever seen him. Then the contrast between this and the life she had left struck her with the humorous aide up, their eyes net, and she laughed a bubbling, reckless laugh. 'It will come out right," Jim added, after going over the situation in detail, "if we can only hold on a while longer." • "And we will do it," little Mrs. ,Jim answered, with a light in her eye that made Jim feel how much richer than a millionaire ho was already. Thereafter, tho life of the Potters resolved itself into a grim struggle to "hold on." And they held on merrily and cheerfully several weeks. Then, one evening, Jim catno home glum, and after dinner aroused himself to say: "The men at the mine are getting suspicious. Being paid in stock doesn't go as welt as it did, and ■when they strike me for a few dollars I Can't offer them half a share!" Whoreupon Mrs. Jim looked up

brightly, and said in a manner that at • least seemed sane : "We must get thnt out of their minds at onco. How would it do for me to give thorn a party?" Potter not being in a mood for joking did not take the trouble to look up. But the idea had taken firm root in Mrs. Potter's mind, and preparations for a paity were promptly begun. " Shure an' it's goin' to bo a gran' affair," Mrs. O'Rourke confided to Mis. Sheehun over the back fenco a few days later, for every word discreetly dropped by Mrs. Potter undor tho seal of strict secrecy was passed from fenco to fence, gathering force and originality on its way, tilf the prospective party promised to rival in magnificence a Foiuth of July celebration. "And who would be sayin* the company is gone broko?" spoke'up Mrs O'Halioran ono day. " Shtire, thirn Pottersee is just a spindin' money liko wather on thla party." \N hen Potter, after hearing these startling rumours, charged them up to his wife, she only smiled gaily, and made himconfess that the miners' confidence in the company's finances uecmed to bo growing stronger. It was with the deepest regret, consequently, when, the day befoie the party, Mrs. Potter camo down with tho grippe, all due to her over-exertion in getting things ready, and the festivities hod to be postponed indefinitely. " That party scare wns a rogular bunco £ame," Jim laughed to hia wife, after, the a»t enquirer after luo health of tho invalid had sone. "Yes," Mrs Jim agreed, gleefully, waltzing across the room in shuer delight nt tho success of her ruse, " but it didn't hurt any ono ( and it certainly hits helped our it (Hiding for a time at least." And tor a time it did. But when, 'one unlucky day, the bkip broke and O'Rourko wns badly mangled, parties, shares, and flattering promiuos were of no avail to cover repairs. "I'll have to run down to Sacramento this morning," Potter announced suddenly the next day to his wife : " I've only two minutes to catch the train. By-by. ■' What time is it now?" Airs. Jim asked him, not quite knowing what to make of his manner. " I— .l don't know," he answered, avoiding her eyes. Bub one quick glanco was enough for her. ' " 'l,nke mine, too," she commanded, handing him her watch and drawing off her riiiL's — all but one. " O'Rourke has got to bo paid in cash this time." She meant what she said, the need was imperative and tho game desporate, and when the train pulled out it was to " Queen Isabella of the Ten Strike " Potter waved his adieu. It was August now. The Mariposa lilies were gone, the hillsides were seared by the burning suns, the air heavy with the red dust that chokes and stifles, but hopes and prospects were still high, although tho realities had reached bedrock. " Yea, an' its bound to git hotter beforo it gits cooler," Mrs. O'Hallornn assured the Potters, consolingly, as sho put down her washing, " an' I'll be askin' ye for me money this wake, Mrs. Potter," she went on. "My Kitty is cryin' her eyes out to go tp the danes to Pike's, an* her paw ain't raise a cint to git her a dud to wear. An* thim dago girls stickin' up their noses at her clo'es all the timo anyways. An' its wake in»an' wake out I'vs been wasmn' fer yez widout a cint's pay, an' I was hearin' Mike " " How lovely I" broke in Mrs. Jim's rippling tones above the washerwoman's insolence. " I'm so glad you told mo about the party. » You must let me make Kitty a little gift." Darting into thr house she reappeared with a fluffy heap of frills ana ribbons in her arms. "Kitty will looK so -pretty in this," she explained, while ' Potter turned his face to the shadow. " And here are the slippers to match. I'm sure Kitty can wear them, but the Spaghetti girls couldn't begin to. And this bow is for hor hair, it will be so sweet in her auburn curls." It was too dark to see the falling temperature in Mrs. O'Halloran's face, but Mrs. Jim had not miscalculated the effect. "And tell Kitty," she added, " that when she is dancing in that gown she can have the satisfaction of knowing

