The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-09-09

COL. DEM. -. VOL. XXXIV :. NO. 29.

ed. "Besides," said Tom Ryder, "them
fellows at Red Dog would swap 1T
and ring in somebody else on us" A
in the honesty of other camps
prevailed at Roaring Camp, rs in other
places.
The introduction Of female nurse in
the camp also met with objection. 1t
was argued that no decent woman could
be prevailed upon to accept Roaring
Camp as her home, and the spea ker
urged that "they didn't want any more
of the other kind" This unkind allu-
sion to the defunct mother, harsh as 1t
may seem, was the first spasm OF pro-
priety--the first symptom ofthe camps
regeneration. Stumpy advanced moth
ing. Perhaps he felt a certain delicacy
in interfering with the selection of
possible successor in Office. But when
questioned, he averred stoutly that he
and "Jinny"-the mammal before al
luded to-could manage to rear the
child. There was something original,
Independent and heroic about the plan
that pleased the camp. Stumpy was
retained. Certain articles were sent for
to Sacramento. "Mind," said the trea-
surer, as he pressed a bag Of gold dust
into the expresSman's hand, "the best
that can be COTTAGE, you know, and
filigree work and frills; d--n the
cost "
Strange to say, the child thrived.
Perhaps the invigorating climate of the
mountain camp was compensation for
maternal deficiencies. Nature took the
foundling to her broader breast. In
that rare atmosphere of the Sierra foot
hills-that air pungent with balsamic
odor-that ETHEREAL cordial, at once bra
cling and exhilarating, he may have
found food and nourishment, or sub
tie chemistry that transmitted asses
milk to lime and phosphorus. Stumpy
inclined to the belief that it was the
latter and good nursing. "Me and that
ass" he would say, "has been father
he would add, apostrophizing the help
less bundle before him, "never 60 back
on u.s."
By the time he was month old the
necessity Of giving him name became
apparent. He had generally been
known as the "kid," "Stumpy's boy"
"the Cayote, IAN allusion to his vo.
cal powers)-- even by Kentuck's
endearing dimunitive of "the Id
little cuss." But these were felt to be
vague and unsatisfactory, and were al
last dismissed under another influence
Gamblers and adventures are general
ly superstitious, and Oakhurst one day
declared that the babe had brought
"the luck" to Roaring Camp. 1t was
certain that of late they had been sue
cessful. "Luck" was the name agreed
upon, with the prefix of Tommy fo
greater convenience. No allusion was
made to the mother and the father wa
unknown. "It's better" said the phil
osophical Oakhurst, "to take fresl
deal all around. Call him Luck ant
start him fair" A day was according
ly set apart for the christening. Wha
was meant by this ceremony the reade
may imagine who has already gathered
some idea OF the reckless irreverence o
Roaring Camp. The master of ceremo
nies was one "Boston," noted wag
and the occasion seemed to promise tn
greatest facetiousness. This ingeniou
satrist had spent two days in preparin;
burlesque of the church service, with
pointed local illusions. The choir wa
properly trained and Sandy Upton wa
to stand godfather. But after the pro
cession had marched to the grove will
music and banners, and the child hat
been deposited before mock altar
Stumpy stepped before the expectan
crowd. "It amt my style to spoil fu
boys" said the little man stoutly eye
ing the faces around him, ,"but it strike
me that this thing amt exactly on tn
square. It's playing it pretty low dow
on this yer baby to ring in fun on hin
that he amt agoing TO understand. An
eff there's agoing to be any godfather
round, I'd like to see whose got an
better rights than me-" A silence TO
, lowed Stumpy's speech. To the cred
of all humorists be it said that the fir:
, man to acknowledge its justice was tn
sa tirist, thus stopped of his fun. But
, said Stumpy quickly, following up h
: advan tage, "we're here for a chrstel
= ing, and we'll have it. / proclaim yo
Thomas Luck, according to the laws {
, the United States and the State of Cal
: fornia-so help me God" 1t was tn
hrst time the name Of the Deity ha
7 been uttered aught but pr0fanely in til
, camp. The form Of christening W.
| perhaps even more ludicrous than tt
satirist had conceived, but, stranE
enough, nobody saw it and nobod
= laughed. Tommy was christened
e seriously as he would have been und'
a Christian roof, and cried and was con
forted in as orthodox fashion.
l And so the work Of regeneration b
n gan in Roaring Camp. Almost impe
D ceptibly change came over the settl
/ ment. The cabin assigned to "Tomn
Luck"-or "The Luck" ashe was mo
frequently called-first showed signs
: improvement. 1t was kept scrupulou
x ly clean and whitewashed. Then it W
= boarded, clothed and papered. IT
a rosewood cradle-packed eighty mil
y by mule-had, in Stumpy's way Of pr
< ting it, "sorter killed the rest of the fu
g niture." So the rehabilitation Of Il
= cabin became a necessity. The mt
= who were in the habit of lounging in
Stumpy's TO see show The Luck 6
h on" seemed to appreciate the chang
: and, in sefdefense, the rival establis
: ment of "Tuttle's grocery" bestirred
Il SELF and imported carpet and miro
It The reflection of fthelatter on the appeS
3. snce of Roaring Camp, tended to pl
d duce stricter habits Of personal clean