The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1862-07-02

IN letters to the Chicago Times, which Will
be written from day to day by -
A CALIFORNIA SPECULATION.
MosE JENKINS did not take the Califor-
MIA fever when it first broke out; for he
acknowledged himself ssslow motioned," !"
and his skull was of such formidable
thickness, that it required good many
months for an idea to penetrate into his
brain. In the interim, he delyed and
digged away on corner of his fathers
farm, having leased the land of the old
gentleman, and purchased his time of the
same respectable. individual for the pur-
pose of working it. But to work farm
where the rocks are so near together that
the sleeps noses have to be -sharpened
before they can Craze between them, is not
very profitable business; and Nose, by
dint Of hard thinking, arrived at the CON
clusion that there might possibly be some
occupation less laborious and more lucra-
tive "a s@s -
2aConfound these granite rocks!" heck
claimed, one day, as he was plowing, after
he had broken his trace chains for Sec
ond time; stthey hev another kind evl
rocks in Californy, Jehosophat! If I were
thar! There fellur hez to dig, but he
gets putty good wagesAfiye thousand dol
lars month is middlin' , not to say fair. y
In short, Nose jenkins made up his
mind to go to San Francisco, having got
the wherewithal to carry him in packet
to the land of promise. Fearful of oppo-
sition, he communicated his project nei-
ther to the author of his days, the vener-
loved of his heart, Miss Prudence Salter,
a cherry checked dansel in the state of
orphanage; but wrote to a friend in Bos-;
ton to secure passage. He reserved his
communication to the very last moment
when he was all ready for starting. His
father gave him his blessing; Prudence
was more difficult to manage.
s'It's breach of promise CASE" said
she, Il don't believe you mean to marry
me, arter all zoe essi y ;sfss g 1858 j
Yes I do, ye silly critter,,' said Nose
sFll come home and make you Mrs. Jen-
kins, but want to make the rocks first
Amt there enough rocks here?s asked
Prudence, simply. ea e leassle
Pooh! mean the rocks what folks ear
ries intheir pockets, and treats everybody
with, all solid gold ss 5T sSsAi
4 don't believe half them stories, said
Prudence, contemptuousiy. eap
t sThey re as true as gospel, said Moses,
s'cause see it in the paper. And there is
Curnil Hateful Slowboy, that went from
here last year-you'd d ort know him, Pru-
dence, cos he was one, of your old beaux
wall, now, they say he's one of the rich
est men in Californy. l tell you I'm bound
to make my fortin' there .5s a4I
And SO am I, said Prudence, resolute-
!, ly. va s sl4-l ss1
! sYonT exclaimed Nose .aGall sts
4 sYes. I'm bound to go, too; and FL
t follow you in the next ship, else you'll be
81 green enough to marry one of them 'ere
Ingine gals g er5fso eis ss1
5 Prudence, you're all pluckls exclaimed
: Nose, in terms. of the warmest admira
: ton. 'Good-byel But Lswow I II marry
n you just as soon as you set your foot ii
r, Californy.' eeol 81 a 4szs;l.-3 az-
: Not to. amplify on details, our adven
e. turer landed there safe, and was, ofcourse
Hike all verdant voyagers, much surprise,
at the tariff of prices subjected to- his no
tice. The porter who carried his trunl
/ Ito the hotel charged him ten dollars; an
It that hotel was a leaky tent: a place Z
If tough beef was charged seventy i've cents
n and watery potatoe ten. Business wa
is very dull, too, atthe moment of his arriya
the accounts from the mines were disas
e trous, and everything announced an az
l. preaching crisis. Nose confded his grie.
n to Colonel Hateful Slowboy, his fellow
ofl townsman, who really is one of the ricl
est men in, California, winding up with b
y mentations over the expected arrival
N Prudence, whom he promised to marry.
y sssWhat kin I do with wife?' said h
5 when can't support mysolf, event.?
/. VERY true, said the Colonel. 'Now,
3 it were me, the case would be very differ
4 ent ,G.,ts fsSss6 Ss s+sAl@y SO 8 +
te Prudence done all the courtin' hersel
r fCurnil, said our hero, sulkily. sI nevt
y fshould have offered if it hadn' u been ft
as her. Tkinder like her pretty well, thoug
Is -she $ sort of pretty nice gal. - sex
RI Well, Nose, said the Colonel, 'wh,
l. do you say to giving up your claim?
"A SsEhr said Nose. 20 81 20 s
$, 'What'll you take for your right and t
III tle-casn uoWn-no QueStions askeu!
is s'Wall, dunnow, said Nose, openir
Ill This jack-knife, and picking up a chi
of Prudence is pretty nice gal, as you sal
g. tCurnil' ~ ssA
E. GAS you said, Mr.. jenkins.
be "Wall, it's all the same. The critter
nd very fond of me, and so be of her.
n had plaguy hard work, tell you, to 6
'is her consent. 's.~As- s-tt 80 80 a4e
aCome, come" said the colonel, 1ssy