The Nevada Democrat., 1859-01-05
rha cnlifnrnia Rummer.

:
fornia society, that universal and familiar &c
aus, the Bummer, has received far less atten
tion than its numbers and importance merits.
From what the term hummer is derived, we
cannot ascertain. The definition Of lexicogra-
piers show no striking analogy between the
term and its living representative Of the pres
ent day. The word has, therefore, in our Cal
ifornia nomenclature, acquired new and pc
culiar 81 signiHcation. The Bummer is not SO
much species or type Of any particular genus
as he is condition; the connecting link in the
same family, between that which benefits and
that which Injuries community. 1t is the chrys-
aline state, in which uselessness awaits the
change, which develops positive vice.
Your true Bummer is not vicious or wicked
man. He CANDLES but little, for the reason
that cash is an essential, in that business, and
your Bummer regards coin as the root of all
evil, and most heartily eschews it. Intemper-
ance, too, he is proof against. Of course he
drinks occasionally with his friends to promote
sociability but when he becomes sot he is en-
tirely out Of the circle of the Bummers. In
short, he is a man without positive vice, or a
single virtue human leech that requires food
and clothing, as his prototype does blood, and
like him, fastens upon whatever can furnish
them. Hotel keepers and clothing stores are
his special victims, and the light of bis counte-
nance shines only on the best. At the hotel,
in the pointed but doeful language of Boniface,
he never misses meal nor pays cent. and no
garment touches him, unless its fashion is the
latest and its texture the finest. AS matter
Of course, the Bummer's patronage is certain
and speedy ruin, and as he is by no means de-
structively inclined, he graeiously turns from
his beaten paths to any new inatitution that
may offer variety, and relieve depleted victim
Having in view but one object and that one
the numberless arti6ces to which he resorts to
accomplish this, show him an adept in the study
Of human nature. To the old and wary deni-
zen Of the mountains, he appears in gum boots,
bespattered with mud, and carrying the nozzle
of hose-pipe, and forthwith be finds credit un-
til the day lfar distant he shall 'clean up"
Alas for the victim The only cleaning up this
bogus miner will ever do, will be to attire bis
own dainty carcass in his ill-gotten purchases,
or in clean shirt stolen from his roommate.
To the enthusiastic trader just up from below,
who has heard all about the Allison Ranch and
Soulsby quartz ledges, the Bummer comes in a
different guise, and slyly produces handful of
quartz specimens, the poorest in the first lot of
ten tons that he is now having crushed. Your
merchant from below, of course knows that gold
coin is never found in quartz and forth goes
your quartz operator gorgeously appareled,
leaving the dealer in raiment, to learn at his
cost that he is the softest lead the quartz dab
bier has struck. or cOndescended to crush.
Specimens Of the Bummer are always found
in courts, either as jurors or witnesses. With
nothing to do, they are the first caught by
summons, and it would bo out of the natural
order of events for anything to happen without
some of this genus witnessing it. If upon the
stand he is questioned concerning his occupa-
tion, he is always miner, and if closely press
ed will give the locality of his claim. This de-
pends entirely upon the season if it is summer,
he owns dry diggings, il winter, he is interest
ed in river claims. No one ever remembers his
doing days work, and the nearest approach
to it is to oficiate upon extraordinary occasions
as proxy of some regular bsr-keoper. Pros
pecting, he never attempts, and has his own
opinion Of those who do. But should the dis
covery of a mine enrich another, he is the first
and the loudest to deplore his own hard luck,
comforting himself at last with that maxim de-
signed by envieus avarice for sluggish indo-
lencs: n Fool for good luck.
So goes the California hummer the drone
and curse Of every community throughout the
State; despised and detested alike by those
whose integrity and industry is his constant re-
proaoh, and also by those whose bold vices he
dare not initiate. II driven by necessity, he
does shake off his lethargy, and act, it is gene
rally in violation of the law, which rewards him
with the fate of the felon, or drives him brand
ed outlaw from the State. This is no fancy
sketch, and there is not mining town in the
State that has not the original, andhas not wit
messed this result
MOUNTAIN RELIEF SocIETY.-The miners and