The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1858-04-08


by this course, while the balance got ut
terly ruined not, only pecuniarily but alsl
3 IN health and character; and if they did
rot 90 "to the dogs" at oncc-theg were
worthless to themselves and society for.
ever afterwards. Many OF this class when
ruined in everything, retired to the near
est "diggins stunned acquaintances and
became, under assumed names, the most
notorious scoundralS, either as gamblers
robbers, or Funk swindiers and not few
Of thein took up ranches on the outskirts
Of the State, on the various immigrant
routes, and became cattle-thieves under
the name Of " traders"
Of this latter class were the men OF
/ Raetown, and although did not observe
within the limits of the town, a court
house nor a single church, still it must
not be presumed for a single moment that
this community had neither law nor Cos
pei to govern them-on the contrary, they
respect both of these institutions very
highly indeed-;n their own peculiar man
ner to BE- sure-but very effective one
notwithstanding, as shall cnlearor to
demonstrate if you follow me to the close
of this sketch.
! About noon Of the second days travel
after leaving the Desert aud Ragtown be-
Aind Us while our train was rolling slowly
onward through the heavy, sterile coun-
,ry, through which the Carson flows, after
leaving It's own valley, which spreads it
self in beauty along tie eastern base Of
The Sierra Nevada-we were oyertahen by
two gentlemen, whom we recognized to be
inhabitants Of the town behind Us.
They were both we'll mounted on steeds
Of Indian breed, highly caparisoned q Ia
-Kecicana;and from their appearance they
seemed to be prepared for ? journey. As
! they passed our train, they regarded each
wagon with a look of enquiry, as iftrying
to find some thing they had lost
On approaching the party, of which
vas, one riding ahead OF the train. they
Ieincd up; and the smaller cf the two, a
short heavy built man with a very round
head, short neck and fat, whiskcled
face, dressed in bucks.iin unmentioaabIes
and vest, with black cloth coat rather
seedy and slouchcl hat-addgessed Us
with :
Nornin' een'lmcn."
We returned his salutation civilly, when
he Continued:
When yon passed our ranch I had no
sort emotion o,raveIiin' for some time
but oiecamstaoaas has just 50 fixed it
since, that rln bou1' to - through"
10 California ?" we inquired.
""'al no, perhaps nos quite 50 far
he replied, eysiag US indiyiIaaIly and col
.lectisely, as if taking our moral and phYsi-
cal measure; and after coming to some
mental conclusion as to our size in both
he asked :
Did you see ere a stranger, young
looking fcIler-yaller hair, pug nose, aud
al1-migAty tallatiye-2rounI your camp
last night ?"
We replied in the negative.
Wal genlmea, the fcller I'm look
in for, left our settlement yostorlayanl I N
after him with a warrant from the 'b9s,.
and I only hope l mayn't see him in the
next week-but III try mighty hard to
sight him, I tell you Theresa new ranch
b3a built dpwl on the river boat three
miles for'ad--if you'll come on we'll hev
sanethin' to drink and I'll tell You about
the ganlnen am after-its too dlrped
hot to talk and ride here jest now.
After a short consultation, three of US
consented to g with the ''Doc," az his
comrade called him, and in less than half
an hour We We're seated in the new
ranch"
There's no earthly use in denyin' it
JIM" said the Doc addressing the host OF
the ranch, ia whose ear he had whispered
something, on entering the house, and a
ter finishing MS glass OF neat, he closed
one Of his keen dancing eyes, and looking
intently at Jim with the other, continued (:
" And you had orter know better than to
try to hide him from the law. He's in or
about this rauch and there's nothin' will
save him-so jest be wise and fetch hin
out-the sooner It's over the better"