The Portland daily press., 1868-09-26
selected story.
Th3 Luck of Roaring Camp.

claims were not Uny deserted, but "Iutties
grocery had contributed ITS gamblers Wnp' ~
will be remembered, calmly continued lneir
game the day that French Pete and hahaka
Joe shot each other to death over the bar In |
the front room The whole camp was colec- |
ted before rude cabin on the outer edge OF |
the clearing. Conversation was carried ON IN
n low tone but 1be name OF woman was
frequently repeated. II was name familiar
enough in the camp: Cherokee Sal"
Pe1hap, The less SAID OF her the better. She
was a coarse, and, it is TO be feared very SIN
ful woman. But at the time she was the
only woman in Roaring Camp, and was lust
then lying in sore extremity when she most
needed the minlStration OF her own SEX Dis
solute, abandoned and irreclaimable, she was
yet suffering artyrdom-hard enough to
bear even in the seclusion and sexual sympa-
thy with which custom wells it-but now tel
ribie in her loneliness. The primal curse had
come to her in that original insolation, which
must have made the punishment OF the first
transgression so dreadful. 1t was, perhaps,
part OF the expiation OF her sin, that at mo-
ment when she most lacked her seX's intu-
tive sympathy and care, she met only the
halt contemptuous faces of her masculine as
sociates. Yet few of the spectators were,
think, touched by her sutlelings. Sandy Tip-
ton thought it was rough on SAL" and in the
contemplation OF her condition, Tor a moment
rose superior to the tact that he had an ace
and two bowers in his Sleeve
1t will be seen, Also that the situation was
novel. Deaths were by no means uncom-
mon in Roaring Camp, but birth was new
thing. People had heen dismissed the camp
effectively, finally, and with no possibility OF
return, but this was the first time that any
body had been introduced db initio. Hence
the excitement.
"You go in there, Stumpy," said a promi-
known DC KaY Il IT,
one OF the loungers. go in there and see
what you kin do. You've had experience in
them things" emo.
EerLa..a ,iere was fitness in the selec-
ton. Stumpy, III other chimes, had been the
putative head of two families; in fact it was
owing TO some legal informality in these pro-
ceedings that Roaring Campo city OF refuge
was indebted TO his company. The crowd
approved the choice, and Stumpy was wise
enough to bow to the majority. The door
closed on the extempore surgeon aud mid
wife, and Roaring Camp sat down outside,
smoked its pipe and awaited the issue.
The assembage numbered about a hun
dred men. One or two of these were actual
tugitives from justice, some were criminal,
and all were reckless. Physically, they ex-
hibited 70 indication OF their past lives and
character. The greatest scamp had Raph-
ael face, with protuslon OF blonde hair Coax
hurst, gambler, had the melancholy air and
Intellectual abstraction of Hamlet: the
coolest and most Courageous man was Scarce
ly over five feet in height, with a soft voice
and an embarrassed, timid manner The
term 'roushs" applied TO them with distinc-
ton rather than definition. Perhaps in the
minor details OF fingers, toes, ears, &C.. the
camp may have been deficient, but these
omissions did not detract from their aggre-
gate force. The strongest man had but three
myers on his right hand; the best shot had
but one eye. p
Such was the physical aspect of the men
that were dispers around the cabin. The
camp lay in triangular valley, between two
hills and river. The only outlet was steep
trail over the summit of hill that faced the
cabin, now Illuminated by the rising moon.
The suffering woman, might have seen it
Il from the rude bunk wheieon she lay-seep
it winding like silver thread until it was
lost in the stars above.
A fire OF withered pine boughs added So
ciability to the gathering. BY degrees the
natural levlty oil RoarlnS Camp returned
Bets were freely offered and taken regarding
the result. Three to FIVE that sal would
get through with it," even, that the child
would survive: side bets as to the sex and
complexion OF the coming stranger In the
midst OF an excited discussion an exclsma-
ton came from those nearest the door. and
the camp stopped to listen. Above the SWAY
ing and the moaning OF the pines, the swift
rush OF the river and the cracking OF the fire,
rose sharp querulous cry-a cry unlike any
thing heard before in the camp. The pines
stopped moaning, the river ceased to rush and
the lire to crackle. 1t seemed as if nature
had stopped to listen too.
