The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-04-04
THE LUCK OF Ro,RIso CAMP.
Irron ths orerlaud nonthlr1

coulo not have been light, for In 1850 that was
net novel enough 70 have called together the entire
setuement The bitches and claims we're not only
deserted, but TuttIe'sr grocery had contributed
ito gamblers, who, Il will be remembered, calmly
continued their game the day that French Pete
and kanska Joe shot each other to death over the
lected before rude cabin on the outer edge Of
the clearing. Conversation was carried on In Q
low tone, bot the name Of woman was frequently
repeated 1t was name familiar enough In the
b Perhaps the less said Of her the better. She
was coarse, and. II is to be feared, very sinful
woman. But at thai time she was the only woman
In Roaring Camp, and was just then lying In sore
extremity when she most needed the minstration
OF her own sex. Obsolete, abandoned and ire.
claimable, she was yet suffering Q msrtyrdon-
hard enough to bear even 10 the eeclusion 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
mast have made the punishment Of the fret trans
gression so dreadful Il was, perhaps, part OF
the expiation OF her sin. that at moment whom
she most lacked her sex's intuitive sympathy aud
care she met only the half contempfuous faces Of
her masculine associates. Yet few Of the spec.
tstors were. / think. touched by her sufferings
Sandy Upton thought il was rough on Sal,n
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. --FI ) n
1t will be seen, also, that the situation was
novel. Deaths were by no means uncommon In
Roaring Camp. but birth was o new thing.
People had been dismissed the camp effectively,
was the first time that anybody had been intro
duced ab initto. Hence the excitement.
You 60 in there, Stumpy," said q prominent
citizen known 90 " Kentuck." addressing one Of
the loungers. $50 10 there. and see what you
kin do. You've had experience in them things.r
Perhaps there was fitness in the selection.
Stumpy, in other climes, had been the putative
head Of two families; in fact. it was owing to
t2Ir al l.
Roaring Campo city of refuge-was Indebted
to his company. The crowd approved the choice,
and Stumpy was wise enough TO bow to the ma
jority. The door closed on the extempore sur
eeon and midwife, and Roaring Camp sat down
outside, smoked its pipe, and awaited the issue.
q The assemblsge numbered about . hundred
men. One or two Of these were actual fugitives
from justice, some were criminal, and all were
reckless: Physically, they exhibited no indios-
ton OF their past lives and character. The great
est scamp had Raphael face, with q profusion Of
blonde hair Oakhurst, gambler, had the melan-
choly air and intellectual abstraction of Ham
let; the coolest. and most courageous man was
scarcely over five feet In height with soft voice
and an embarrassed, timid manner. The term
" roughs" applied to them was distinction
rather than definition. Perhaps In the minor
details OF fingers, toes ears, etc., the camp may
have been deficient, but these slight omissions
strongest man had but three fingers on his right
hand; the best shot had but one eye.
Such was the physical aspect Of the men that
were dispersed 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 suffer.
ing woman might have seen II from the rude bunk
wherein she lay-seen 1t winding like silver
thread until il was lost In the stars above.
A fire of withered pine boughs added socia.
bility to the gathering. BY degrees the natural
leviiy of Roaring 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. 10 the midst OF an excited discussion
an exclamation came from those nearest the door,
and the camp stopped TO listen. Above the sway
The river and the cracking of the fire rose sharp
9uerulous cry-a cry unlike anything heard be.
Tore in the camp. The pines stopped moaning,
The river cessed TO rush, 1.-THE FIRE to crsckle.
Il seemed ss If nature had topped TO listen, too.
The camp rose to its feet as one man. II was
proposed 10 explode barrel oil, gunpowder, bat,
n consideration of the situation of the mother,
better counsels prevailed, and only q few re-
.olsers we're discharged; for. whether owing to
reason, Cherokee Sal was sinking fast. Within an
hour sho had climbed, as 1t were, that rugged
-osd that led to the stars, and 30 passed out Of
Roaring Roaring Camp. its, it, sin az. and shame
nent disturbed them much, except in specula-
lion as 10 the fate Of the child. "Can he live |
low?" was asked Of Stumpy. The answer was
doubtful. The only other being of Cherokee |
sails sex and maternal condition in the settlement
was an ass. There was some conjectare as to |
illness, but the experiment was tried 1t was less
Drobemsticsl than the ancient treatment OF Rom. |
Illus and Renus, and apparently as successful.
When these details were completed, which ex- |
he anxious crowd, which had already formed |
into queue, entered in single fife. |
Beside the low bunk or shelf. on which the figure
Of the mother was starkly outlined below the |
blankets, stood pine table. On this CANDLE |
box vas placed, and within ii, swathed in staring
ed flannel. lay the last arrival at Roaring Camp.
Beside the candle box was placed hat. Its use |
vas soon indicated. "Gentlemen." said StumDy, |
with singular mixture Of authority and er-o6icio |
Gentlemen viii please pass in at |
lack door, Them as wishes to contribute any |
hing toward the orphan will find hat handy" |
The fret man entered with HIS hat on he un- |
covered however, as he looked about him, and so |
set an example 10 the next. In /
uch communities good and bad actions are catch |
Dg. as the procession filed IN, comments were \
audible-criicisms addressed, perhaps. rather to |
siumpy, In the character of Snowman: Is that |
,im?" Mighty small specimen 3" Hasn't |
norm got the color - Amt bigger nor der
Dger." The contributions were as characters
ic-a silver tcbaccobox, q doubl0on, navy re- |
'olyer silver mounted. gold specimen, q very |
embroidered iady's handkerchief from
bathurst, the gambler,) o diamond breast. pin, q /
liamoDd ring (suggested by the pin with the re-
mark from the givsr that be " saw that pin and |
vent two diamonds better,") q slung shot,
Bible "a contributor not detected); q golden |
pur F; q silver teaspoon 1.-THE initials. regret to
az, were Dot the giver's); a pair Of surgeons
hears; @ lancet; bank Of England note for Is |
nd about SEQ In loose gold and silver coin. |
)uripg these proceedings Stumpy maintained q
Hence as impassive as the dead on his left-a
rsvity as inscrutible as that Of the newly born on
is right. Only one incident occurred TO break
be, monotony Of the curious procession. As Ken
uck bent over the candle box half curiousy. the
bid turned, and, in spasm Of pain, caught at
lis propiDg figure and held II fast for q moment |
Ientuck looked foolish and embarrassed, Some
hing like a blush tried to assert itself Ia his |
re stheT- beaten cheek. =" The id little eass y,
Q said, as be exiricated his finger, with, perhaps,
lore tenderness and care than he might have
cen deemed capable of showing. He held that
niger little apart from its fellows as he went
ut and examined il curously. The examination
revoked the same original remark ia regard to
be child. In fact, he seemed to enjoy repeating
!. ." He rastled with my fnger,u be remarked to
ipton, holding up the member, The id little
uss ~ t-.s Ter-f 1- fre - I
Ii was four O'Clock before the camp sought re-