Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1857-09-19
NUMBER At.


An EngIishman, travelling on the Mis-
sissippi, told some ratheF tough stories
about London thieves. A Cincinnatian,
namced Case, who had been one ofhis most
attentive listeners, remarked that the
Western thieves beat the London thieves
all hollow.
-''ffUw sOl inquired the Engfishman,
with surprise. "Pray sir, have you lived
much in the west?"
mot great deal. I undertook to set
up business at the Des MOines Rapids, q
while ago, but the rascally people stole
everything had, and finally, . Welsh
miner ran off with my wife,"
''Go0d, gOOdi" exclaimed the English
man, 'tand have you never found herr
"Never to this day. But this is not
the worst of it,
"WOrsty Why, what could be worse
than stealing mans wifes"
Stealing his children, / should say"
rett ed the implacable Case.
"Childrene'
eyes, nigger woman, who hadn't any
of her own, abducted my youngest daugh-
ter and slOped and jined tho InjunS."
ibid you see heT?"
'See her? yes; and she hadn't ten rods
the start Of me, but plunged into the lake
and swan like duck, and there wasn't
a canoe to follow her with"
The Englishman leaned back in his
chair, and called for another mug of 'alf-
and-'alf, while Case smoked his cigar and
eyed his crcdulous friend at the same time
most tremorselessly.
"-I shan't go any farther west-I
think" at length observed the excited
John Bull.
II should not advise am one to CO."
said Case, quietly. "My dbrother once
lived there, but had to leave, although his
business was the best in the country"
"What business was he in, prayy"
"Lumbering-had q saw mill"
"And they stole the lumber"
"Y a, and saw logs too"
"Saw lOgsS"
ayes, whole dozens Of black walnut
logs were carried away in single night"
'Is it possible?"
''True, upon my honor, sir. He tried
every way to prevent it-had men hired
to watch his logs, but it was al Of no use.
They would whip them all away as easy
as il there had been no ono there. They
would steal them out of the river, out Of
the cove, and out of the railways"
Good gracious"
"Just to give you an idea how they
can steal out there" sending sly wink
to the listening company, 'Just TO give
you an idea--did you ever work in SAW
mill9"
''Never."
"Well, one day my brother bought an
ALFRED fine black walnut log, four feet
three at the butt, and not knot In it
He was determined to keep that log any
how, and hired two Scotchmcn to watch
it all night. Well, they took small de-
mijohn Of whisky with them, snal1ed the
log up the hill above the mill, built . fire,
and then. sat down on the log to play
keerds, just to keep awake, you sce.-
Twas mOnstrous big log, bark two inch
es thick. We'll, az / was saying, they
played keerds and drank whisky all night,
and as it began to grow light, went to
sleep astraddle the log. About minute
after daylight, George went over to tho
mill to see how they were getting on, and
the log was gonc."
"What were the Scotchmcn doing?"
"ISettiM' on the log! The thieves had
drove an iron wedge into the butt end,
which pointed down the hill, and hitchcd
yoke of oxen on and pulled it right Out,
leaving the shell, and the Sc0tchmen a.
Straddle of il. fast asleeD."