Miss Dividends: A Novel

by Archibald Clavering Gunter

"No," answers the young lady. "In this Tintic air I feel as if I could climb mountains."

"Wall, ye can find plenty of mountains round here to climb!" laughs Lot.

So they all come out of the hotel into the main and only street of this mining camp—where many of the men look with by no means kindly eyes on the two Mormon bishops, for Tranyon's injunction has closed Lawrence's mine, which promised to develop into a great property which would furnish lots of work for the "boys." But on seeing the young lady who accompanies the two apostles, the hats and caps of the delvers after gold and silver come off with that respect for all women, young or old, beautiful or plain-faced, that the miners of the Pacific have since "Forty-nine," when in California they learned to value sweethearts and wives, because they had none. A chivalry they have not yet—thank God—forgotten.

But aside from her womanhood, Erma's beauty is so overpowering to these gentlemen of the pick and drill that they would follow her, were it polite, and one Patsey Bolivar remarks: "Good Lord, if she's a Mormon, she must be the angel that brings Brigham his revelations from Heaven." To this another, Pioche George, answers: "She ain't no Mormon girl—she's a lady and wears high-heeled boots and has a back-action panier that comes from Parie."

After a little they are out of the town, and leaving the road, make up the hill for the mining shaft; and Kruger, walking behind, notices the tender care with which Travenion assists his daughter over the rough places in the trail, and is rather surprised at it, for Mormons, as a rule, have but little consideration and less respect for their womankind, the very doctrines of their polygamous church preventing that—though he remembers Tranyon has been considered a light hand with his wives, leaving them a good deal to themselves, and not exacting any great account of their outgoings and incomings.

While pondering upon this, and noticing the light grace of the girl as she steps from rock to rock in the trail, and the beauty of every movement and poise of her figure, he suddenly thinks: "It's right lucky Ermie ain't been seen up at the Lion House! The prophet would have been having 'revealing from Heaven' that she was to be sealed to him."

A moment after, as Miss Travenion ethereally springs over a small tree that has fallen across the path, this Mormon gentleman suddenly exclaims to himself: "Great Enoch! They would have cost in our co-op. up in Heber nigh onto five dollars a pair in farm produce. I'll see if Miss Highfalutin' will wear silk stockings when——"

He doesn't complete this sentence, though it produces a very definite idea—though a wild one—in his mind: for what was to him an "If," as he looked upon the rare loveliness of Miss Travenion, the Newport butterfly, on the Union Pacific train, has become to this Mormon fanatic a "When," now she is in the valley of Tintic, the daughter of a Mormon bishop—cut off from Gentile friends and surroundings.

This "When" seems to please him so much that Lot Kruger quickens his steps, and comes alongside of this attractive young lady, and for some unknown reason begins to be "reel cute," and cavorts about, showing his agility, skipping over boulders, remarking during his acrobatic performances: "Yes, I feel reel boyish. I allus do when gals are about! You ask Bishop Tranyon there, Miss Ermie."

On this frivolity, Ralph, for some occult reason, looks with an evil eye. It seems to make him gloomy, but Erma rather laughs at the antics of this Mormon ecclesiastic, who seems to wish to make her forget that he is fifty years of age, and by no means lovely or engaging.