Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-10-23
THE JOURNEYMAN GENTLEMAN.
Joe Conway was an oddity.

AS SSpSSiuiIy uClSuICu III HybLtTlCf, UIS'
guises, unexpected denOucments, intrigucs,
and romance generally.
Consequently, he was always getting into
very bad scrapes, and-superflous assertions
there was always "a lady in the case"
This made him bit Of misogamist-a
amateur wOman.hatcr.
Yet, for all that, he could not let the sex
alonei
A profound love of nature and dissipation
attracted Joe and myself to the little village
OF D., on the banks Of that charming
stream, the ErehwOn. We went to fish, to
sketch, to see scenery, and to drink; for, as
Joe remarked, 1.-THE waters Of the ErehwOn
possessed peculiarly refreshing qualities
when mixed with little cogniac."
The afternoon Of the second day Of our so.
journ found US seated upon fowcr-spangled
slope, skirted by willows, whose gnarled roots
were bathed in the pclucid ErchwOn. .sr,Wc
had sought the spot to smoke, converse, and
digest our somewhat elaborate dinner, in
peace and quiet, with the beauty Of nature
before our eyes
young men get together, our talk was of wo-
man.
Womanl what an inexhaustiblc subject for
speculation, conversation, writing, OratOry,
painting, sculpture, and matrimonY
---" nll gammon, said Joe Conway, two
men don't appreciate cultivation, intellect, nor
good fellowship. All they look for is wealth
aud position, when they love. II they don't
find those amiable qualities, they won't love,
and If fellow hasn't got them he had better
let the sex alone. 1t takes Il gdcd key to
unlock their precious little hearts. That's
SO
"You are sadly mistaken, Joe" said /,
" and the worst Of it is, you don't know it
You are angry with the husband-huntcrs who
have given you chase, and revenge yourself
by damping the whole institution of dilnity.
You are wrong. A man like you, young,
rich and-well, yes, without ilattcring think
| may say tolcrably good-looking, has no
chance. You see only the designing ones,
who are bound to marry your bank k-account
in spite Of yourself and they play of their
charms upon you, 0d ndUMHm."
g But there are the artlcSS ones, who tiidn't
want money-who are willing to sacrifice
themselves, and all that, for the sake OF ten
der passion?"
"Thcy are modest. The brazen- faced for
tune-huntcrs crowd about you, and accuStoIn
you to being sought. The really good girls
require seeking, and as that isn't in your line,
you never know how many nice women there
are in the world"
"Ill tell you what I'll do" cried Joe
starting up suddenly, and half choking him
self with mouthiul Of cigar smoke-"lll
test that question. Ill do it here in this very
place--Ill turn mechanic, ignore my money
and my family, make up to the prctticsi,
proudcst girl in the village, and show you
she wont marry me poor. Then I'll come out
in my true colors, and show you that my cash
is puiSsant to do that which my conversation
and my requirements cannot begin to do
What; marry hery"
Not much-mako her ask TO, and then
laugh at her"
| confess secretly hoped that Joe would
not test hcqucstion. lie was n capital fellow,
As rich in accomplishments and cultivation as
in money. Now knew very well that D.
contained some very charming girlS-,laugh
tiers of retired a.captanS, merchants, etc,
who, however much they might like me-
chanic, would not see him IN comt,uirc, IL
young gentlemen and position, prove very
acceptable.
But he was determined, and when left for
the city, | left Joe arranging chest of tools,
and getting himself up in pair of blue over.
ais ana paper cap!
Joe had wonderful talent of doing cvery.
thing tolerably well. lie played upon half
dozen instruments, could survey, had dabbled
in the fine arts, understood shorthand little
surgery and medicine, was finished jockey,
iair gardener, had built stone bridge, writ
ted All epic, and halfsOlcd pair Of boots!
With these somewhat varied accomplish
mcnts, he bud no fears of course, but what
he could get on very well as carpenter. No
one knew him at D., and when he intro
duced himself to the "boss" carpenter of the
village, he succeeded in pcrsuAding him that
he was ajOurncyman Of unusual talent
He received several commissions during the
first fortnight Of his experiment, but, on the
whole, 1t was rather lucky that he was not
compelled to subSiSt on the proceeds Of his
labors: Otherwise, he might have found it
difficult to pay his board-especially as he
commissioned inc to send him some five dol
lars worth Of cigars every week.
One day. after he had nearly exhausted his
patience, and had done no end Of plotting and
planning in vain, the village carpenter asked
him to undertake the restoration of cornicc
on one Of the oldest and most ariStocratic
houses in D..
Joe agreed, and in short time was mounted
on scaffold, almost on level with the third
story windows Of the mansion of old Comnno.
dore Huntington, dcxterously making his
measurements and plans for the new cornce.
1t was not an easy task, for the work was
elaborate and tho weather warm. Two days
elapsed, and Joe had only got ready to com.
mence putting up the brackets which st,s-
tanned tho heavy mOuldings. Lunch.timc
came, and the amateur carpenter, getting in
the shade, unpackcd his little dinner phil, and
began repast at once simple and nourishing,
when he saw that the window nearest him
was open, and that papers lying on an escri-
tolre inside were disposed to blow away.
81 know it's trespasS," mcditatcd he,
"but it's for the proprictor'S good. III step
into the room and save, perhaps, some valua.
bic documents"
"A little gymnastic exercise brought him
down from the scatold, through the window,
and into very elegant chamber.
uum, said he "a woman's room."
There were paintings, statues, ormolu orna-
mentS, aud forty other luxuriant nothings,
such as women Of taste love to gather around
them. A guitar reposcd on the bed, with
some books in French and Latin. The couch
itself bore the impress ola form, as If the tute-
lar deity of the chamber had been lying down,
and passing her time with music and litcra.
ture. There was n portfolio open upon the
taI1In u.Ifh N Xa.Ni inr lot ~,