A. True Friend.
He Mabel, last February you promised
to give mo your answer on New Year's day.
Since then 1 have generously refrained
from seeking your company, and now, my
darling, I have come to claim you.
She Alas! I fear it is too late. You
know I've been engaged to Charlie Smith
since March.
He Oh, that's all right. He's a friend
of mine, and I asked him to become en
gaged to you as a favor, to keep the other
follows off.
She Yes, hut we were married last
week.
V.v: iilXG THE
t(
1 l2::Sf HW3 fT r, 'AJI
i tstmwzz.v. .-'
I !A' , W'"'--- -M-&-4--
UNDER A SHADOW.
A. KEW TEAK STORY OF MIXING LIFE BY
FRED COLLIXS.
Copyright. 1890.
Tho people in St. Luis park that New
Year's eve looking to tho east saw under
the towering white crests of the Sierra
Blancaa high smoke pillar rising with tho
sky, and it brought joy to their hearts, for
it assured them now, as it did after every
great storm, that Sim Belden was still
alive, etill able tn grub undor tho foot of
the ever threatening avalanche for the for
tuno ho had left tho world to win.
Sim Belden was a tall, handsome giant
of 80, who had come from no ono knew
where. The few who kiiev him thought
"OF COURSE, PEDRO, YOU WASN'T EVER IN
LOVES'"
ho wns unsocial, and those with whom he
traded at Garland believed that he had hit
upon n rich find under tho snow line, and.
that ho would make it hot for the man
who tried to bo his neighbor.
