Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-06-17
THE GOLD MAN.

little more than a boy, and havin
been one of party which starte
overland from Galveston to New
York, only prevented by wound il
e my foot, l should certainly hav
f started off TO the diggins, via. SAINT
' Fe, or the Rocky Mountains, as tn
case might be. Not that / shoul,
have gone gold hunting; it is not m,
: vocation. Not having a very clearl,
defined notion of the relative valu
Of sovereign and shilling, | shoult
scarcely have gone poklng about lik'
a geologist for the quartz imbeddec
metal, nor should I have coveted tn,
position of a man whose whole DAY
is spent in cropping in the earth. will
wondrous nature around and tht
blue sky above, to admire. Besides
| am afflicted by weak sight, he
reditary complaint which descend'
to me from my father, and like tn,
Byrant Taylor donkey which mis-
took Yankee SPECTATORS red hail
for swamp hay, should have lived in
continual apprehension Of mistaking
bright stones for gold, and hillside
| flowers for rich veins.
But should like much to have
started with the first settlers and
miners, TO have shared their trav.
elling adventures, their hair breadth
escapes, and wonGroUs but exciting
trials, and practically TO have lei
them discern at future period that
a "chiel" had been among them
taking notes. The first burst Of the
golden rumor reached me in Paris,
and fell coldly on my ear. | had
been five years away from Texas,
and over head and ears in the ex-
citement OF the European revolu-
tions, and for changes almost hourly
occurring in that city OF wonders,
which Frenchmen fondly indicate to
be the capital of the world, a place,
the site of which, in the ideas OF
warm patriots, seems TO have a great
power of locomotion.
My interest in every thing Ameri-
can, however, caused me 10 watch
with interest, after a while. the
phases of the great event which is
destined 20 have such a vast inf1u-
ence on the future of the whole
civilized world--for evil, if the mad
hunt for mere Iucre check the ad-
vance of enlightenment, the only
thing which enables US rightly TO use
temporal advantages. For some
time, however, my attention was
only attracted like that Of all men
who watch the history of their own
time. 1t is only within a very short
time that the affair has taken a more
personal and immediate interest.
My head quarters in Europe have
for some time been Paris, city for
which | have a weakness. During
the autumn Of last year, | received
a ticket for a ball to which no per-
sons were admitted except in naval
uniform. 1t was for charitable pur-
poses, and | originally declined
going; a party of English ladies,
however, whom | knew, wished to
attend, and requested me 10 escort
them. l resolved magnanimously
to change my previous resolution and
be present. Ny first difficulty was
a uniform. | had no inclination to
have a suit made for the occasion,
and | had a decided objection to
hiring one from a masquerade shop.
Suddenly | recollected that had a
relic of my erratic life in Texas, in |
the shape of a lieutenant's suit of
blue. Ii was old and the worse for
wear, but if was genuine, and could |
on a pince, be Furnished up TO pass
muster for night. Accordingly, on
the evening in question found my
self under the covered way leading
TO the Jardin d'Hiver, a party of
ladies under my guidance, waiting
for crowd of persons before me TO
pass ere / braved the crush. My
friends had just announced TO me
that the moment was opportune,
when / noticed a dashing equipage
draw up. Twas about to turn away
when my eye was arrested by the
sight of a young man wearing pre-
cisely the same dress as myself, only
perfectly new, who. leaping out Of
the dashing coupe, gave his arm to a
young lady of great beauty, and
followed in my track. had scarce
ly time to notice his own start Of
unfeigned astonishment at the sight !
of a Texas navy coat, and then
was compelled to enter the precincts
Of the gay and brilliant scene.
But already had | forgotten this
ball; my mind was carried back
several years, to another ball given
in Galveston harbor, on boaid a dis
missed brig, by a set Of JOYOUS,
thoughtless young officers, whose
doubtful prospects OF next davis
dinner rendered them not a whit
less merry. For my own part II
had long ceased 10 think of nv pri-