Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-02-23
The Gold Miners Lament.

l. =
Let ali who have the California fevel
read the following from the San Frsncisce
Courier: s72s 5ra '@a ,35as --~ ~s-s-
DoueL4ss' FLAT, Oct. Is, 1851
81 "Why will 'yo DlgP'-son of man! 70,
the light Of whose presence my spri
yearneth and my bowels grurnbIeih, dos
thu ask me why2 Is it not written thai
fortune smiles upon fools? And Tor the
sake Of these smiles hath mol thy servant
been making fool-yea, an ass Of himself
in vain? @
For five score and ten days he hath SO
journed in this piace-he has dug into the
earlh-he has dlyed into the wn,ers he has
torn ancient rocks from their resting places,
and removed them from afar off; tie has
! torn his breeches in paris not TO be spoken
of! he has rooted in,o the mud like unto
q swivel! His beard hath grown long; the
skin upon. his hands and face hath changed
color until he is likened unto wild beast,
and his garments are rent and soiled, SO that
"sackcloth and ashes" would be as fine linen
and purple unto him! He would fain feed
on husks, but there are none. Yes, he who
in times pas, was won't to fare sumpiuously,
and to grumble over greater delicacies than
were piled upoa the table Of Dives, now
snuffs with gladness the fragrance Of pork
and beans, and gnashes his teeth impatient.
ly over frying slap jack! He bolleth a
raw onion with unspeakable ayidityl Po>
tatce skins fear his presence; beef vanishes
before him, and dogs look in vain for bones
He sighs for the flesh spots Of Egypt, and
mourns over the barrenness Of the land!-
In his sleep, nevertheless, the good angel Of
the past deigns to visit. him, and delightful
visions are open 10 his recollection, for q
delicious "bili Of fare" floats before the
mind of:he dreamer, and he orders 'oysters
and terrapins for six" only 10 awaken to
his internal slap-j1cks and moasses!
All this hath tfy servant endured. Is
he rot then fool, an abomination in the
sight Of wisdom? And is it not unto such,
and such only, fortune dispenses her favors?
Ye, she hath deser.ed me. approach her
and she fee,h! '.double ON her lraiI,"
and she turneh away! Iawait her coming,
and she stands still! secrete myself in
her path, and seize her unawares! But she
glideth off, as though had caught hog
by the CREASED tail! "Sic transit" | ex.
claim. as with sick heart, reyie poverty
and curse fortune!
Lol are not these evils? And wherefore
should they be visited upon thy servant?
Surely he has not sinned as other men sin-
meth. He hath not coveted his neighbours
OK, nor his maid servant. for be 1t known
unto thee, there are no maid servants here.
He hath abided by "lhe Law and The Proph.
ets,' but the profits have not abided by him.
Now, therefore, | renounce these dig.
gings; | absqutulete the premises; Eva
NOSE the ranch;" lake off; | put out,
60, slope; | depart without scrip or prov>
ender, taking no heed Of the morrow, for
the morrow takes no care Of me. Ere five
days are passed, the shirt tail Of thy servant
will be waving in the breezes of Nevada.
A remnant Of it will be nsiled upon the
highest mountain that he crosses, as an
emblem ofthe extremity to which man may
be redueed in the land Of Ophir! Yet,
think not, oh Elish! that | would rend my
garments for this alone. Verify say unto
thee, an evil genius hath long pursued me-
She hath followed SO close upon my foot
steps, that every fibre of my shirt tail is
familiar 10 tine eye. And if in her pursuit
of me, she could gaze upon this relic in the
solitary faslness Of the mountain, she will
at once recognize it, and believing me TO be
torn and destroyed by wild beasts, she will
retrace her steps, and thus will escape her.
60 hence, Elisha, unto the town of So.
nora, whence it has been prophesied that
thy servant will heal the sick, and prosper
with amazing prosperity. As Moses reared
the servent in the wilderness for the child,
rem OF Israel to look upon and be cured Of
their infirmities, SO will elevate my "shin.
gle" among the Gen,ies, and they may
gaze upon it, and be made whole. Their
offerings of gold and silver will be accep.a.
bic unto me, and if they live not afterwards,
peradventure they may find treasure in
Heaven ...