The Shasta courier., 1866-02-03
SHASTA COURIER

A TAKE-oFF ON AUSTIN, NEvADA.-The
following is an extract fromN what is called
an intercepted letter published in the Reese
RiverReyeille, and processes to be a descrip-
tion of men and manners in Austin Nev.l
We clip from the Sacramento Union;
The barkeeper then asked me what |
would take. l told him | did not wish to
drink. He looked at me moment, and then
insinuatingly asked . Gin p | again as. as.
sured him did not drink. Good 6od !!
said he. :. You don't drink ~ and he fell
back on his counter, and stared at me with
stony ewes. The attention of the whole
crowd was now attracted, and they gathered
around me with awe-stricken faces, whiie a
subdued whisper went round" ne doh
drink ~ Finally, tall man in freekled
shirt stepped for ward, and observed, ho
in hell are YOU ?'' / thought he wanted an
answer, and so | told him my name and
residence. ''Ah - said he, you are the
New Yorker who came out last night to buy
mines ?" | acknowledged that this was the
case, and soon found had made a valuable
friend. "Stand back, gentlemen p he cried;
this is an old friend of mine. Now, what
will you drink ~ | feebly answered that
would like little watered brandy and as
soon as | had got it down, my dellverer
took me into a corner and demanded my
autobiography. Before | had told him all,
it appeared that his father used to 90 to
school with an aunt Of ours Tor an uncle, he
wasn't absolutely certain), and this fact de-
lighted my honest friend beyond description.
He swore he would stand by me until l
segregated He made me drink with him
three times. and smoked two Of my choice
Havanas. He made all the rest stand back,
and vociferated that | was his old and long
lost friend so loudly, that felt as if had
strawberry marks all over me.
Finally he grew confidential, and inform
ed me that the Wiggleses, and the o. Briens,
and the Smiths, and the men from Nye
county were all . bilks" of the most aggra-
vated description, who wanted to sell me
and some mines at one and the same time
He further said that he had about twenty
first class mines of his own, which he had
long and obstinately refused to part with
but with an old friend like me he might
you understand, do something. | was very
much pleased at having accidentally made
so valuable friend, and after two more
drinks and four or five handshakings finally
got away. There is one drinking saloon t
every five men in the Reese River District
but as several new ones will soon be started
tnere Is reason 10 nope tldI uhe puDAc VII
ultimately be accommodated. | suppose i
is nothing when one gets accustomed to it:
but stranger is apt to get tired, especially
when the drinks are mixed. As | was walk
ing down the street, after leaving my tai
friend, saw something which for momen
took me back to Central Park. 1t was moth
ing less than lady equestrian in gorgeou:
raiment, with gold embroidery on her jack
et She wore a ratty hat and altogethe
made a stunning appearance. L inyoluntari
ly looked for her footmen. but although tht
street was full Of them they did not seem tt
belong to her. l was rather surprised a
seeing lady riding alone in the street, bu
etiquette is not very strict in these frontier
towns, you know. Besides, | was afterwarC
told that the lady owned one Of the most re-
munerative mines in the whole District 1t
is worked by outside parties, but the profit.
inure to her.
Your brother, WILLIAM.
P. 81 have just heard that my tall
friend is a Z" blk"