Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-02-23
MONTANA.

4. D. Richardson, who was here in
Gold Hill with the Colfax party last June,
in one Of his letters to the New York hi
6uns, from Montana, gives the following
little sketch Of his adventures at Helena.
when he was there last October, which
sounds so much like similar scenes which
occurred in California and Washoe in the
early days Of their settlement, that we re-
publish them, having nothing better at
hand jus, now
Some writer asserts that mining regions
consist of O~phir-holes, gopher-holes and
loafer-holes. Most popular and charac-
teristic of the last is the hurdy-gurdy
house. l found a large hall crowded with
visitors Of all ranks, from judges to black
legs. in every costume from ~broadcloth to
buckskin. At one end a well-stocked bar,
and a monte bank in full blast; at the
other a platform occupied by three musi-
clans; between, many lookers-on, with
cigars and meerschaums. "Take your
ladies for the next dance" shouted the Or
chestra leader; and half-a.dozen swarthy
fellows. fresh from the mines, selected
partners from the ordinary, bedizened
women who stood in waiting. Among
the latter was our late stage passenger OF
the red hair, now full blown from her
chrysalis condition of soiled hands and
worn calico into a shining butterfly OF
kids and silk, ribbons and laces. The
dance finished, the miners led their part
ners through the crowd to the bar Tor
whisky, at 25 cents a drink. or cham
payne at Sl2 per bottle gold; then a
short pause, followed by another diver
sion; and thus the sorry revelry con-
tinued until nearly daylight, interrupted
only BY two fights. For every dance
each male participant pays 81, one-half
going 10 his partner, the rest 10 the pro-
prietor. This functionary, who was deal
ing monte, with revolver at his belt,
assured me that his daily profits averaged
500. The women are Of questionable
or rather, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS but
publicly dccorum is preserved and to the
miner, who has hardly seen a female face
for six months, they represent something
of the tenderness and sacredness OF their
sex.
At 8 in the morning I started for Hele-
ma Q25 miles northward), by Oliver s
Company's daily mail coach. Another
passenger, an old Colorado acquaintance,
was also fresh from the hurdy-gurdy.
Habitually sober and industrious, he had
Just paid off his workmen at the close Of a
successful season, and joined them i'll u
little hilarity, wherein many drinks and
one or two fights had proved too much
for him. With each lucid interval he ex-
claimed: mir. -, really you must
excuse me; YOU know this is not my
habit I was never so internally drunk in
oil my life, and I never will be again
that is. If l ever can get over this Then
he relspscd into drowsiness and bewilder-
ment. A, our l5-mile breakfast station,
espylng four weary miners, rolled in their
blankets upon the floor, he dragged out
each BY the collar, with: Get up and
take a drink with me; if any Of you don't
like il. l will fight him afterward, but you
must drink first" The astonished sleep
ers woke, rubbed their eyes, stared at the
cheerful log fire on the hearth, imbibed
the cocktails with gusto, and then re-
turned 10 their SAUNDERS. I have not en-
countered the man west Of the Missouri,
who deems being asked to drink a per-
sonal indignity. Is it DR.. Bellows who
saws the new countries borrow money at
two per cent. a month to buy champagne