she i» wearing a hundred dollars' worth of frills. What will the Spaghetti girla think now?" Then with a bold pass at her flat little pocket-book: "How much did you «ay I owe you?" Poor Mrs. O'Halioran ! Hugging tho crumpled finery in her arms, sho opened her mouth to say the things she nnd iMiko had resolved should be Enid that night to bho " boss," but what she heard wns : " Oh, Mrs. Potter, it's too good ye are, an' too kind, an 1 too ginerous, an' Kitty'lt bo that tickled, an 1 that proud, an 1 — — " And ns far down the rond as the smiling faces in tho dcorway could see her, the poor woman wus running towards home with her precious urmfuli of fripperies. Jim Potter looked at his wjfo in wonder. " Oh, woman, in our hours of ease," ho began, but Mr.i. Jim, springing up, stopped him: "Don't! don't say a word t" she cried. " I hat© myself for playing these tricks upon theso poor souls who need their money, but it is only in order to hold on till wo can pay them." •' We're noaring the end now !" Potter called to his wife ono morning, dropping in with the mail and finding his wifo on the floor surrounded by the remaining contents of the three great trunks. " If wo can keep the thing going till Hopkins gets here and then open his eyes to the prospective value of the Ten Strike, «ho knows but, we'll be nblo to pull gut of here millionaires by winter?" " I don't want' to bo "a millionaire," Mrs. Jim declared. "I would be satiified if I could get a pair of snoes and a good beefsteak. >v Potter looked, at her in dismay. " I've worn out every possible thing I brought, and now I'm down to this. Look at the.se slippers I" And Potter looked. " Woll, they're beauties," he remarked, admiringly. " But don't you see I can't walk over theso rocks in French heels and bended toes?" she almost wept. " The O'Rourko baby is ill, but I can't get ovor to see it in these things, and you know we owe them the most of all." "Then listen to this letter,", Jim shouted. "Hopkins, our representative, will go up to see the mine Sunday," ho read. " Thero now," he added, " Hopkins will come on tho 10 o'clock train. After dinner we will do tho mine, and by Mondnv morning you may be that odious nouvcau riche Mrs. Potter How's that." " Dinner !" Mrs. Jim gasped. ''Well, lunch, then," he corrected himself, wondering why his wife should cavil at terms on such an occasion. * " Lunch 1 Oh, Jim!" gho wailed, " there's not a thing in the house to offer company to eat, ana I'vo not a thing left to pawn or sell." _ , Whereupon Potter gave such a whistle that tho whole pack of O'Halioran dogs descended upon them. " I'll take him to the boarding-house, then," Jim suggested. " Yes, and he'll hear co many sidelights on the Ten Strike from the miners ho will neveV want to see it." Then seeing tho clouds gathering over poor Jim's hopes, she naded, quickly : '* Never mind, Jimmy, we've held on together too long to give up now. Trust me to sco tho dinner through." And as Jim strode out of the cabin he carried his hoad higher than it had been for months, while Mrs. Jim flung the things back into the trunks, rolled up hor sleeves, slipped into her gaily bedizened slippers, ana set to work to transform her* " parlour " into a '! ban-quet-hall." "If Mr. Hopkins suspects we live liko tramps from necessity, the Ten Strike will lose its fascination for him," she remarked to her battered likeness on tho wall. But poor Jim, whon ho roturned tlint evening, tired and worried, did not catch her enthueiiMm nor appreciate being sent off •to the hills in search of fir boughs and pine cones. "Hopkins doesn't want to buy tho shack," ho objected, "if ho offers a- round sum for the mine we will throw this place in." But Mrs. Jim was firm, so off he went. Also Mrs. Jim was inventive, aud when by night tho work was done bhe might, as judged by appearances, have been Poccahontas in her own native sylvan bower. " Oh, yes, it's all right if you like it, I suppose," .Jim assented, reluctantly, " but there are too many bugs and ants on all this tomfoolery to suit me." But

