The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-10-12
drinking and bOOzing away at yon ale
to me. il you please.

Show them to me, If you please
A few minutes brought US to the place
Of boisterous entertainment, the lower
room OF which was suffocatingly full Of
tipplers and tobacco smoke. We never
theless contrived to edge ourselves in ;
and my companion stealthily pointed out
the group, who were seated together near
the farther window, and then left me to
myself.
The appearance of jackson entirely an
swered to the popular prefix of Flint at
tached to his name. He was wiry,
gnarled, heavy-browed, iron ;jawed fellow.
of about sixty, with deep-set eyes all
aglOw with sinister and greedy instincts.
His wife, older than he, and as deaf appa-
rcntly as the door of dungeon, wore a
smpering, imbecile look Of wondcrment,
it seemed to me, At the presence Of such
unusual and abundant cheer. The young
people who lodged with jackson, were
really very frank, honest, good-lOoking
couple, though not then appearing to ad
vantage-the countenance Of Henry Rog-
ers being flushed and inflamed with drink,
and that Of his wife clouded with frOwns,
at the situation in which she found her
self, and the riOtOus conduct Of her huS-
band. Their brief history was this: =
they had both been servants in family
living not far distant from Farnham-Si Sir
Thomas Lethbridges' | undcrstood-when
about three or months previous to the
present time, Flint jackson, who had
once been in an attorneys office, discov-
cred that Henry Rogers, in consequence
Of the death of distant relative in Lon
don, was entitled to property worth some
thing like 9l500. There were, however,
some law diffiultics in the way, which
Jackson offered, if the business was placed
in his hands, to overcome for conSidera
ton, and in the mean time to supply
board and lodging and such necessary
sums Of money as Henry Rogers might
require. With this brilliant prospect in
view, service became at once utterly dis.
tasteful. The unfortunate legatee had for
some time courted Mary Elkins, one OF
the ladies maids, pretty, bright-eyed
brunette and they were both united in
the bonds Of holy matrimony on the very
day the warnings" they had given ex-
pired. Since then they had lived at
Jackson's house in daily expectation oi
their "fortune" with which they proposed
to start in the public line.
Finding myself unrecognizcd, I called
boldly for pot and pipe, and after some
maneuvering contrived to seat myself
within ear-Shot Of jackson and his party.
They presented strange study. Henry
Rogers was boisterously excited, and not
only drinking freely himself, but treating
dozen fellows round, the cost Of which
he from time to time called upon "Old
Flint" as he courteously styled his an.
cient friend. to discharge.
Come, fork out, Old FIint!' he cried,
again and again. It'll be all right, you
know, in a day or two, and few half.
pence over. Shell out, old fellow what
signifies, so you are happy!'
jackson complied with an affectation oi
acquiescent gayety ludicrous to behold.
1t was evident that each successive pull al
his purse was like wrenching tooth out
of his head, and yet. while the diSmalesI
Of smiles wrinkled his woltish mouth, he
kept exclaiming
"A fine lad--a fine lad generous as O
prince-generous as prince! Good Lord,
another round! He minds money not a
bit more than as if gold was as plentiful
as gravel! But fine generous lad for all
that !!
jackson, perceived, drank considcra.
bly,, as il melted thereto by compressed
savageness. The pretty young wife would
not taste drop, but tears frequently filled
her eyes, and bitterness pointed her words
as she vainly implored her husband tc
leave the place and go home with her,
To all her remonstrances the maudlin
drunkard. replied only by foolcry, varied
occasionally by an attempt at line or two
of the song Of THE Thorn
But you will plant thorns, Henry re-
joined the provoked wife, in louder and
angrier tone than she ought perhaps tc
have used-'not only in my bosom, but
your own, il you 60 on in this SCOTTISH
disgraceful way
Always quarrelling! always quarrel
ling!' remarked jackson, pointcdly, to-
wards the observation-disclosures quarrel
ling!'
who is always quarrelling p demanded
the young wife. sharply. DO you mean
me and Henry?'
4 was only saying, my dear, that you
don't like your husband to be so generou,
and Observation-Disclosures all replied Jack.
son, with q confidential wink at the person
near him.
Free.hearted and generous! Fool
hearted and crazy, you mean = rcjoined
the wife, who was very much excited
And you ought to be ashamed Of yourself
to give him money for such british pur'
poses.
always quarrelling, always quarrel
lingl' iterated jackson, but this time .un
heard by Mrs. Rogers-'always perpetu
ally quarrelling!
| could not quite comprehend all this
If SO large n sum as 9l500 was really
coming to the young man. why should
jackson vince as he did at disburSing
small amounts which he could repay him
self with abundant INTEREST," If otherwise
and it was probable he should not bt
repaid-what meant his eternal, fin,
generous lad I spirited young man I and
so on? What, above all, meant thai
look of diabolical hate which shot oul
from his cavernOus eyes towards Henry
Rogers, when he thought himself unob
served, just after satisfying fresh claim
on his purses Much practice in reading
the faces and department Of such mer
made it pretty clear to me that Jackson's
course Of action respecting the young mar
and his money, was not yet decided upOr
in his own mind that he was still per
picked and irresolute; and hence the ap
parent contradiction in his words and acts
Henry Rogers at length dropped asleep
with his head upon Ope Of the settle tables
jackson sank into sullen silence; the
noisy room grew quiet and came away
was impressed withO belieftha Jack
son entertained some sinister deSigr
against his youthful and inexperienced
dodgers, and l determined to acquNint
them with my suspicious. For this pur
pose Mr.. Morgan, who had patient liv
Jog near JacksOn's house, undertook t
invite them to tea on some early evening
on pretence that he had heard of taverr
A. - 49,. ..,L.- A.. II,