Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-10-23
From the Overland Monthly
The Luck Of Roaring Camp.

There WAS clmmItiln IN Roaring Camp.
1t could not have been fight, for in 1880
that was rot novel enough to have called to-
gctdcr the entire settlement The bitches
and caims were not only deserted. but " Tut
ties grocery had contributed its gamblers.
who, IL will be remembered. calmly c0ntin-
ued theIr game the day that French Pete and
kauaka Joe shot each other o. death over
the bar in the front room. The whole camp
was collected before q rude cabin on the out
er edge of the clearing. Conversation was
carried on IN low tone, but the name Of a
woman was frequently repeated. It was a
name familiar enough in the camp Cher
okcc Sal.
Perhaps the less said of her the better.
She was n slarse. and, it is 10 be feared. a
very sinful woman. But at that time she
was the only woman in Roaring Camp. and
was Just then lying iu sore extremity when
she most needed the ministratiln of her own
sex. DIs>olute abandoned and irreclaim-
able. she was Vet suffering a martyrdom-
hard enough TO bear even IN the seclusion
and sexual sympathy with which custom
wells it-but now terrible in her loneliness
The primal curse had come to her in that
original isolation. which must have made the
punishment Of the first tanSgression so
dreadful. 1t was. perhaps. part of the ex-
riation of her sin. that at moment when
she most lacked her sex intuitiye sympathy
and care, she met only the half contemptuoue
faces of her masculine associates. Yet few
Of the spectators were, / think. touched by
her suiierinrs. Sandy linton thought il wa.
" rough on Sal. - and in the contemplation of
her condition. for moment rose superior to
the fact that he had an ace and two bowers
in his sleeve
It will be seen. also. that the situation was
novel Deaths were bv no means uncommon
in Roaring Camp. but a birth was new
thing People had been dismissed the camp
eaectlyelv finally. and with no p9ssibility Of
returp bnt this was the first time that any
b,dv had bcen introduced o5 j1j,jo Hence
the settlement
YIN On in there. Stumuv.' said nrom-
ipent citizen known as .Kentuck.' address
sing one of the louneers. 60 in there and
see What Won KIN do. You We had exrerience
in tbem fLipos
Perhars there was a fitness in the selec
tion Sfnmnv. in other climes. had heen the
,,r+a,iy, head or two families in fact il ,ras
l,,iro, IN sor,e le,aI inf,r,nalitv in these ,,ro
.eodir.,s rIof Rnarin,r Calnrt-n city Of ref
-, -. ,,,5al,+aJ r. Lis ,.,,,,,.,,,,- m
..'l 49,. L., ~ T.. -
o'Y"u ~ ~. ' - ,T T''S
"''e e,'o"9" ~ - ~ '.-' 'g-) m NJ
door closed on 'lle eA'e,.i l1is seon anu
miu"lIe' ana l,,oiI'S IN ',.e 'o"ii .I ou'-
sitT' .,' s'iioA'i i'9 =.
Inc asSemoiaSe nuii'',,'eu 'I o'ou' " nun
drea men; one OF Two .. 'l'ese were acIu3l .i
iusityes ron II.iCe' '4le nr,. ~gig til'ilaI' L
ana an "efe af - ~
hiol'ed no 'lIle''lo T y, 'em ast tad il'es anu P
cnar9cler' lng ,''est so'',i fhlnJo l,,J is.
phael iace' WIZ i,.'l'
OakhuIst, '''',' ~ az
anu il,eil'' ~ . il--''.,s
lhe cooi's' "il.. r. i'i''i W. W.
scarcely over i've S i'e' ~ i'T'S.i'' Si'n Soi'
voice ana an en- 'li 'i'u'u na'iiier.
Inc term ousHS "iIiI'u 20 ..ieiii "uS
distinction Iatner ',i'" uc"lil'io"' ei-
haps m the MINOR ue''iis oi hlgeIs, toes'
ears, etc, the camp may nave peen ueIcieht'
eut u .ese shght omissions uig III n"t ue'rac,
rom ron Their aggregate loice- me strongest
. .h au put IiireG niigtrs On ii' ris''' iaiiu
'iS oest snot had put one eye
q, ouel Ma5 the physical aspect oil the men IS