Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-03-01

they should take 81 drink and gel
ready for supper.
Thank you said Charles, Il never
drink anything stronger than tea Oh
coffee.
Thunder = exclaimed the Ken.
tuclSian.
The lad is clean daft said Jock
TO refuse his grog.'
i mean no offense, replied Charles
but gentlemen, | cannot drink with
you
'All right, said Tom, it's free
country, and no man shall drink
against his will, even out here in the
diggings. Some think they're insult
ed If man refuses to drink with
them, but | don't it's free cou ntry
By this time the miners were
coming in from every direction,
down the hiElsides, through the ra-
vines, and from up and down the
long, narrow street, Cornishmen
from the tin mines of Cornwall
men from the iron and coal mines OF
Northern England, Welsh miners,
Germans, natives OF the Green Isle,
Is well as Americans from nearly
every state in the Union, were there,
As Charles gazed upon the hetroge-
neous mass SO unlike anything that
be had ever been accustomed to, his
thoughts went back to his native
city, 90 the circle Of friends be had
lett behind, To the Sabbath privileges
he bad separated from, and all the
cndearing associations that bound
him IL home and loved ones, aud as
he mused feeling of homesicknes.
came over him II was, however,
momentary Forcing back his pain
full emotions, he obeyed the summons
of his Rew friend, Long, and followed
that worthy to the supper table.
The village of BrookvilFe, into
which Charles had strayed, and
which was for "a time to be his home,
is situated in a gorge or long, mar
row valley through which runs a
small stream known as Rattlesnake
or Rattesnake Greek. The waters
Of this stream were once clear and
sparkling, but seldom so at the date
OF our story. for up and down the
stream for some distance the miners
had built their dams and sluices
where the lead ore was washed and
prepared for market. But what the
stream lost in beauty and purity by
the thick yellow oehre that defiled it,
the ore gained in cleanliness and
brilliancy, for it came forth from it's
additions bright and shining as sill
yer, presenting to the beholder q
thousand glistening faces in every
gathered pile.
The houses IN Brookville were
generally small, consisting usually
Of one story, few, however, more
pretentious, contained lofts or sleep
ing rooms above. A small garden
was usually attached to each cottage
in which a few vegetables were cuI-
tivated. There were but few real
homes in Brookville. The female ele-
ment was wanting, many of the
miners being single men. Others
had families but they were in other
places, consequently there were but
few who enjoyed the comforts of the
home tireside, or who felt the re-
straining Influences that spring from
the family relation. Two men gen.
orally occupied one cabin, and these,
in most cases, were partners in min
ing
Drinking and gambling were prev
alent vices in Brookville, as well as
in all the mining region. ARRAYS
and street fights were common in
which deadly weapons were fire.
quently used, resulting in wounds
and sometimes in the death of one
of the parties. Stealing was q crime
but little known. Valuable piles of
mineral tor days were left unguard-
ed, and the miners seldom locked
their doors as they went to their la
Dor. Hospitality among them was
considered one of the cardinal vir-
tues. A tired and hungry traveller
was always at liberty to stop at a
cabin in the absence of the master
and rest himself and satisfy his hun
ger. So secure wss property tina Il
/ u eald thag the miners often left
their money at home lying loose up
on a shelf, while their cabin doors
wer5 unfasteued. Theft, however,
when il did occur. was visited with a
terrible punishment. Judge Lynch
was then sapreme, and if the miser-
able calprit escaped with his life he
never felt desire to return. Lying
also was q vice but little practieed,
and Q man could receive no greater
insult than to have his word called
in question.
CHAPTER III.
on the morning after Charles ar-
rival Tom Long invited him TO visit
4 his gsdigOinps On his wav Tom