Daily national Democrat., 1860-12-20
Qallp 9atlonal Qemutrat
For the National Democrat.
Pioneer "reminiscences.
By OLD BLOCK.

By OLD BLOCK.
NUMBER Z.

~ -NN""iE - spoke III my last oil CapJ
Yates, of how we out-generaled him in our
town speculation. The honest old fellow was
little behind the times in real estate opera.
tions, and our deep laid and ingenious plans
set him to thinking. Now there are always
two sides to question. I've told you my
side OF the story, and as the Captain is not in
the country, and l don't like to see an old
friend villifed, why I'll plead his case too
When was boy, there lived in our town
ship an awkward, suffering, old fellow by
the name of Bobby Dunlap, who had acquir-
ed smattering of law, just enough to be
pettltogger before Justices Court, Bobby
wore wig, and one suspender to his pants,
and when he got warmly engaged in an ar
gument he threw his coat back and unbutton-
ed his vest to give his lungs full play, and
stuck his thumb behind his suspender button.
A butt for rdicule, as he was, Bobby always
Kept an eye TO the main chance. One dav
there was trial for assault and battery, and
Bobby appeared as counsel for the plaintiff.
when the case was called, Bobby observed,
that though the defendant was not p present
he was assured that he would be d d uring
The trial and that for forms sake he would an
swer for his presence. The trial went on Bobby
made a searching elimination ofthe witnesses
and closed with most feeling harangue in fa-
vor ofhis client, and the case seemeda clear one
for the plaintiff. Bobby sat down, raised his
wig and wiped the perspiration from his bald
head elias the defendant any reply to
make 2 enquired the Justice, "for the sake of
form"
Bobby jumped up with-"May tp-p-please
the G C.Court the def en-en-dlnt being una
ole to c-c-come, employed me toto plead for
ann. l have been retained by -b-both PIP
parties, and will therefore proceed with the
de-f-f-fence'. lie then commenced examining
the witness for the defence, turned everything
available for his o;her client and in the ar
dor OF his address, broke his suspender, rub
bed the wig off his head, and gained the case
for the defendant I'll try to do Justice TO
Captain Yates if break my buttons and
lose my wig, Other parties may have inti-
mated to him what he might do, but soon af-
ter our plat Of Oleepa had been surveyed he
too, began to indulge in the pleasing idea of
being millionaire, and had a plat surveyed
out, milein length, adjoining ours, and run.
ming eastward considerably towards sun rise.
lie too interested a number of stockholders,
had steamboat come up, with a party of
ladies and gentlemen, to see the new town of
Hatestown, and he might have figured as
largely on paper as ! did-perhops more.
Great things were to be done, and in fact,
began to be little frightened for fear that
1atesown would be the county seat, instead
of Oleepn. About this time, my partner
having many other engagements, gave up the
town speculation, TO me, and had to stand
the rivalry of the two towns above Iu fact,
Gray soon pulled down his house and left,
and | found myself the only surviving white
population of the whole town of Oleepa
About this time | recolect that Hon. Mr.
McCorke asked me "What | would take for
my house." and something was said about
-Four hundred dollars" for it but declined
selling it, because if it were removed 'it
might vtiate my claim to the lard" lie
honestly replied-"Well perhaps it might
and that trade fell to the ground for though
we were rival stockholders, in the two towns
he had too much integrity to try to injure my
fortunes, Ly removing the only Improvement
which could hold squatter's claim. Do you
remember it, Mae?
The wind and the Indians, sixty days af-
ter that, with less consideration than you had
removed every yard of my house, and proba
bly, shirts and petleoats were never so plenty
with those Indians before nor since, but with
the fall ofmy house my fortune fell and--W ell,
Capt. Yates got the weather-gage Of me- My
guns were silenced, Il at last after the passage
of several well charged bottles between us,
changed the name of Oleepa to addition to
YatestoWn," verifying the proverb that the
"Yatestown and its Addition." The incidents
of MY residence among the Diggers, have been
chiefly detailed in Life on the plains" aud
Maggie, l will spare you the intliction here
When at length it became apparent that
neither Yatestown, nor Oleepa would wipe
out Marysville, and the extensive improve
ments talked Of in both cities (Oleepa and
Yatestown) were deferred to the next gene
ration, concluded to let them rise upon their
own merits, and so committing the care Of
my city to the Indians, and old Father Time,
placed my moveables behind yoke of cat
tie and emigrated once more to Stringtown,
to try my luck in mining again.
do not propose to continue my reminis-
censes longer, for feel, Maggie, that you
must be weary of reading, as l am of writing
and the printer becomes more alarmed at
the appearance of every fresh manuscript.
will only say a few words by way of last
ly, and then conclude.
had not visited the spot for more than ten
years. In viewing the Improvements of the
country, l felt sure that that portion of the
country had undergone a great change, and
expected to see an improved farm-at least.
As drove onward, from Honcut, | discov-
cred that | was on road which was new to
me. l was satisfied that portion of my old
trail lay nearer she river, but at length we
approached large white hotel, some miles
beyond Honcut, and l stopped to make en-
quiries "Where is Charie's ranch, now call
ed Blivins," | asked Of man who stood on
the porch "About mile and half west.
nunn,,bi .Lor,Lt GO XNaU vpLera do |