tho tomfoolery, translated into ferns and azaleas, was necessary to disguise the Haws in the table-cloth. "So far, so good," Mrs. Jim sighed to hciself, surveying her work, but was forced to admit the decorations would have to be garnished with ontnblfs before it could be called n dinner. But again her woman's wit saved the situation. " Many an adventuress has been arrested who h no worso than I tun," she said to herself, in conscience-stricken mood, ns she sat nnd smiled with her neighbours in her round of calls that afternoon. When Hopkins ontorcd tho Potters's homo ho wns greeted by surprises of all kinds, but the greatest of all did not go down in his leport. But Mrs. Hopkins wns regaled \uth a glowing account of the charming people from whom the corporation had bought tho new mino. "They uud como out here for their health, you see," ho explained, "and lived in tho pino odours in a. most, idyllic way. Everything was m) charmingly"original, beginning with the beautiful Mrs. Potter herself. It seems fche had gro-vvn so fond of the people mid nssocintion that slio wanted them represented in this last dinner among them, so each course wns n representative national didi, "nnd you would have been nmuzed at the sentiment and poetry no got /nit of theso common da«o nnd Irish and Slav miners.'" liul. the O'Rourkes, and , O'Hnllorans, and Speghettis, et al., never suspected tho part they played in this " charmingly original " dinner. Whon they met over their back fenoe as usual, after thb departure of the "boss" and his wife, it was Mrs. O'Halioran who was loudest in her bowailings, "It do beat all," that worthy soul began, " what f swato and unpretindin" ways sho had. She come to my house tho day before that feller como up from the city, an' she says to mo when I was takin' my bnkin' out of tho stove, 'Ye do mnko illegant bread, Mrs. O'Hnllornn. I would give anything in reason if I could make it ns you do,' she says, an' seem' shcadmired it so much I just mnde her tnke a nico big loaf right along wid her, bless her!" "Well, sho wns a long time lenrnin' to cook," put in Mrs. O'Rourke, "if she couldn't make broad, but I suppose them city folks don't get much timo to cook. She stopped into my house on ncr wuy homo, mid she says, ' Will you pleuso tell me, Mrs. O'Rourke, how you mnko that lovely 'mulligan'? 1 am going to havo Rome for dinner to-morrow for Mr. Potter's guest.' 'You won't if you have dinnor beforo 10 o'clock nt night,' I says ; ' it takes thim mulligans' a long time to cook, especially if ye aint got spring chickens to use. 1 She did look so disnppointed, nnd she said I mado them better than any one she knew, an' sho had sot her heart on havin* it, an' all so soein" Pat wns not goin' to be homo for his Sunday dinner anyways, I just says, says I, ' I'll tell ye what I'll dp, Mrs. Potter, if vo won't think I'm presumin", I'll sond'Mikio over with the best mulligan you iver tasted* in timo fer yer dinner to-morrow.' And would ye believe It, she was that polite and appreciatin' she said it would be the greatest treat oho an' thim could have, and accepted it on tho spot. I tell ye thero aiut a stuck-up bono in her whole body." Mrs. Spoghetti did not happen to be of tho conclave, that morning, but over her fence sho hnd confided to tho neighbours about the "chile con carno"'the boss's lady had accepted from her for her grand dinner becauxo she made it bettor than any one in tho world, and so tho comparisons ran from fonco to fence all tho next day. " Do you still feel liko a bunco-womnn?" Potter asked his wifo later, na they lounged comfortably in a luxurious Pullman that was carrying them eastward. But Mrs. Jim, having the satisfaction of knowing thnt every ono had been at last paid up in full, forbnde the mention of her buncoinß cureer.-i-Murguerite Stabler, In tho San Francisco Argonaut.