Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1858-11-26
miscellaneous.
THE MINERS TALISMAN.

The hour Of parting came. We were
standing by the seaside, and the last
warm farewell pressure of the hand had
been given.
81 will not expect you Christmas, my
dear boy, but remember the motto you
are to carry with you; never forget
Mother, Home, and Heaven!" And
thus we parted.
A few months after, and | stood be-
meath the roof of one of CALIFORNIA; most
noted gambling palaces There, in piles
thousands upon thousands were before
me, and it seemed as though could win
fortune without a struggle. The deal
er, winning or losing, presented the same
calm exterior, while those who stalking
their all upon the cards betrayed their
intensity of feelings by looks and actions.
AS | gazed upon the gold before me !;
the dealer calm and collected, listening
to the cry of triumph or the curse of
despair, as the excited hetters won or
lost heard the hum of strange voices
around me the soft music floating thro'
the room saw the wild and exciting
reyelry everything calculated to please
the taste or excite the mind was there
| began to partake of the general feel
ing and almost involuntarily my hand
sought for the little gold had remain
ing, and as | was about to take it from
my pocket and place it upon the card
those magic words--the gift Of moth
er's love--fashed upon my memory, and
a mysterious power / could not resist led
me from the temptation.
Again--fal up in the Sierra Nevadas,
where the storm-king reigns, | had sought
for the glittering ore. Months Of toll
and hardship had been endured the
race had been dug, the dam built, the
river was turned from its bed +; but we
found no gold to reward our labor The
summer was gone, and winter was com
ing on apace. No money, no claim, no
shelter disappointment and despair
were in every heart, but we were too
proud to show it. 1t was resolved ho
have a drunken spree. and leave the
river. Ere long, the fun, as it was call
ed, grew fast and furious Songs, toasts
and sentiments ruled the day, and it was
with a half-vacant attention that | watch
ed their proceedings.
Christmas would soon come, and
was just learning the first great lesson
of my life. Up to this time they had
not noticed my absence from the circle
they had formed; but ere long they
sought and found me, and without cere-
mony was carried to them. The hot,
steaming liquor was poured from the
camp-kettlc into tin cup, and handed
to me. Drink !" they exclaimed
" drink to our past and future hopesp p
They did not think it wrong, and no eye
that truly loved could see me They
were jolly and joyial drowning care
with drink.
] pleaded former habits, urged many
reasons against joining them. Laughter
| and jeers were the only answer. They
seized me, one holding my head and an
other my hands, while a third attempted
to empty the liquor into my mouth. /
was about to give up. There could not
be much harm in drinking, else they
would not urge it upon me so strongly
| signifed my acceptance. They at
once released me, and all filled up, ready
for toast, song, or story.
| must give one or the other. stood
there, the youngest Of the band. ! was
the pet Of the camp, and for the first
time | was going to join them in their
revelry Wild and tumultuous shout
ings went forth from that band Of brave
and warm-hearted fellows They thought
not Of what the end might be. They had
conquered. It was frolic, only frolic,
and | was going TO give them toast.
Standing before them, with cup in hand,
thinking Of what | should say, my mind
Travelled back to the parting. The veil
was lifted from sacred remembrances
Again, in memory, ] knclt before my
mother, heard her prayer, and remem-
bered that this was one Of the tcmpta-
tons she had prayed | might resist.
But none would sec me No eye was
upon me that, IN after years, would cause
NC te hla3h 'ghei mot it No. ] WIS
in Tie mountains, down 10 a deep canon,