The camp rose to It's feet as one man! 1t
was proposed to explode a barrel of gun
powder, but, in consideration of the situation
OF The mother, better counsels pre-
vailed, and only few revolvers were dis
charged; for whether owing to the rude sur
gerry OF the camp, or some other reason, Cher
okee Sal was sinking fast. Within an hour
she had climbed, as it were, that rugged road
that led to the stars, and so passed out OF
Roaring Camp, its sin and shame forever. /
do not think that the announcement disturb
ed them much, except in speculation as to
the tale OF the child. Can he live now?"
was asked Of Stumpy. The answer wa
doubtful. The only other being of Cherokee
Sa,'s sex and maternal condition was an ass.
There was some conjecture as to fitness, but
the experiment was tried. 1t Was less prob
lematical than the ancient treatment of Rom
"''ls and Remus, and apparently as success
full. 7't-
When these details were completed. which
eXhaus ted another hour, the door was opened.
and the anxious crowd, which had already
formed themselves into queue entered in
single file. Beside the low bunk or shelf on
which the figure of the mother was starkIv
outlined below the blankets. stood pine IA.
BILE. On this candle-box was placed and
within it, swathed in staring red flannel, lay
the last arrival at Roaring Camp. Beside the
candle-box was placed hat. Its use was
soon indicated. Gentlemen" said Stumpy
with singular mixture of authority and
&c cticio complacency-" Gentlemen will
please pass in at the front door, round the ia
nd mt of haa yI,I
wishes to contribute anything toward the Or
phan will find a hat handy" The first man
entered with his hat on; he uncovered, how
ever, as he looked about him. and so, uncon-
sclously, set an example to the next. In such
communities good and bad actions are catch
ing. AS the procession filed in. comments
We're audible criticism addressed, perhaps,
rather 10 Stumpy, In the character OF show
man: "ls that him ?" mighty small speci-
men" "nasn't morn got the COLOR" "aint
bigger nor derripger." The contributions
were as characteristic: A silver tobacco box
doubloon; navy revolver silver mounted
gold specimen; very beautifully embroid-
cred ladys handkerchief (from Oakhurst, the
gambler; diamond breastpin; diamond |
ring suggested by the pin, with the remark |
from the giver that be 'saw that pin. and |
went two diamonds better; a sung shot; |
bible contributor not detected; golden |
spur; silver teaspoon 1.-THE initials [ regret |
TO say were not the giver's; a pair of sur |
geon's shears; lancet; bank of England |
note tor 95 and about 5000 in loose gold and |
slve- coin. During these proceedings Stumpy |
maintained silence as impassiye as ,he |
dead on his ieft-a gravity as inscrutabe as |
mat OF the newly-born on his right. Only |
one incident occurred to break the monotony |
OF the curious procession. AS Kentuck bent |
over the candle-box half curiousIy, the child
turned, and, in a spasm OF pain. caught aft
bis cropping finger and held it fast for a mo-
ment Kentuck looked foolish and embarrass
ed, Something like blush tried to assert it.
self In his weather-beaten cheek. "The id
little cLss |" he said, as he extricated his fin
ger, with perhaps more tenderness and care
Ihan ne might have been deemed capable of
showing. lie held that finger a little apart |
from Its fellows as he went out and examined |
IL curlously. The examination provoked the /
same original remark in regard to the child, |
In tact he seemed to enjoy repeating n aHe |
Wrastied with my finger" he remarked to |
, nilpton, hoidlng up the member 1.-The id /
1t was four o'clock before the camp souobt
repose. A light burnt in the cabin whore tbe |
watchers sat, for Stumpy did not 90 to bed |
mat night. Nor did Kentuck. He drank
qulIe freely and related with great gusto his |
experience, invariably ending with his |
enaiacteristlc condemnation of the new /
coner. III seemed to relieve him of anv nm /
just implication of Sentiment and Ka1+,cl
had the weakness of the nohIer Gov WI
everybody else had gone to he'd ho war, o
d0Wn md