Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-04-13
Almost everybody went in more


thing about it-so hard, in fact, that |
was more than little alarmed for the
result.
l got it into my head about that time
that l would like to run down to Wash
ingtcn and take look at the forts ar d
camps. Somehow it always CALLED me
good deal that | could not take my
part with the rest, and I wanted to have
a look at the thing any how. So | call
ed at the house to see Lucille and get a
short furlough, and l succeeded sur
prisinglv well That is, | didn't see as
much Of Lucille as l wanted, bat the
old gentleman gave me leave of absence
readily, and added:
"Suppose something may happen,
somewhat, whiles you are dare, eh !?
You seed me telegram, quick p
eyes, l replied, "but you know
the War Department don't allow fell
low to send over the wires just what he
wants to-"
ooh, never mind all dat" said
Mitraille, 'just you send something's
good or bad, no matter just de words.
| understand mighty quick, ha !! ha !!
Never you mind the War Department" ]"
"And so,' continued John, "off l
went, without very clear idea of what
was expected, or how l was to do it,
And now the rest of it sounds tre-
mendously like page from Munchau-
sen, but it's all clear historical fact
Nlitraille wrote letter which got to
Washington about as soon as | did,
urging me to keep my ears and eyes
open, and promising that if | sent him
any thing of importance he would go
halves with me on the profits. | saw
by that how terribly nervous he was
getting, and concluded that affairs must
be even worse with him than l knew
of. Nevertheless, I began to be trife
excited myself, and though l had a sort
Of horror of speculation, especially of
gold gambling, 1 commenced to look
around me pretty sharply for items.
Among other adventures | fell in with
old Sam Gorham, of Cincinnati, one of
our correspondents, and nephew of
his, queer, awkward spoon of fellow,
and we went around sightseeing in
company.
Nothing would do for either uncle or
nephew but a continual succession of
cocktails, and I had to leave them in
their rooms soon after dinner, somewhat
the worse for wear, while l continued
my search for information under diff.
culties.
didn't find out anything in partic-
ular all that nj CHIT or the next forenoon,
but [ saw the sights pretty efectually,
and about noon | went into my friends
room to stir them up. l found the
nephew lolling disconsolately on chair,
and the uncie in bed with high fever,
the natural result of his foolishness the
day before. The hopeful youth began
the story of his tribulations by stating
that he had expected his aunt there
that day, but had received a letter from
her saying that she had been delayed
and could not come on at once.
| asked him what the doctor said
about his uncle
ooh, the old man S right sick, and 1
reckon I'd better telegraph to Aunt
Sally to come on right off,"
On the plea of splitting headache
he begged me to send his message, and
| thought | would send one at the same
time to Mitraille & Co. Well his tele-
gram, saving the direction, read:
"Don't wait for anything. Uncle
Sam very sick indeed -
| While mine was simply.
"Nothing stirring. Having a good
time"
Now, how on earth those two little
affairs got interchanged is a mystery to
me to this day. Perhaps I did it;
maybe he did it; perhaps it was done
at the telegraph office; l don't know
but twisted they certainly were, and
somehow both of them passed the CEN
sors. When Mitraille opened his he
straishtway imagined that something had
gone to smash in Washington, and that
had taken neat way of giving him
hint, and he rushed out and bought all
the gold his credit would cover
He wrote me by that mail an account
of transactions whose magnitude almost
turned my hair gray; and while he
thanked me for my hint he begged me
to be sure that my information was
correct. l thought at first that he was
crazy, and then | got pretty near crazy
myself, thinking of what might be the
consequences of the mistake. The first
thing | did-this was the next day,
you know-was to rush into Riggs
and ask the latest gold prices.
Guess my delight when I found them
fairly jumping upward. 1t was Won
derful! Still, 1 was terribly nervous,
ior all sorts of rumors were afoat, and
l knew that gold could fall as fast as it
could rise. The feeling grew on me
until, pretty nearly half demented, l
went into the telegraph Office at
Willard's and dashed off
"It's all sell, and big one.'
Well, the old gentleman took that
just as he had the other one, and not
only sold out but went short to the full
extent of his line. 1t was the luckiest
thing in the world, for, sure enough,
within forty-eight hours things did 60
down heels over head. I began to feel
lsuperstitious there was something
fairly uncanny about it /; and I packed
up my kit and made fast time for New